Joplin, Mo.-based Freeman Health System has become the first hospital in its region to pair Medtronic’s Mazor robotic guidance system with the Premia TOPS nonfusion spinal implant.
The Mazor system allows neurosurgeons to map patient anatomy in 3D and precisely place implants, while the TOPS device stabilizes the spine and preserves motion, according to a Sept. 26 system news release.
Together, the technologies are designed to reduce recovery times, limit radiation exposure and improve surgical outcomes, offering patients an alternative to traditional spinal fusions.
Neurosurgeons Joshua Sweaney, MD, and Ellen Nichols, MD, began performing the procedures in 2024.
