There’s a reason people want to avoid surgery — it can be scary, unpredictable, painful, and it comes with risks. But when you have chronic pain conditions like degenerative disc disease, it can offer the best solutions when conservative treatments fail to help.
Fortunately, robotic technology is revolutionizing spinal surgeries, making them safer and more effective than ever.
Dr. Arien Smith uses robot-assisted surgery at Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey to treat conditions that cause back pain and neck pain when nonsurgical options no longer provide relief. This advanced approach uses robotic technology to repair damage and restore function in areas of the body with disease. And it’s especially effective in delicate areas like the spine.
Robotic surgery could provide the solutions you need when your degenerative disc disease symptoms no longer respond to conservative treatments.
The words “robotic surgery” may make it sound like you’re in the hands of C-3PO from “Star Wars,” but that’s far from the reality of the situation. Instead, Dr. Smith performs your surgery with the assistance of robot-guided technology — specifically, the Mazor X Stealth™ Edition robotic guidance platform.
During robotic surgery, Dr. Smith controls a robotic console that manipulates tiny instruments. He can see the surgical site on a large video screen in real time, and the robot’s specialized instruments have far greater dexterity and range of motion than the human hand.
This advanced technology allows Dr. Smith to perform highly complex procedures in the most delicate of areas. And he can do it all with small incisions, which creates less trauma on the body so you can have a faster and less painful recovery.
Dr. Smith can use the Mazor X system to treat a variety of back conditions, including:
He can also use it to address degenerative disc disease.
Degenerative disc disease is a common problem, and most people start experiencing some form of spinal degeneration after turning 40. This issue occurs when the discs cushioning your vertebrae begin to wear down.
As these rubbery cushions deteriorate, your discs begin rubbing against each other, leading to back or neck pain, numbness, weakness, and other back problems, such as:
Robotic surgery can address degenerative disc disease and its complications in numerous ways, from removing the disc or bone causing your symptoms to adding more stability to your spine with spinal fusion.
Undergoing robotic surgery for degenerative disc disease offers numerous advantages.
The robotic guidance system creates a customized 3D surgical strategy so Dr. Smith can plan the ideal treatment to ease your symptoms — and it starts before you even enter the operating room. The 3D images provide a detailed map that guides him every step of the way.
This enables him to perform your surgery with greater accuracy and precision than traditional procedures. It also reduces the need for other imaging during your surgery, like X-rays, lowering your exposure to radiation.
Robot-assisted surgery also allows Dr. Smith to perform your procedure using smaller incisions, which reduces your risk of infection and complications. That also means shorter hospital stays, less pain, and faster recovery times.
Do you have chronic pain caused by degenerative disc disease? Contact the Brain and Spine Institute of New York and New Jersey location nearest you to learn about your treatment options today.
