Smart Technology Gives EAMC Orthopaedic Surgeons Pinpoint Accuracy During Joint Replacements
January 7, 2026
With more than 1 million Americans undergoing total joint replacement each year, precision is critical to long-term success. Orthopaedic surgeons at East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC) are using cutting-edge technology to enhance accuracy and tailor implant placement to each patient’s unique anatomy.
“Providing our patients with options for technologically enhanced surgery specifically tailored to their needs is crucial,” said Nate Sbravati, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon with East Alabama Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine (EAOSM). “Using these technologies allow us to personalize every step of the procedure to match each patient’s unique anatomy, ensuring the highest level of precision and care.”
By using high-precision, digital navigation systems like OrthAlign Lantern® during procedures, the surgeons at EAMC surgeons can guide implant placement more precisely, helping ensure each procedure is executed according to plan.
Lantern is a handheld technology that allows surgeons to personalize procedures to each patient’s unique anatomy. The device, which is about the size of a smartphone, serves as a GPS for surgeons during joint replacements. Lantern’s advanced guidance systems assist surgeons during implant placement, helping ensure precise alignment and accuracy.
“Lantern gives us real-time information that allows for pinpoint precision,” Dr. Sbravati said. “It acts like a roadmap in the operating room, helping us make precise adjustments that lead to a smoother procedure and, ultimately, better outcomes for our patients.”
For patients, the technology helps reduce blood loss, ensures the implant is placed accurately and reduces the need for extra imaging appointments.
“Our goal is always to help patients return to the activities they love as quickly and safely as possible,” Dr. Sbravati said. “When every detail is fine-tuned to the patient, it leads to a more comfortable recovery and a joint that performs the way it’s supposed to.”
East Alabama Medical Center earned designation a Women's Choice Award as one of 2025’s Best Hospitals for Orthopedics.
To learn more about orthopaedic care and orthopaedic surgery at East Alabama Medical Center or EAMC-Lanier, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org/services/orthopaedic-care or call 334-528-2663.
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About East Alabama Health
East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 316-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.
