OrthAlign has completed the first clinical cases using its Lantern ASC system, marking an early milestone for the company’s outpatient joint replacement technology.
The first procedures were performed on June 30 by Dr Zane Uhland, an orthopaedic surgeon and ambulatory surgery centre owner. Six total knee procedures were completed using Lantern ASC in a high-efficiency outpatient setting in under four hours.
This is relevant because total joint procedures are increasingly moving into ambulatory surgery centres, where workflow efficiency, cost control and operating room utilisation are central to adoption. Traditional robotic systems can support precision, but they often require large capital investment, service contracts, dedicated space and implant volume commitments.
Lantern ASC is designed specifically for outpatient joint replacement. It aims to deliver the accuracy of advanced enabling technology in a portable, simple and cost-effective platform that fits into existing ASC workflows.
The system includes a reusable navigation unit paired with a procedural Smart Pack Kit. It provides real-time navigation for total knee, partial knee and ligament balancing in primary and revision knee arthroplasty.
The differentiation lies in the business and workflow model. Unlike large robotic platforms, Lantern ASC is designed to avoid major capital purchases, annual service agreements, dedicated operating room space and long-term implant commitments. This could make advanced navigation more accessible to smaller facilities and independent ASCs.
OrthAlign said the system is compatible with most major implant systems, allowing surgeons and facilities to choose implants based on patient needs rather than technology-linked purchasing requirements.
This flexibility may matter commercially. ASCs often operate with tighter margins and shorter turnover expectations than hospitals, so enabling technologies must support procedural efficiency without slowing case throughput or creating additional operational burden.
The platform builds on OrthAlign’s experience across more than 450,000 cases. That installed experience may support surgeon familiarity and confidence as the company positions Lantern ASC for outpatient joint replacement workflows.
