There's a new robot in town and it's helping people with spinal problems get back to a normal life. The SpineAssist robot, one of only three in the country, is now being used in Plano.
Dr. Isador Lieberman has been trained in the technology. He said "it’s much like a pilot who's planning his flight path ahead of time."
SpineAssist allows doctors to do a 3-D simulation of the operation before the surgery. Then, the robot implements that mapped out plan in the operating room.
"So, in the operating room, the robot is mounted onto the patient's spine, and then we direct the robot to move from Point A to Point B according to that preoperative plan so we can place the screws and rods more efficiently and accurately," Lieberman said.
SpineAssist has been used in more than 1,000 cases world wide with no instances of nerve damage. Lieberman said it also leads to less pain after surgery and less likelihood of complications and infection.
The robot was brought to North Texas by Texas Health Plano and the Texas Back Institute.
