Robotic Spine Surgery Explained
One of the reasons that many people choose Barrow Neurological Institute for robotic spine surgery is that we are a leading institution in these procedures.
In fact, one of the first spinal robots, the Globus ExcelsiusGPS, was invented within the Department of Neurosurgery at Barrow.
Robotic spine surgery is a newer technology, requiring advanced artificial intelligence modalities. It can increase accuracy, decrease risks, and improve outcomes for spine surgery.
Within the world of spine surgery, we have minimally invasive techniques and we have robotics. In some cases, we actually combine the two. If someone has a surgery that requires spinal instrumentation, such as placement of screws, artificial discs, spacers, or cages, the robotic technology is of critical importance in terms of improving the safety and efficacy.
Benefits of Robotic Spine Surgery
Robotic surgery allows us to make minimal openings, reduce degrees of tissue dissection, and cause less disruption to normal anatomy. In that capacity, it can help patients recover more quickly.
Currently, patients with disorders of the lumbar spine represent a large volume of those undergoing robotic spine surgery. Patients with spinal deformities such as scoliosis, degenerative diseases, spondylolisthesis, or instability of the spine may benefit from the more precise accuracy of robotic spine surgery.
We do all of the planning for robotic spine surgery ahead of time, based upon an imaging study. That way, we don’t waste any time in the operating room, but we can create a program and customize it to each individual patient and their anatomy. This decreases the chance of a complication while placing spinal instrumentation.
Another benefit of robotic spine surgery is the ability to decrease radiation exposure during spine surgery. This is especially true with instrumentation, which traditionally required frequent radiation in order to take films and images of the spine. Thanks to neuronavigation software provided by spinal robots, we don’t need to expose patients with unnecessary radiation to confirm the positioning of instrumentation.
Due to the complexity of spinal surgery and the need for increased accuracy and scientific principles used during surgery, Barrow physicians, engineers, and researchers continue to press forward with new innovations—much like the spinal robot that they helped develop.
If you have been told by a surgeon that you need spinal surgery, contact us to find out whether or not robotic options may simplify your surgery, increase the accuracy, and help your recovery.
