Designed to help doctors and patients, the Mazor X Robotic Guidance Platform launched a few weeks ago and combines advanced software and robotic technology to ensure high-quality care and a commitment to more efficient surgical procedures.

LewisGale in Salem is only the fifth hospital in the state to own such technology. Robotic guidance to facilitate the placement of pedicle screws during spinal surgery, according to Dr. James Leipzig, is a major advancement in technology. “Many surgeons use an open approach which utilizes anatomic landmarks and obtaining x-rays to check the position after they are placed,” said Dr. Leipzig who has been on the LewisGale Medical Staff since 1992.

“Before each surgery, we plan the procedure, learn all aspects of the patients’ anatomy from the incredible software and choose implant size, location, trajectories and so on.” Linda Richmond, an employee at the hospital for the last 12 years, is confident that the new robotic system will significantly reduce the overall surgery time.

“My hope for the Mazor X Robotic Guidance Platform is that we can expand on the surgeries that we use it for,” Richmond said. “I also hope that it helps each patient get better much quicker, and with less pain than the conventional ways of doing spinal surgery.”

As a nurse practitioner with Lewis Gale, Patrick Kenney’s responsibilities include evaluating patients in the office, reading and interpreting radiological and lab studies and assisting Dr. Leipzig. What excites him the most about the new technology is all of the potential benefits.

“We only want to provide the safest treatment for our patients, and with Mazor X’s precision, reduced radiation exposure and decreased anesthesia time, I truly believe that it will help us provide that safe, effective care,” he said. “We are the only hospital west of Richmond and the only hospital in this area with this technology.”

When Dr. Leipzig was made aware of a spine surgery robotic platform, he immediately learned about its capabilities. He then attended both training courses and a symposium to learn about the logistics of launching a robotic program.

After many meetings and presentations, he was able to convince the division and local leadership of the benefits to LewisGale patients, staff and surgeons. “I have been at LewisGale Medical Center (LGMC) for 26 years now and am actively involved in physician leadership, and have served as Chief of Staff of the medical staff. Our strength is our commitment to the patient experience,” he said. “Looking forward, I would like LGMC to become a teaching center for this technology, as well as driving innovation and research within spinal surgery.”

Brittney O’Bryan, an Operation Room Manager, feels the same way. “With our medical center ranked as a top 100 hospital in America for spine surgery, coupled with our commitment to deliver high-quality health care that produces the best health outcomes possible, we have made it a priority to provide this technology to our surgeons and surgical team,” O’Bryan said. “We are also named a top 100 hospital in America for spine surgery and in the top 10 percent in the nation for orthopedic surgery by HealthGrades. Both of these rankings are based on patient outcomes.”