Navigated & Robot-Assisted Spine Surgery
Navigation and robotic guidance turn a CT scan taken in the operating room into a real-time map of your spine. Every screw trajectory is planned on that map and executed with sub-millimeter accuracy through small incisions — without the repeated X-rays of traditional percutaneous techniques. Dr. Daggubati uses this technology routinely for MIS TLIF, lateral fusion, posterior cervical fusion and spinal tumor stabilization.
Who it is for
- Any patient undergoing instrumented fusion
- Complex anatomy, prior surgery, or deformity
- Patients where minimizing radiation exposure matters
Why we use it
- Greater accuracy than freehand or X-ray-guided placement
- Smaller incisions
- Less radiation to the patient and team
- Fewer revision surgeries for misplaced hardware
How the procedure is done
- A reference frame is attached and an intraoperative CT is obtained.
- Screw trajectories are planned on the 3D model.
- The robotic arm or navigated instruments guide each screw along the planned path.
- A final scan confirms accurate placement before closure.
Recovery
Determined by the underlying fusion procedure.
Risks, stated plainly
Those of the fusion itself; technology-specific problems are rare. Dr. Daggubati reviews the specific risks for your situation in person before any decision is made.
Common questions
Is the robot doing the surgery?
No. The robot holds a guide along a trajectory the surgeon planned; every step is performed and checked by Dr. Daggubati. It is a precision tool, in the same way the microscope is a magnification tool.
Is it safer than the traditional method?
Large series show screw-placement accuracy above 98% with navigation or robotics, compared with roughly 90–95% freehand, and fewer revisions for misplaced hardware. Radiation exposure to the patient and team is also lower.
Does it change my recovery?
Not directly — the recovery follows the fusion procedure itself. The benefit is fewer complications and smaller incisions.