Thomas Mazahery, MD, of OrthoVirginia performed the Washington, D.C., region's first spine surgery using artificial intelligence-driven robotic technology on July 19.
The surgery has three components: AI-driven preoperative planning, robotic guidance for precise screw placement and custom rods made to fit a patient's anatomy, according to a news release from Richmond-based OrthoVirginia. The AI technology analyzes X-rays and MRI scans to create the rods.
For Dr. Mazahery's case, the technology cut operating time by an hour. He performed the surgery at Reston (Va.) Hospital.