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A Spine Robotic-Assisted Navigation System for Pedicle Screw Placement
Published on: May 11, 2020
Off-Hours Robotic-Assisted Spine Instrumentation in a Teaching Hospital: Feasibility Under Increased Emergency and
Julien N Jost1, Kristina Catalano1, Thomas Rhomberg1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, 5001 Aarau, Switzerland.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Robotic-assisted spine surgery is feasible during off-hours emergency care, maintaining high screw accuracy. However, differences in case complexity mean further research is needed to confirm safety and effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Robotic-assisted spine instrumentation is resource-intensive.
- Off-hours emergency care presents unique challenges for complex procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the operational feasibility and technical reliability of robotic-assisted spine instrumentation during off-hours emergency surgery.
- Assess screw accuracy and perioperative outcomes in off-hours versus regular-hours procedures.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of 146 robotic-assisted spine procedures (1006 screws).
- Defined off-hours as night and/or weekend surgery.
- Primary outcome: Gertzbein-Robbins (GR) screw accuracy; secondary outcomes: workflow, perioperative, and 30-day clinical measures.
Main Results:
- Off-hours procedures (16 cases, 150 screws) showed higher trauma burden, repeat imaging, ICU use, and longer hospitalization.
- Gertzbein-Robbins (GR) A/B accuracy was 96.0% off-hours vs. 98.2% regular hours; severe deviations were rare.
- Emergency-only analysis revealed similar GR A/B accuracy (96.0% off-hours vs. 96.7% regular hours) with attenuated perioperative differences.
Conclusions:
- Robotic-assisted spine instrumentation is operationally feasible for off-hours emergency surgery with high accuracy.
- Significant case-mix differences in the off-hours subgroup limit conclusions on comparative safety or timing effects.
- Findings are hypothesis-generating, suggesting further investigation is warranted.
