Technique and surgical outcomes of robot-assisted anterior lumbar interbody fusion

The goal of the study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of a novel technique in which the da Vinci S Surgical Robot (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was used in the dissection of the ventral lumbar spine to assist with anterior lumbar interbody fusion (R-ALIF). We performed a retrospective chart review of 11 patients who underwent R-ALIF between 2009 and 2010 at our institution. Due to variations in the surgical technique, the data were separated into three patient groups according to which disc level was operated on: L5-S1 (five patients), L4-L5 (two patients), and combined L4-L5 and L5-S1 (four patients). All patients showed radiographic evidence of fusion, and none of the procedures were converted to open. There were no intraoperative vascular complications, and no postoperative transfusions or ileus. This study shows the feasibility and safety of R-ALIF at L5-S1, L4-L5, and L4-L5 and L5-S1.