Dr. Steve Paragioudakis, MD described that one of the most significant elements to consider when comparing robotic spine surgery to traditional spinal surgery is how well you recover from your procedure. Automated surgery recovery times are substantially quicker than conventional spine procedures, with most patients able to return home within 24 hours. This is a significant advantage over a more extended recovery period following standard surgery.

Furthermore, an automated method frequently allows surgeons to navigate more intricate components in the spine, such as nerves, blood veins, and arteries, more effectively. Because the small incisions enable doctors to see the surrounding tissue more clearly, the treatment is safer and less unpleasant.

Traditionally, surgeons would place screws in the spine 'freehand,' using their judgment and feel or utilizing several X-rays to guide them during surgery. This increases the likelihood of screws being placed in the wrong spot or in suboptimal positions, reducing the effectiveness of the treatment and potentially causing harm to the patient.

While there is a learning curve for MIS surgeons to become proficient with the use of robots during lumbar transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), studies have shown that when compared to freehand procedures, robotic surgery reduces operative times, blood loss, and radiation exposure over time. This is likely due to the surgeon becoming more comfortable with the robot's use and advancements in robotic technology.

Another advantage of using the robot is that it can be utilized to do accurate decortication on the facet joints to aid in fusion when used in conjunction with pedicle screw implantation and an interbody graft. This eliminates the need for a bone-graft harvest and the utilization of the donor's bone, resulting in faster, easier, and more effective treatment.

The overall safety and efficacy of robotic spine surgery is the final aspect to examine. While there may be a few uncommon consequences, the risks of robotic surgery are pretty similar to those of conventional or open spinal surgery. To assess the patient experience, a variety of instruments have been created, including general health surveys (SF-36, EQ-5D) and patient-reported outcome measures (ODI). Despite the relatively recent introduction of robotics to spine surgery, patient-reported results after robotic surgery have consistently been higher in the short term when compared to traditional approaches.