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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
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A Spine Robotic-Assisted Navigation System for Pedicle Screw Placement
Published on: May 11, 2020
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Robotic-assisted spine surgery: hype or game-changer?
D E Ogolo1,2, O R Akwada3, E C Ajare4,5
1Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. donekomobong@gmail.com.
Journal of Robotic Surgery
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Robotic-assisted spine surgery (RASS) offers superior screw accuracy and fewer complications than conventional methods. This advancement is particularly beneficial for complex cases and experienced surgeons, despite slightly longer operative times.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Surgery
- Medical Technology and Robotics
Background:
- Robotic-assisted spine surgery (RASS) is a developing technique for spinal instrumentation.
- Its comparative effectiveness against traditional freehand or navigation methods requires further evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis comparing RASS with conventional techniques for spinal instrumentation.
- To assess RASS's accuracy, safety, operative efficiency, and impact of surgeon experience and robotic systems.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 studies (RCTs, prospective, retrospective) following PRISMA guidelines.
- Inclusion of adult patients undergoing thoracolumbar/cervical pedicle screw placement.
- Analysis of screw accuracy, breach rates, neurological injury, infection, revision surgery, and operative time.
Main Results:
- RASS showed significantly higher accuracy (94.2% vs. 85.1%) and lower breach rates (3.8% vs. 11.4%).
- Reduced neurological injuries (1.9% vs. 4.3%) and revision surgeries (3.1% vs. 5.2%) were observed with RASS.
- Operative times were longer with RASS (+12.4 min), while surgical site infection rates showed a non-significant trend favoring RASS (2.5% vs. 3.7%).
Conclusions:
- RASS significantly enhances screw accuracy and reduces complications compared to conventional spine surgery techniques.
- The benefits are more pronounced in complex cases, with specific robotic systems, and with surgeon experience.
- RASS adoption is supported by clinical benefits, warranting further cost-effectiveness and training evaluations.
