A new study in Spine examines robot-guided spine surgery and the deviation from the pre-planned procedures.
The researchers examined 112 consecutive minimally invasive spine surgery patients who underwent pedicular screw fixation in a community hospital setting. The retrospective study assessed clinical accuracy and deviation in screw position for robotic spine surgery.
Here are five things to know:
1. The CT-to-CT fusion was successful for 178 screws. These screws seemed to be random with no apparent selection bias.
2. The average deviation entry point was 2 mm.
3. The average angle of insertion difference was 2.2 degrees on the axial plane and 2.9 degrees on the sagittal plane.
4. The pedicle screw assessment shows all but 10 of the 487 screws were safely placed—97.9 percent accuracy.
5. None of the screws required revision surgery for revised placement.
"We conclude that robotic guidance allows for highly accurate execution of the preoperative plan, leading to accurate screw placement," concluded the study authors.