Virtua Health has been a leader in robotic surgery for more than 20 years, performing hip and knee replacements. It is one of the few hospitals in the country to offer robotic-assisted spinal procedures.
Virtua is now doing all this with enhanced safety procedures.
The Marlton-based system recently began using a special navigation software, called Spine Guidance by Stryker, which enables surgeons to create “safe zones” where the surgical tools can be blocked from entering, minimizing the risk of damage to surrounding structures.
Virtua is the first in the Philadelphia region and South Jersey to provide this robotic-assisted spine surgery combined with a GPS-like navigation system that enhances safety and enables better outcomes, according to Dr. James Sanfilippo, VP of clinical operations for musculoskeletal services at Virtua Health. “It’s the only software on the market that allows us to set up safe zones, which enables us to relieve pressure on compressed nerves more safely and efficiently,” he said.
“Our decades of experience performing other types of robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery have positioned us to readily embrace new forms of the technology as they’re introduced. We work closely with robotic-device manufacturers, in this case Stryker, to ensure we can offer the best options to our patients across our region and beyond.” Sanfilippo and his team use Stryker’s Mako Spine robotic surgery platform, in addition to its Spine Guidance software.
Robotic-assisted spine surgery with Spine Guidance offers increased precision, which can optimize safety, help preserve healthy tissue, reduce the amount of cutting, and make recovery faster and easier, compared to other spine-surgery techniques.
The state-of-the-art technology is used for spinal fusion surgery, which joins the vertebrae (spine bones) together to stabilize injured spinal segments. Rods and screws are attached between the fused vertebrae to relieve pressure on compressed nerves and thereby reduce or eliminate pain and preserve a person’s mobility.
Sanfilippo and several Virtua colleagues have already performed over 300 procedures using the Spine Guidance software, including 75 cases using the Mako robotic arm, as well.
The product – and the surgery – have the potential to help millions
Spinal fusion is the most common surgery for chronic back and leg pain caused by trauma, spine deterioration due to aging, disc herniation, misaligned vertebrae, and other conditions. About 1.6 million spinal fusions are performed each year in the U.S.
Currently, 70% of pedicle screws (specialized implants used in spinal surgery) are placed with some type of navigation system, but only 10 – 15% are placed with robotics. “It is likely that robotics can be used in at least 70% of spine fusion surgeries and, in my opinion, that number is actually higher,” Sanfilippo said. The robotic system enables the surgeon to navigate tiny robotic tools with more exactitude than traditional methods. The surgeon directly controls a robotic arm and wrist that have a greater range of motion than the human hand.
“We’re extremely proud to offer this leading-edge technology, so we can help our patients recover better and more quickly from a range of debilitating spine conditions,” Sanfilippo said.
“Our patients have had great success with robotic-assisted spine surgery. It has reduced postoperative pain and complications by making the surgeries more minimally invasive and reducing some of the risks associated with freeing up the nerves.”
Robotic spine surgery is available at both Virtua Voorhees Hospital and Virtua Mount Holly Hospital.
