Robotic surgery is an innovative approach used across specialties to perform complex procedures. When it comes to neurosurgery, robotic surgery has proven to be a helpful tool in addressing issues related to the spine. Learn more about how this technology is helping neurosurgeons better treat spine patients.
Making Spine Surgery Safer
Spinal fusions, or fusing different segments of the spine, are the foundation of spinal reconstructions. To perform spinal fusions, screws are placed into the bone, passing by very delicate anatomy. If deviated off the intended course, they can cause significant damage and complications. Neurosurgeons use the robot, in conjunction with a computer-based navigation system, to help guide the placement of the screws into the spine with increased precision and safety.
Along with this precision, the robot allows for greater visibility during minimally invasive surgeries. In minimally invasive surgeries, neurosurgeons are working through very small incisions, in which they are unable to directly visualize the spine deeper down. In other minimally invasive approaches, X-ray or another imaging tool is required to perform the surgery. Now, however, the robot navigation system can act as a guide without exposing the patient, surgeon and other medical staff in the operating room to radiation.
In some instances, the robot allows for a minimally invasive approach when it might not have been possible otherwise. Compared to open surgery, this can allow for a shorter hospital stay and a much less painful recovery.
Healing Spine Patients
The neurosurgery team at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital sees patients with any spinal issue, from the upper cervical spine all the way down to the lower lumbosacral spine. These patients often have a compression of their spinal cord or nerves that causes severe pain radiating into their arms or legs or causes neurological dysfunction. For severe cases, spinal fusions can be incredibly impactful and even life-changing, and the robot is a great, new tool the team is utilizing to provide their patients with the best and safest possible treatment.
Ian Dorward, MD, is on staff at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and a Washington University Physician who specializes in neurosurgery. For an appointment, you can call 636.928.WELL.
Learn about our Neurosurgery Center