Telerobotic Spinal Surgery Based on 5G Network: The First 12 Cases

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and feasibility of 5th generation wireless systems (5G) telerobotic spinal surgery in our first 12 cases. Methods A total of 12 patients (5 males, 7 females; age, 23–71 years) with spinal disorders (4 thoracolumbar fractures, 6 lumbar spondylolisthesis, 2 lumbar stenosis) were treated with 5G telerobotic spinal surgery. Sixty-two pedicle screws were implanted. Results All patients had substantial relief from their symptoms. Screw placements were classified using Gertzbein-Robbins criteria. There were 59 grade A, 3 grade B. Mean operation time was 142.5 ± 46.7 minutes. Mean guiding wire insertion time was 41.3 ± 9.8 minutes. The deviation between the planned and actual positions was 0.76 ± 0.49 mm. No intraoperative adverse event was found. Conclusion 5G remote robot-assisted spinal surgery is accurate and reliable. We conclude that 5G telerobotic spinal surgery is both efficacious and feasible for the management of spinal diseases with safety.