Tucson, Ariz.-based Northwest Medical Center conducted the first robotic spinal fusion using the Mazor X Robotic Guidance System.
Here are five takeaways:
1. Richard Chua, MD, a neurosurgeon at the hospital, performed the surgery, fusing a patient's L4 to S1.
2. The patient was discharged from Northwest Medical Center the following day. The Mazor X is designed to improve accuracy when placing screws while also reducing X-ray exposure.
3. With the addition of the Mazor X, Northwest Medical Center's robotic spine surgery program added to its reputation as a Joint Commission-accredited spine surgery center of excellence.
4. Northwest Medical Center has two other robotic surgery systems: the da Vinci Surgical System and Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement system.
5. "Robotic technology is cutting-edge, state-of-the-art and will add tremendous value to many of the surgeries performed in my patients," said Dr. Chua. "I have been observing the technology as it developed. I think this technology will be the biggest advancement in our field over the next 10 years."