Robot-assisted spine surgery has grown in adoption, and new updates to their technology continue to roll out. However the technologies come with costs when adverse events and other complications occur, according to a study in the Jan. 2026 issue of The Spine Journal.
Six things to know:
1. The study examined robotic spine surgery adverse events that were reported to the FDA. A total of 812 were connected with the MazorX and 534 were connected with the Excelsius robot platform.
2. Adverse events led to a mean procedural delay of 58.1 minutes.
3. Precision issues constituted 66.4% of reported complications.
4. In 34.4% of cases, the robots were abandoned, leading to “significantly longer” delays.
5. An economic analysis incorporating the disruptions showed that none of the 189 modeled scenarios achieved financial breakeven within the systems’ seven-year useful life.
6. Researchers concluded: “Our findings highlight a disconnect between the marketed efficiency of robotic spine surgery and its observed economic and clinical realities. The increased procedural delays and predominance of precision-related adverse events suggest that current robotic platforms may require further refinement to align more closely with the operational needs of surgeons and the fiscal priorities of healthcare systems striving to balance innovation, quality and value.”
