LAS VEGAS (PRWEB)
March 07, 2022

2/22/22 was a day celebrated by many for being a lucky day. That was especially the case for the 1,111th patient of Dr. Kornelis Poelstra, thanks to continuing advancements in technology being pioneered by the Las Vegas-based spine surgeon.

Last year Dr. Poelstra, who serves at The Nevada Spine Clinic as the Director of The Robotic Spine Institute of Las Vegas, led the first-ever spine procedure utilizing Augmedics’ FDA-approved xvision AR headset paired with Medtronic’s Mazor X robotic platform. Poelstra has already relieved over 1,111 patients from debilitating spinal conditions such as degenerative disc disease and scoliosis with the use of robotics.

One of the busiest surgeon developers of the Mazor X, Poelstra seeks to educate spine surgeons about the benefits of the robot intraoperatively.

The orthopedic and neurological spine surgeon feels there are still many impediments to seeing this technology become more commonly used in the operating room, but offers that the benefits definitely make for a persuasive case. The use of the robotic platform often leads to increased efficiency, advanced precision, and an overall more minimally invasive procedure allowing quicker recovery all-around.

“One of the biggest educational hurdles that I believe exists with the robot is the truly obsolete conventional wisdom that it takes ‘too long to set up’ intraoperatively.”

But with the correct training and practice, he believes a surgeon can utilize its advantages without having to wheel in an intraoperative 3D imager, which inevitably lengthens the ‘idling’ time for surgeons and unnecessarily prolongs anesthesia time for the patient. “Utilizing simple 2D Fluoroscopy views for 3D augmented robotics is right around the corner and will be our next step in revolutionizing automation in the OR,” he states.

Surgeons, he believes, use the Mazor X for placing screws but not necessarily to set a trajectory to target a decompression.

“I believe that in addition to pedicle screw placement, robots can be used for decompressions and disc preparation. Backed by data at the institute, we have proven that the robot has decreased the size of my incisions and also saved me time in the operating room by more directly and precisely targeting important anatomy.”

Already a successful innovator in the world of robotics for spinal fusions, he continues to collaborate with industry leaders to identify new challenges that will aim to set safety & efficiency standards in the world of spine surgery.

“We are just beginning to scratch the surface of potential when it comes to these technologies. As someone who is passionate about breaking barriers in this space, it’s incredibly motivating to collaborate with amazing engineers and innovators that share the same passion for progressing the combination of robotics and augmented reality seamlessly into the operating room.”

Currently, the robot is used in conjunction with traditional forms of imaging, providing lateral and axial views that help navigate pedicle screw placement. However, Dr. Poelstra believes that a three-dimensional view of a patient’s anatomy, paired with AR for real-time navigation, will allow surgeons to have visibility that does not exist with current technology. This greatly enhances a surgeon’s precision and efficiency which will indelibly shorten recovery times.

Dr. Poelstra is hopeful that surgeons using AR-guided technology will be able to see bone, ligaments, and nerves, enabling them to further identify impingements and other pathology that needs to be addressed surgically.

Dr. Poelstra has clocked recent complex reconstruction procedures utilizing Augmedics’ xvision headset in tandem with the Mazor X at just under two hours. This is a significant decrease for procedures usually lasting anywhere between six and seven hours.

Dr. Poelstra is particularly excited about using BoneMRI (http://www.mriguidance.com) out of conventional MRIs for planning and registration purposes. He believes utilizing this will help avoid the Preoperative CT scan due to its superior imaging and 3D-AR capabilities.

With a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands, Dr. Poelstra has performed more complex robotic procedures than any other surgeon in the world.

The Robotic Spine Institute of Las Vegas @ The Nevada Spine Clinic has developed a stellar reputation for delivering superior care and focusing on innovating the next generation of spine medicine.

For more information on Dr. Poelstra and The Robotic Spine Institute of Las Vegas and The Nevada Spine Clinic, visit http://www.robo-spine.com or http://www.allegiantspineinstitute.com

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