Overview
7D Surgical's Flash Navigation system is a radiation-free surgical navigation platform for spine and cranial procedures that requires no intraoperative CT, no O-arm, and no reference markers affixed to the patient. Instead, it uses a high-speed stereo camera array and machine learning algorithms to generate a 3D surface map of exposed bone using only the existing operating room lights as the illumination source.
The system achieves sub-millimeter registration accuracy in under 30 seconds by matching the captured 3D surface map to the patient's preoperative CT scan — a technique called Machine-Vision Image Guided Surgery (MvIGS). This eliminates the 20–40 minutes of setup time, radiation exposure, and workflow disruption associated with intraoperative CT-based navigation systems.
Acquired by Medtronic in 2021, 7D Surgical now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary with continued independent brand identity. It is installed in over 200 US spine surgery centers.
Key Technology
📸
Machine Vision (MvIGS)
Stereo camera captures 3D point cloud of exposed bone surface using structured light and OR illumination. ML algorithm matches to preop CT in <30 seconds.
☢️
Zero Intraoperative Radiation
No fluoroscopy, no O-arm spin, no intraop CT required for navigation registration. Eliminates radiation exposure for patient, surgeon, and OR staff.
⚡
30-Second Registration
Surface scan and CT registration completes in under 30 seconds after bone exposure — vs. 20–40 minutes for competing systems requiring intraoperative CT acquisition.
🎯
Sub-Millimeter Accuracy
Pedicle screw placement accuracy validated at <1mm deviation from planned trajectory in multiple published series, comparable to intraoperative CT-based navigation systems.
Clinical Evidence
Prospective Study
Flash vs. CT-Based Navigation (Laratta et al., 2022)
Prospective comparison of 7D MvIGS vs. intraoperative CT navigation for thoracolumbar pedicle screw placement. Equivalent Grade A/B screw accuracy (97.1% vs 97.4%) with zero radiation for 7D arm. Significant OR time savings.
Multi-Center Series
300-Patient Accuracy Study
Multi-center review of 1,200+ pedicle screws showing 96.8% Grade A/B placement accuracy. No neurovascular complications attributable to navigation error across all centers.
Timeline
2015
7D Surgical founded in Toronto; MvIGS concept development
2019
FDA 510(k) clearance; first commercial installations in US spine centers
2021
Acquired by Medtronic; expands into Medtronic's spine navigation portfolio
2023
Cranial application clearance; integration with Medtronic StealthStation
2025
200+ US installed systems; expanding international market access