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Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Using Robotic Navigation: Technical Note and Case Series
Timothy Y Wang1, Stephen M Bergin, Kelly R Murphy
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Division of Spine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Operative Neurosurgery (Hagerstown, Md.)
|June 21, 2022
Summary
Robot-navigated sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion offers a feasible approach for managing SI joint disease, demonstrating significant pain improvement in patients. Further studies are needed to compare this technique with traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Robotic Surgery
Background:
- Sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion can significantly improve patient pain and quality of life.
- Refractory SI joint disease presents a challenge in orthopedic and neurosurgical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel application of robotic navigation for minimally invasive SI joint fusion.
- To assess the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of robot-assisted SI joint fusion.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective enrollment of 10 patients undergoing stand-alone SI joint fusion with ExcelsiusGPS robotic navigation.
- Collection of demographic, perioperative variables, radiation exposure, postoperative pain scores, and narcotic requirements.
- Documentation of length of stay and postoperative complications.
Main Results:
- No complications were reported in the 10 patients (average age 64.4 years).
- Average operative time was 54 minutes with minimal blood loss (21 mL).
- Patients reported an average of 73.1% improvement in preoperative pain at 4.3 months follow-up, with 70% discharged same-day.
Conclusions:
- Robot-navigated SI joint fusion is a feasible and reproducible technique for refractory SI joint disease.
- Further research is warranted to investigate long-term clinical outcomes and fusion rates.
- Comparative studies against traditional SI joint fusion techniques are recommended.
