The procedure took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as part of Weill Cornell’s global neurosurgery course, which Dr. Härtl launched in 2008.
Through the program, Dr. Härtl and his students train local surgeons in Tanzania, select local surgeons for fellowships in New York City, and hold regular conference calls to discuss surgical challenges and patient management.
The 3D navigation system for the spine procedure was donated by medtech company Brainlab, the drills were donated by Medtronic, and DePuy Synthes donated $1.5 million worth of surgical screws.
