MemorialCare Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach (Calif.) is one of two hospitals in the state and one of only a handful in the country to use the ExcelsiusGPS robot for pediatric spine surgery, the Long Beach Post reported April 23.
After diagnosing a 14-year-old patient with congenital kyphoscoliosis, Torin Cunningham, MD, medical director of the hospital's orthopedic center, performed a spinal fusion with the robot to correct the curvature of the patient's spine in September.
The first portion of the surgery placed pedicle screws in the patient's spine. A decompression procedure at a later date removed two vertebrae to gradually correct the deformity. Five rods were implanted to stabilize the patient's spine, according to the report.
"We have a small margin for error as we navigate a narrow space to place the spinal screws," Dr. Cunningham said. "On either side are 'danger elements,' including delicate nerves that can be damaged. With ExcelsiusGPS, we're able to be exact every time, increasing accuracy and safety."