Neurosurgeon Sharad Rajpal, MD, completed Louisville, Colo.-based Centura-Avista Adventist Hospital's first spinal fusion involving Midas Rex high-speed drills with Medtronic's Mazor robot., Colorado Hometown Weekly reported Feb. 23.
The Dec. 18 procedure was an L2-3 decompression fusion and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion performed on an 83-year-old patient who was discharged two days later.
Since then, Dr. Rajpal has performed 10 more surgeries with the Mazor robot, according to the report.
The FDA provided clearance for the Midas Rex drills in December, which was earlier than expected, according to Medtronic. The drills are made to improve precision, disc-prep access and navigation.