This article is part of the Comprehensive Guide to Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.
OrthoIndy spine surgeon Greg Poulter is seeing improved outcomes in his patients with the use of the Mazor X Robotic Guidance System for back surgery.
“In our first review of my patients who had robotic-assisted spine surgery, I was delighted and somewhat surprised to see the amount of improvement with the Mazor X technology for surgery,” Dr. Poulter says.
Read on to learn what is minimally-invasive spine surgery with Mazor X and how it provides patients with less pain after their procedure and improved outcomes.
Benefits of the Mazor X
Dr. Poulter compared the first group of patients who had robotic spine surgery to a similar group of patients who had surgery just six months prior to the arrival of the Mazor X robot.
“Looking at early surgical outcomes, the difference was more than I had anticipated. When normalized for the number of levels of the spine treated, I found a 63.8% decrease in blood loss and a 40.5 percent decrease in time spent in the hospital,” Dr. Poulter says.
“The comparison group also had minimally invasive techniques that had utilized advanced navigation and I did not anticipate that we would be able to see this much of an improvement.”
With the assistance of the Mazor X robotics, Dr. Poulter is able to plan surgeries precisely and operate through small incisions that minimize the trauma to the tissues around the spine. The decrease in blood loss is an indicator of the reduced tissue injury that is occurring.
The amount of time patients stay in the hospital is often related to the amount of discomfort they experience after surgery. “The reductions we are seeing in hospital stays supports our observation that patients are having less pain after their surgeries,” Dr. Poulter says.
Mazor X capabilities
The unique capabilities of Mazor X for spine surgery has changed how Dr. Poulter plans for and performs spinal fusion surgery. The ability to remain precise and safe despite small incisions is allowing Dr. Poulter to perform larger and more complex procedures through an entirely new minimally invasive approach.
The benefits of Mazor X robotics are present for all types of fusions, but the greatest improvement is for scoliosis patients.
“This technology has exceeded my expectations and I believe that it offers a real benefit to my patients. I am looking forward to staying on the forefront with robotics as it has significant potential to develop beyond its current offerings,” Dr. Poulter says.
Learn why you should consider back surgery with a spine robotics system
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