Brampton company develops Canada’s first robotic-guided spine surgery platform

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Published October 26, 2021 at 9:55 pm

A Brampton medical equipment manufacturer’s innovation could reduce risks associated with spinal surgery.

On Monday, Medtronic Canada said it is bringing a first-of-its-kind-in-Canada product for robotic-guided spine surgery to market. Medtronic’s Mazor X System will use 3D technology to help surgeons to quickly visualize anatomy and spinal structures, so they can run simulations on installing spinal cages and screws before a patient goes under the knife.

Spinal surgeries are typically performed to relieve chronic pain and increase stability, usually at a cost of mobility. Outcomes are not necessarily a sure thing. They also involve hours of work for the patient and a surgical team. A spinal fusion surgery, for instance, typically lasts between three and seven hours, depending on the individual patient and how long the surgeons need to do the job properly.

The end goal of the Mazor system is to increase efficiencies and surgical precision, the company said in a release.

“The integration of navigation and robotic technologies into one platform is an exciting advancement in the field of spinal surgery,” Dr. Scott Paquette, an orthopedic spine surgeon and president of the Canadian Spine Society, said in a release. “Mazor represents an incredible future of possibilities in spinal robotics, which I believe will greatly contribute to reduced risk for patients.”

The Mazor also incorporates a high-speed drilling system that includes attachments and dissecting tools that are designed to drill with accuracy at speeds up to 75,000 rpm.

“Mazor embodies a synergy between robotics and navigation … with the hope of producing more reliable outcomes,” Peter Tomashewski, a senior director within Medtronic Canada’s cranial and spinal technologies business, said in the same release.

Medtronic Canada has around 1,100 employees, including some 350 in Ontario. It claims that its tech and therapies address 70 health conditions.

(Cover photo by CNW Group/Medtronic Canada ULC.)

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