Computer-aided navigation and robotic guidance systems have become widespread in their utilization for spine surgery. A recent innovation combines these two advances, which theoretically provides accuracy in spinal screw placement. This study describes the cortical and pedicle screw accuracy for the first 54 cases where navigated robotic assistance was used in a surgical setting. This is a retrospective chart review of the initial 54 patients undergoing spine surgery with pedicle and cortical screws using robotic guidance with navigation. A computed tomography (CT)-based Gertzbein and Robbins System (GRS) was used to classify pedicle screw accuracy. Screw tip, tail, and angulation offsets were measured using image overlay analysis. Screw malposition, reposition, and return to operating room rates were collected. 1 of the first 54 cases was a revision surgery and was excluded from the study. Ten screws were placed without the robot due to surgeon discretion and were excluded for the data analysis of 292 screws. Only 0.68% (2/292) of the robot-assisted screws was repositioned based on surgeon discretion. Based on the GRS CT-based grading, 98.3% (287/292) were graded A or B, 1.0% (3/292) screws were graded C, and only 0.7% (2/292) screws was graded D. The average offset from preoperative plan to actual final placement was 1.9 mm from the tip, 2.3 mm from the tail, and 2.8° of angulation. In the first 53 cases, 292 screws placed with navigated robotic assistance resulted in a high level of accuracy (98.3%), adequate screw offsets from planned trajectory, and zero complications.
Background
Traditional minimally invasive fluoroscopy-based techniques for pedicle screw placement utilize guidance, which may require fluoroscopic shots. Computerized tomography (CT) navigation results in more accurate screw placement. Robotic surgery seeks to establish access and trajectory with greater accuracy.
Objective
This study evaluated the screw placement accuracy of a robotic platform.
Methods
Demographic data, preoperative/postoperative CT scans, and complication rates of 127 patients who underwent lumbosacral pedicle screw placement with minimally invasive navigated robotic guidance using preoperative CT were analyzed.
Results
On the GRS scale, 97.9% (711/726) of screws were graded A or B, 1.7% (12/726) of screws graded C, 0.4% (3/726) of screws graded D, and 0% graded E. Average offset from preoperative plan to final screw placement was 1.9 ± 1.5 mm from tip, 2.2 ± 1.4 mm from tail and 2.9 ± 2.3° of angulation.
Conclusions
Robotic-assisted surgery utilizing preoperative CT workflow with intraoperative fluoroscopy-based registration improves pedicle screw placement accuracy within a patient’s pedicles.
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