Effects of tracer position on screw placement technique in robot- assisted posterior spine surgery

Abstract

Abstract Objective To explore the potential effects of tracers on surgical outcomes in robot-assisted spine surgery. Methods A retrospective analysis of robot-assisted spine surgery performed in Beijing Shijitan Hospital from September 2020 and September 2022 was conducted. All patients were divided into two groups based on tracer location. A case-control study was performed to determine the potential effects of tracer positions on surgical procedures. Results A total of 525 pedicle screws placed in 92 robot-assisted surgeries were analyzed. The rate of a perfect screw position was 94.9%. There was no significant difference in age, sex, height and body weight between the two groups. The spinous group had significantly higher screw accuracy whereas longer operational duration. Conclusion The robot-assisted guided pedicle screwing technique has significantly improved screw accuracy compared to the traditional freehand screwing technique. Placing the tracer on the spinous process as opposed to the iliac spine may result in longer procedure duration or increased bleeding, but enhanced satisfaction of screw placement.