The Center for Data Innovation spoke with Vikas Karade, CEO of AlgoSurg, a company using AI driven-tools to streamline surgical planning across a range of procedures and surgeries. Karade discussed how automating time-consuming tasks such as medical image segmentation helps surgeons save valuable time while ensuring precision and consistency.
David Kertai: What major problems in surgery is AlgoSurg trying to solve with AI?
Vikas Karade: AlgoSurg is addressing major challenges in surgical planning, including delays, inefficiencies, and the variability of manual processes. Surgeons currently spend significant time reviewing scans, identifying key anatomical landmarks, and designing surgical tools like implants and guides, tasks that are time-consuming and prone to human error.
Our AI-driven solutions address this by employing a suite of powerful tools and processes. We have AI-powered medical image segmentation. Surgical teams upload a patient’s CT or X-ray scan to our secure online platform. Our AI system processes these 2D images and converts them into high-precision 3D anatomical models of bones and other structures. This step alone drastically reduces the manual effort and time traditionally spent on image analysis. Once the 3D model is generated, our algorithms precisely pinpoint key anatomical features, ensuring consistent and accurate reference points for surgical planning.
We also provide AI-assisted design capabilities for custom surgical tools. Utilizing shape-constrained statistical models, our platform helps surgeons design patient-specific surgical guides and even implants. These designs are precisely tailored to each patient’s unique anatomy, which can then be directly sent for 3D printing or integrated into robotic surgery systems.
Kertai: In what ways do surgeons or hospitals integrate AlgoSurg’s tools into their workflow?
Karade: Our entire platform is designed for seamless integration into existing hospital workflows. It operates as a secure, cloud-based system, meaning surgical teams can upload scans from anywhere. For larger organizations, our software can connect directly to their planning tools or robotics platforms via APIs, ensuring data flows smoothly. This end-to-end automation, from initial scan processing to the design of surgical tools, is what truly differentiates us and allows us to deliver planning that is dramatically faster, more accurate, and consistently precise.
Kertai: What specific algorithms power the automatic conversion from 2D images into 3D bone models?
Karade: We use convolutional neural networks, deep learning models capable of interpreting complex images. Our models build on an enhanced version of nnU-Net, a leading architecture for medical image analysis. We train these algorithms on a wide variety of patient scans so they can handle diverse body types and conditions.
To fine-tune the results, we apply detection algorithms to pinpoint key bone features and use shape-constrained statistical models to customize the anatomy to each patient. Together, these tools produce high-precision 3D models that surgeons can use for planning, 3D printing, or robotic-assisted procedures.
Kertai: What makes AlgoSurg’s approach to surgical planning different from other medical AI companies?
Karade: Many medical AI tools solve only part of the problem. AlgoSurg delivers an end-to-end solution, from image segmentation to 3D modeling, identification, and surgical tool design. We’ve also optimized the platform for robotic surgery and 3D printing. In addition, our platform evolves based on surgeon feedback rather than remaining static. We’re also developing real-time AR support to guide surgeons directly during operations.
Kertai: Can you provide any real-world examples of your AI-driven tools making a difference in the medical field?
Karade: One powerful example comes from knee replacement surgeries, where our system automatically generates 3D bone models and marks reference points, reducing planning time from hours to minutes. In cancer surgeries, our tools have enabled surgeons to design custom guides that help remove tumors more precisely while preserving healthy bone, improving patient recovery.
