Back pain can be debilitating, but cutting-edge robotic spinal surgery is helping some patients recover faster and with greater precision.
Ten months ago, Jim Deranek was working in his yard when he felt something pop in his back. At the time, he did not realize how serious the injury was.
“As the day progressed, weeks progressed, the pain got worse,” Deranek said.
“Sitting caused the most excruciating pain other than walking,” he added. “But when I would stand up to walk after I was sitting, I would get shooting pains down both my legs. I could barely walk.”
An MRI showed Deranek had spondylolisthesis, a condition in which a vertebra slips out of place onto the bone beneath it.
Doctors gave him two options: traditional surgery or a robotic-assisted procedure.
“He says, for robotics, the chances go up to about 98% more accuracy,” Deranek said. “So I’m like, you know, why not? I didn’t really see any reason not to.”
Dr. Milad Alam. an orthopedic spine surgeon, used robotic navigation technology during the operation.
“We used robotic navigation system where we actually used an intraoperative CT scan and used that information to plan our screws to help us increase the accuracy of the screw placement, make sure we have smaller incision when we’re placing these screws to reduce the complication rate post-op,” Alam said.
The screws were used to place a spacer that stabilized the bone that had shifted in Deranek’s lower back.
Alam said the smaller incisions that come with minimally invasive robotic surgery can lead to fewer complications and a quicker recovery.
“So smaller incision size, smaller soft tissue trauma translates to lower infection rate, less pain post-op, lower length of hospital stay,” Alam said. “And again, as the patient mobilizes, because they’re not as much in pain, wound complications, pulmonary embolism, clotting in the legs, all those complications are lessened with minimally invasive procedures like we do with the robot.”
Alam also said the technology helps protect surgeons by reducing radiation exposure during procedures.
“You know, surgeons, at least orthopedic surgeons, are at very high risk of developing different types of cancers, thyroid malignancy, testicular malignancy, cataracts, these are well known in my field,” Alam said. “And what the robot does is reduce the radiation doses, so you have a longer life span without having to deal with any sort of malignancy, God forbid.”
Despite the five-hour surgery, Deranek was able to go home the next day.
“You know I’m very satisfied with my recovery,” he said. “It’s been six weeks since I’ve done it and I’m walking, you know, I can walk three miles, you know, five times a week.”
“So I just think with the technology there, I just think, you know, if you can take advantage of it, why not?” he added.
Alam said helping patients regain their quality of life is the most rewarding part of the job.
“I love being able to change patients’ trajectory and quality of life almost immediately, and it is probably the most satisfying thing that we do,” he said.
Deranek is scheduled to meet with Alam soon for a follow-up appointment, where he hopes to learn whether he can return to working in his yard.
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