Robotic Spine Surgery: Inside Today's Minimally-Invasive Surgical Technology

Robotic surgery has been in use since the year 2000 when it was first approved by the FDA; however just recently in the past few years, robotic spine surgery (a much more intricate and sensitive form of surgery) is been becoming a hot topic in the medical community.

Robotic technology aids surgeons in performing complex procedures that require extra control, precision, and flexibility. In other words, the impetus behind this invention was to create a mechanism capable of performing operations that would otherwise have a very lean chance of success if conventional techniques were to be used.

Robotic surgery is mostly applied in minimally-invasive surgeries - a minimally-invasive surgery is a type where procedures are performed through miniature incisions. In some special cases, the technology is used in conventional open surgeries.

An Inside Look at Robotic Surgical Intervention

The robotic system you are likely to see in most hospital consists of a camera arm, mechanical arms, and a computer console. As is obvious, the camera arm controls the imaging mechanism that is going to relay a view of what is happening to the computer console. To aid precision, the cameras used by these systems are designed to capture the surgical site in high-definition and relay a magnified view in 3D. Again, it is obvious that its mechanical arms will be used to 'hold’ and operate the surgical instruments.

It is important to make it clear that the robot does not operate by itself. A doctor seated at the computer console controls the system’s arms and instructs a team of medical specialist who help during an operation. As you might already have guessed, the procedures involved in such procedures are very intricate and require someone with near-perfect cognitive skills and very high levels of concentration.

The Rise in Robotic Spine Surgery

Robotic surgery has had a huge impact on orthopedics and spine surgery in particular. It has incorporated a whole new range of benefits with major ones being a lower risk of infecting the surgical site, reduced pain and blood loss, less noticeable scars and quick recovery.

Dr. Joshua S. Rovner is a reputable New Jersey spine surgeon
who is pioneering the use of robotic technology.

For instance, one spine surgeon in New Jersey, Dr. Joshua. S Rovner is pioneering the use of robotic systems in conducting various types of spine surgeries that demand greater levels of precision and accuracy. As a result, the spine surgeon in New Jersey is cultivating quite the reputation as one of the nation's leading surgeons for robotic spine surgery

So, are there any brands or rather, a system, that can be looked up to as a standard in the industry?

The Mazor Renaissance Robotic Guidance System

The Mazor Renaissance Robotic Guidance System has received acclaim from medical practitioners in the US and Europe. It has its origins in Israel and is credited to Professor Moshe Shoham and Mr. Eli Zehavi. Professor Moshe had already begun researching with an aim to develop a revolutionary platform for surgery.


In the year 2001, he joined efforts with Mr. Zehavi who had experience in the engineering specifics of medical imaging solutions to begin Masor Surgical Technologies. The company which later changed its name to Mazor Robotics has succeeded in its mission of bestowing a safe, innovative, and reliable tool to orthopedics specializing in spine surgery by making minimally-invasive surgery possible.

Some of the applications of the Renaissance Robotic Guidance are pedicle screw fixation for complex spinal deformity, vertebral augmentation, and percutaneous degenerative repair. Its major benefit is accuracy; instruments and implants are guided to desired locations with 1.5 mm accuracy. That kind of precisions fits the description of minimally-invasive spine surgery. Other benefits include enhanced safety for both patients and operational staff, an easy learning curve and an ergonomic design to support long hours of work.