Tiny Robot Aids Spinal Surgery

The robot has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The risks of spinal surgery include nerve damage, which happens in 2-3% of spine injuries. About the size of a soda can, the robot attaches directly to the patient's body, pointing surgeons to the exact positioning needed for tools and implants. A mistake of even a few millimeters can cause irreversible nerve damage or paralysis. Because of the added accuracy, the robot can reduce surgery time and invasiveness, expedite recovery, and minimize risks such as infection and blood loss. The robot, called SpineAssist, was developed by Moshe Shoham, mechanical engineering professor at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (Haifa, Israel).

SpineAssist is being tested by a team at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (OH, USA), and clinical trials are under way at several Israeli spine centers. The robot is being manufactured and marketed by Mazor Surgical Technologies (Caesarea, Israel).

"SpineAssist minimizes the risk of working free-hand in sensitive regions of the spine,” explained Prof. Shoham. "It conceives a plan for locating the spinal implants, but neither replaces the surgeon nor performs any operations. After examining and approving the recommendation, the surgeon inserts surgical instruments through the arm of the robot, thereby minimizing the danger of damaging vital organs.”




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