Although advancements in technology have made many things possible in medicine, particularly in the surgical aspect, robotics is still somewhat a relatively new concept. This sector is gaining traction in the market, but you won’t find robots in most hospitals in the U.S.
In this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia is joined by neurosurgeon Dr. Chris Holland to explore surgical robots utilized in spine surgery. Chris goes in-depth into what surgical robots are, how these work, and how they’re adopted in the OR for neurosurgery or spine surgery. He emphasizes that these devices are not like what you would see in sci-fi movies. Rather, they comprise of a multi-articulating arm and an instrument at the end that performs a function.
He also speaks briefly on the history of surgical robots and their differences between the da Vinci robot. For the latter, the spine surgery robot is used as a guide for the correct placement of hardware, like screws or interbody cages. The benefits of using a robot and other challenges to adopting it in the OR were also discussed. 
Chris has a positive outlook on future innovations in the industry, which will provide increased safety and accuracy, along with lower morbidity rates among patients.
 
Key Moments in the EpisodeWhat is a surgical robot 09:22
How surgical robots work 11:26
Robots in spine surgery 13:06
Benefits of using a surgical robot 15:13
Challenges to adopting robotics in spinal surgery 23:03
Certifications and training 25:14
The da Vinci robot 27:14
The difference of spine surgery robots 29:23
Future innovations in spine surgery 30:27
Dr. Chris Holland's tips for health and wellness 33:00
 
Every episode of Back Talk Doc includes a Health Matters segment intended to provide actionable health information you can immediately put into practice in your life. This week, Dr. Lakhia talks about magnesium, an important mineral to maintain good health and well-being. He shares the benefits of magnesium, which include muscle relaxation, energy production, improved bone formation, and growth, There’s also a correlation between magnesium levels and back pain.
He also gives recommendations on what formulation of the mineral to take, including magnesium oxide and magnesium citrate.
 
Links Mentioned in the Episodehttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4247436/ (Neurosurgical Robotics: A Review of Brain and Spine Applications - Journal of Robotic Surgery)
 
Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to http://www.backtalkdoc.com/ (backtalkdoc.com). To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at http://www.carolinaneurosurgery.com/ (carolinaneurosurgery.com).