Spinal robotics: Present indications and trends

Abstract

Expectations regarding new technological advancement in spine surgery are related to improvements of surgical technique. While in other fields, surgical robots are still tested on an experimental level; spinal surgeons have begun to adopt available systems in their daily workflow. Yet, despite the majority of clinical results showing equally high or even higher accuracy for robot-assisted pedicle screw instrumentation, with reduced radiation exposure, the evidence for long-term clinical outcome remains scarce. This chapter provides an overview of the existing robotic platforms and the workflow in spine surgery. Emphasis is put on specific applications, e.g., minimal invasive fusion procedures, where integration of robotic systems might be particularly beneficial. In addition, future technological advancements, the integration of intraoperative imaging modalities, and the awareness for a significant learning curve should provide a surgical tool that facilitates better clinical results and, hence, an increase in time- and cost-effectiveness.