Blue Belt Technologies Announces Golden Jubilee National Hospital Completes Initial NavioPFS Unicondylar Knee Replacement Surgery

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Belt Technologies, Inc. announces the first NavioPFS™ unicondylar knee replacement (UKR) procedure performed at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland on December 6, 2012. Dr. Fred Picard successfully performed the surgery using the NavioPFS surgical system. Dr. Picard is a renowned orthopedist and past winner of the Muller Award from the CAOS (Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Surgery) International Society.

The NavioPFS surgical system provides a smart instrument with robotic control, intraoperative implant planning and 3D visualization and navigation to the surgeon in treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Utilizing proprietary software and patented robotic technology, the NavioPFS plans and executes precision bone resection for optimal placement of UKR implants.

After completing the case, Dr. Picard commented "The NavioPFS system met and exceeded my expectations in allowing me to achieve the precise implantation required for unicondylar knee replacement surgery. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this technology to the Golden Jubilee community."

The Golden Jubilee is a national joint center of excellence in Scotland, specializing in orthopedics, cardiology, ophthalmology and general surgery. The Golden Jubilee is responsible for as much as 25% of the orthopedic (arthroplasty) surgical volume in Scotland, and presents an excellent opportunity to showcase the NavioPFS system to other users around the United Kingdom and Europe.

Commenting on the procedure, Eric B. Timko, President and CEO of Blue Belt Technologies, said, "We are excited to begin the next phase of work with Dr. Picard and the Golden Jubilee Hospital as additional surgeons become trained and start using the NavioPFS system to treat patients with unicompartmental osteoarthritis. We believe the NavioPFS system offers a precise and repeatable technique for performing a traditionally very difficult surgery, in an economical package that makes the technology available to any geographic market and hospital system."

Blue Belt Technologies, Inc.

Blue Belt Technologies, Inc. is developing the next generation of "smart" surgical instruments with precision robotics for use initially in orthopedic procedures and then for other surgical specialties, including neurosurgery, spinal and otolaryngology (ENT). The company's NavioPFS System incorporates patented technology to provide precise robotic control to surgeons via an intelligent, handheld, computer-assisted bone-cutting tool. The NavioPFS System provides the surgeon with a layer of safety and enhanced accuracy while performing bone-shaping tasks through minimally invasive incisions.

BLUE BELT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

SOURCE Blue Belt Technologies, Inc.

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