Lumbar Surgical Device Hovers Over Patient

A robotic surgery device enables medical image-driven guidance for minimally invasive insertion of implants in the lumbar spine, based on a physician's digital surgical plan.

The SpineAssist miniature robotic spinal surgery device, manufactured by Mazor Surgical Technologies (Caesarea, Israel), consists of a workstation running advanced Mazor surgical planning software, the robotic device, and a compact Hover-T Bridge. Initially, the patient is evaluated with a computed tomography (CT) scan. SpineAssist's software then uses the CT as the basis for a complex digital surgical plan providing a roadmap for the entire procedure. Just prior to surgery, two fluoroscopic images of the patient on the table are taken, sent to the workstation, and the pre-operative plan is automatically registered with the real-time data to create precise correlation.

The Hover-T Bridge is then attached to the patient's back through three small incisions, allowing the robot access to the entire lumbar and mid-thoracic region of the patient's spine, while also serving as a landmark to track the robot's position. As it is suspended above the patient on the operating table, the small, soda-can-sized robotic device glides along the Hover-T Bridge to pinpoint the specific site detailed in the physician's surgical plan. Once directed to the surgical site by the robot, the doctor threads a miniature operating tool through the SpineAssist guidance arm to implement the planned intervention. Screw placement is extremely accurate and operating time is significantly decreased, as well as exposure to x-ray radiation for both the surgeon and the patient.

"Surgical implant companies have put a great deal of effort into developing and marketing their new lines of minimally invasive products,” said Ori Hadomi, CEO of Mazor Surgical Technologies. "But the market for these devices has remained small, primarily because of difficulties in accurately visualizing the spine with a small micro-incision without the direct line of sight available through a traditional large incision. However, SpineAssist successfully solves this problem.”

SpineAssist has demonstrated excellent results with currently available implant systems.



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Mazor Surgical Technologies