In 2025, hospitals like Dell Children’s Medical Center in Texas are at the forefront of robotics in spine surgery, using advanced navigation and robotic systems to perform safer, more precise procedures, a dramatic shift in how surgeons treat complex spinal disorders with minimal invasion.
The surgical world is evolving quickly to address the needs of complex spinal issues. The future of robotics in spine surgery is already being recognized in operating rooms where surgeons, assisted by state-of-the-art robotic instrumentation, are seeing better outcomes with fewer complications. At centers like Dell Children’s, even pediatric cases are now being treated with robotic precision, allowing difficult surgeries to be done with less challenge and risk.
Here’s how it all works, and why it’s changing spinal care.
How Robotics in Spine Surgery Works
There are new surgical robots that assist in one of the most difficult parts of spine surgery: pedicle screw insertion. It starts with a preoperative CT scan, which allows the robot to plan screw insertion. In the operating room, an intraoperative 3D scan correlates that plan to the body of the patient. The robotic arm is then placed, and the surgeon guides the instruments to follow that path.
Dell Children’s utilizes a system that includes navigation and robotics, helping with complex deformity cases.
“If we can more accurately place stronger screws in your spine, then the pressure that we can apply to correct the deformity can be greater,” Dr. Brian Kaufman said.
This technique offers premium robotic surgery compact precision, especially in situations where space is minimal or the anatomy is unusual. Yet current robotic systems follow a predefined plan, meaning they cannot adjust intuitively if the anatomy isn’t an ideal match. Therefore, surgeons must intervene, something that blocks complete autonomy for now.
To address this, researchers in Europe are developing the next stage: autonomous spine surgery. One major project, FAROS, is working on a prototype that can not only see but also “feel” and “hear” during surgery, mimicking human sensory feedback.
“We’ve developed a research prototype,” said Dr. Mazda Farshad, “but it still needs validation before it can be used in real-world hospital settings.”
Why Robotics is Changing Spine Surgery
The goal of transforming robot systems are making procedures less invasive. Smaller and fewer incisions mean there is less blood loss, less pain, faster recovery, and fewer infections. Patients can generally go home sooner, and scars are much smaller.
The groundbreaking advancement in robotic surgery precision is a plus. Robots never tire or make mistakes because of fatigue. They are stable and move with exact control, even during long surgeries or fine screw placements. That is particularly useful in pediatric surgery where small edges are vital.
“What this allows us to do is to put the screws in with less force and less mental effort on parts of the surgery that should be more routine,” Dr. Kaufman explains.
Moreover, robotic systems reduce the necessity for ongoing X-rays, which reduces exposure to radiation for patients and staff. And while robots are taking over repetitive, burdensome work, surgeons remain in charge. Most specialists think that autonomous surgery robot systems will one day do more of these procedures, but complex decision-making remains reliant on human skills. As Dr. Farshad puts it, “A robot could probably take over a few of these steps, but not all of them.”
Since robotics in spine surgery technology evolves, the fear of replacing jobs with machines should not exist, instead it should be welcomed to help doctors achieve better results. Whether in Texas working on pediatric cases or laboratory research in Europe, the possibilities for robotic-assisted care are no longer science fiction, but a reality being authored today.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the Tech industry. Keep an eye on our Medtech section to stay informed and updated with our daily articles.