Using state-of-the art technology that promises to become tomorrow’s standard of care, neurosurgeons at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, Frank Vrionis, M.D., and Timothy Miller, M.D., have successfully performed their first robotic-assisted spine surgery. The Institute, located at Baptist Health’s Boca Raton Regional Hospital, is the only facility in Palm Beach and Broward counties to offer this advanced technology and one of only two facilities between Central Florida and the Florida Keys.
The patient, a man in his 70s, underwent a minimally invasive spinal fusion to stabilize the lumbar area of his back using the Mazor X™ Robotic Guidance Platform.
“Robotics allow us to perform minimally-invasive surgeries with increased safety and precision, leading to less blood loss, less post-operative pain and faster recovery,” says neurosurgeon Frank Vrionis, M.D., the Institute’s director. “With our new sophisticated robotic system, we will be able to perform more minimally invasive procedures safely and effectively. This is particularly beneficial to our aging population, because it reduces the risk of infection and shortens hospital stays.”
The robotics platform assists surgeons by combining 3D pre-operative planning, robotic guidance and intra-operative surgical navigation for precise placement of spinal implants and screws. “The margin of error is very small in the spine,” Dr. Vrionis says. “If you’re placing hardware in the spine, there are times when one millimeter is all it takes to leave a person with weakness or a neurological problem. The more precise we can be, the better.”
The Mazor X™ Robotic Guidance Platform provides surgeons comprehensive information and visualization before ever making an incision. Using 3D imaging and computer analytics, the surgeon plans an optimal surgery in a CT-based 3D simulation of the patient’s spine. This means the angle, width and length of every screw are very specifically mapped for each patient and guided in real time during surgery.