Spine surgery robots and navigation systems have shown promise in assisting surgeons and enhancing patient outcomes. But there is concern that early-career spine surgeons are leaning on the technology too much.
"There is a dangerous trend of overreliance on this technology by young surgeons," Jeffrey Moore, MD, of SonoSpine in Oklahoma City, told Becker's. "This could be surgeon driven, or could be related to reliance on it in training programs. We as spine surgeons should be able to do most cases with fluoroscopy only. Canceling cases due to navigation or robotic machinery being faulty should only happen in rare instances."
Although robots are expected to expand to other areas of spine surgery — such as preparing the interbody space for fusion; docking of retractors; drilling of bone; and performing fully automated, robotic-guided laminectomies/decompressions — they are still primarily used for pedicle screw placement.
The potential that spine residents and fellows may be overreliant on robotic systems has been a concern of Wesley Bronson, MD, of Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. This could lead to the dilemma where spine surgeons are joining hospitals and practices without knowing how to manage cases without technology.
"It is the responsibility of both residents and fellows as well those training them to always focus on the basics, even if certain technologies are being used for the case," Dr. Bronson said. "The thought 'what would I do if the navigation wasn't working today?' should always be present."
Between 2004 and 2017, six spine robots earned FDA approval, according to the September 2023 issue of Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery. And in 2024 Stryker is aiming to get its foot in the market with its own system.
The market for spine surgery robots continues to grow and is expected to reach $139.9 million by 2029, and the rise in technology adoption is a key factor, according to Data Bridge Market Research.