Orthopedic Surgeon Tobin Eckel, MD, First in Central Ohio to Use Innovative Technology for Personalized Total Ankle Replacement

DUBLIN, Ohio, Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients in central Ohio now have access to advanced technology for total ankle replacements. Dr. Tobin Eckel of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is the first surgeon in the region to perform personalized total ankle replacement procedures using Advita GPS™, the world's first navigation technology specifically designed for ankle replacement surgery.

Advita Ortho's GPS Ankle platform provides surgeons with real-time visual guidance and anatomical data throughout the total ankle replacement procedure, allowing surgical decisions to be tailored to each patient's unique ankle anatomy as the procedure is taking place.

Often compared to a car navigation system, the technology creates a live, visual map of the patient's ankle joint that surgeons can reference during surgery. This enables surgeons to combine preoperative planning with real-time, computer-assisted guidance to support accurate bone preparation and implant positioning based on each patient's anatomy and surgical goals.

"The real-time feedback and monitoring this system provides gives me confidence that the operative procedure performed matches my preoperative plan," said Dr. Eckel.

Prior to surgery, Dr. Eckel can create a surgical plan using a virtual simulation and integrated CT scan of the patient's anatomy, then execute that plan in real time during surgery using a 3D anatomical model displayed on a compact touchscreen system within the sterile field. The system uses small trackers temporarily placed on the patient's anatomy to collect live data, providing visual feedback that supports precise implant alignment and positioning.

"The patient benefits from potentially less intraoperative fluoroscopy use, which can result in a shorter surgical time," Dr. Eckel added.

For more information about Advita GPS or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Eckel, call 614-293-2663 or visit www.wexnermedical.osu.edu.

Additional information about GPS can be found at www.advita.com/patients.

GPS and related planning technologies are developed by Blue Ortho SAS, an Advita Ortho subsidiary, and distributed by Advita Ortho, LLC.

SOURCE Advita Ortho, LLC