Robot-assisted direct repair of spondylolysis: A case report.

INTRODUCTION

Direct repair of the pars defect in lumbar spondylolysis is an effective surgical procedure, but it is technically challenging. We assessed the feasibility of a new robotic system for intralaminar screw fixation of spondylolysis.

PATIENT CONCERNS: A 26-year-old man complained about frequent low back pain after failed conservative treatments.

DIAGNOSIS: The lumbar computed tomography images demonstrated the presence of bilateral spondylolysis at the L5 level, with no spondylolisthesis.

INTERVENTIONS: We performed one surgery of direct intralaminar screw fixation under the guidance of the TiRobot system. The trajectory of the screw was planned based on intraoperative 3-dimensional radiographic images. Then, the robotic arm spontaneously moved to guide the guide wires and screw insertion.

OUTCOMES: Bilateral L5 intralaminar screws were safely and accurately placed. No intraoperative complications occurred. Postoperative computed tomography showed good radiological results, without cortical perforation.

CONCLUSION

We report the first case of robot-assisted direct intralaminar screw fixation for spondylolysis using the TiRobot system. Robotic guidance for direct repair of spondylolysis could be feasible.