Robotic Spine Surgery

Robotic spine surgery probably isn’t quite what you envision. A robot does not take over for the skilled neurosurgeons at the Brain and Spine Center of South Florida. Instead, the robotic system assists your neurosurgeon, providing advanced tools and guidance that make your spine surgery more precise than can be achieved by human eyes and hands alone. If you need spine surgery and would like to learn more about robotic-guided surgery, call the office in Delray Beach or Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, or book online today.

What is robotic spine surgery?

Robotic spine surgery allows the neurosurgeons at the Brain and Spine Center of South Florida to perform surgery with a higher level of precision than can be achieved with the human eye and hand.

Today’s advanced robotic systems allow your surgeon to plan and guide your spinal surgery by combining 3-dimensional (3D) images of your spine with a real-time navigation system that maneuvers a robotic arm. The robotic arm shows your surgeon the most accurate placement for spinal hardware.

The system’s robotic technology constantly adjusts during surgery for spinal movements that would go undetected by the human eye. If the patient’s spine moves, the robotic arms can redirect the surgeon, ensuring hardware is precisely placed in the optimal location.

When is robotic spine surgery used?

Robotic-assisted systems support spine procedures needing the placement of hardware like pedicle screws, rods, spacers, and plates. The team at the Brain and Spine Center of South Florida may use robotic spine surgery when:

• Treating scoliosis and other spinal deformities
• Repairing herniated discs and degenerative disc disease
• Performing a spinal fusion or decompression
• Treating a fracture
• Removing a piece of bone

Your surgeon may use screws and other hardware to hold the vertebrae in place during and after these and other procedures.

What happens during robotic spine surgery?

Robotic spine surgery begins with a CT scan uploaded to the robotic system’s computer. The computer creates a detailed 3D image of your spine that your surgeon uses to plan your surgery.

Just before your surgery, your surgeon activates the computer’s system to map your spine, then the current 3D image is compared with your pre-op plan to fine-tune the procedure further. Robotic imaging verifies the location of your spine problem, and then the computer calculates the placement of hardware.

The robotic arm positions itself in a way that guides the surgeon’s tools. This ensures the hardware enters your body at the exact angle and depth needed for your spine.

Throughout your surgery, the robotic system provides real-time images of your spine and the hardware. As a result, your surgeon has the information required to adjust your surgery if necessary.

If you need spine surgery and would like to learn if you’re a good candidate for robotic surgery, call the Brain and Spine Center of South Florida or request an appointment online today.