Summerville (S.C.) Medical Center launched a minimally invasive spine surgery program in April, The Berkeley Independent reported June 16.
Chris Battista, MD, and Ben Schell, MD, performed the first spine surgery April 6, starting the hospital's minimally invasive robotic spine surgery program. The patient was a 52-year-old man who had back pain since December last year. The procedure was a lumbar decompression surgery and involved a 1-inch incision; he was able to leave the hospital the same day.
The next day, Dr. Battista performed the hospital's second lumbar decompression surgery. Summerville Medical Center's spine program also includes anterior cervical fusion, total disc replacement and laminectomy.