Two hospitals with Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health are among the first to use the Cirq robotic arm for spine surgeries in the U.S., according to an Oct. 13 press release.
MedStar Washington Hospital Center was the first hospital in the country to use the Cirq arm, and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., began using it in September, the release said.
The 22-pound robotic arm is controlled by the surgeon, and it provides a channel for drilling and pedicle screw placement, the release said. Those types of screws are commonly used in spinal fusions to support the spine.
"In spinal surgery, accuracy is everything," Edward Aulisi, MD, chair of neurosurgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, said in a statement. "The Cirq arm is a highly precise piece of equipment that allows surgeons to know with exact confidence where to drill and place necessary hardware required to treat complex spinal conditions."
Read the full press release here.