1. Characteristics and disadvantages of conventional tracer fixation device
The third generation of TiRobot is a new series connection surgical robot system, which can used by surgeons to accomplish trajectory planning based on intraoperative three-dimensional images. The robot arm system almost covers the entire spine, and intraoperative real-time navigation system ensures the accuracy and security of pedicle screw placement (Tables 1 and 2). Thus, as a burgeoning subject, using robots in surgery will be revolutionary for accurate and digital medicine[14, 15].
Initially, when spinal operations were performed under the guidance of the robot system, the image was obtained preoperatively from the 3D arm. Subsequently, the registration was completed prior to image-guided surgery (Figure 4). The tracer played an important part in tracing intraoperative real-time changes in the patients’ positions and bone structures. The tracer was fastened to the bone around the surgical field and collected the corresponding intraoperative image. Finally, the image-guided surgery was accomplished through tracer positions of navigational system[16-19].
A conventional tracer fixation device requires an additional incision for fixing the spinous process clamp, except for the necessary ones. Thus, the use of this device leads to greater trauma and may increase the risk of infection. (Figure 5). Furthermore, a metallic clamp has a detrimental impact on intraoperative fluoroscopy due to metal artifacts. In fact, the combination of spinous process clamp and tracer via a screw is prone to failure after long-term use. Thus, device is difficult to remove. This condition hinders the progress of the surgery and increases the risk of injury.
To solve the above technical problems, Yajun et al.[20] proposed a noninvasive tracer fixation device for spinal surgical navigation, consisting of the reference frame, pedestal, universal connecting rod, and fixing belt. When fixing the tracer, despite the no additional surgical incision, the pedestal was fastened to the back of patients with a medical adhesive, which was not firm enough. Moreover, the skin has good elasticity and mobility. Therefore, it was prone to result in tracer change in position and reduced accuracy of the pedicle screw insertion because of the soft skin and nonrigid connection between the tracer and fixation device.
2. Design philosophy, advantages, and disadvantages of modified minimally invasive tracer fixation
We designed an improved minimally invasive tracer fixation device to overcome the current technical shortcomings of tracer fixation device.
One of the characteristics of this device is the axes of the channel intersect at a determined point under the modified device (Figure 2). The fixators are fixed on the bony structure of a patient through the skin and soft tissues, which is flexible. Thus, the positions of the fixators are prone to change. However, the lower ends of the fixators intersect at a determined point and are usually fixed on the same spinous process. This condition restricts each other and prevents the device location change. For the adaptation of the device to a patient’s soft tissue, the distance required between the point and the lower surface of the connector is approximately 1.5–2.5 cm. When the patient is thin and has less subcutaneous fat, the recommended distance is 1.5 cm from the lower surface of the connector. On the contrary, when the patient is heavy and has a large amount of subcutaneous fat, 2.5 cm is suggested.
In the vertical section of the connector, the porous channels are distributed in both sides of the axis of the connector. The angles between the channels located on the same side and the axis of the connector increase in turn. This condition provides possibility that the fixators situate in different areas of the connector, and the combination tends to be fixed firmly. A slope, located on the lower surface of the device, passes through the axis of the connector to adapt to the needs of different surgical sites. For example, during lower lumbar surgery, due to the large arc of the curve, if the lower surface of the connector is flat, to fit closely with the patient’s skin is impossible, whereas if it is oblique, the close attachment will make the fixation firm. Moreover, with the slope, the tracer is inclined toward the NDI. Thus, the connection between the two is liable to be established.
The modified minimally invasive tracer fixation device has the following advantages. (1) The material is improved. The original metallic material is changed to the current photosensitive resin, which not only can be repeatedly sterilized but also has the characteristics of being safe, nontoxic, and nonallergenic. Meanwhile, the material can perform 3D printing to realize rapid production and personalized customization. (2) Nonmetallic materials are able to effectively avoid image interference from metal artifacts of the fixation device in fluoroscopy. (3) The Kirschner wires are used to fix the base and the tracer, reducing the injury and infection risk. (4) The device without screw fixation effectively avoids the screw failure on spinous process clamp. This phenomenon will cause difficulty in removing the clamp from the spinous process.
The main drawback of this fixation method is that the fixators use the Kirschner wire without the limiter. The depth of the inserted Kirschner wire mainly depends on the experience of surgeon, and the Kirschner wire can possibly enter the spinal canal, leading to serious consequences. Therefore, adding the limiter to the fixator to avoid the risk of nerve injury is necessary.
3. Minimal invasiveness, accuracy, feasibility, and safety analysis of the modified minimally invasive tracer fixation device
This study included 52 patients. No significant difference was observed between the minimally invasive and conventional tracer fixation procedures in the baseline variables, such as age, sex, diagnosis, pedicle diameter, and e angle. Compared with the conventional group, minimally invasive tracer fixation group did not suffer from unnecessary surgical wound, showed less bleeding, presented statistically significant differences. Thus, the minimally invasive tracer fixation method accorded with the philosophy of contemporary minimally invasive surgery particularly by further reducing the risk of injury and infection. Furthermore, this method can relieve post-operative pain and shorten hospital stays. This minimal advancement promotes further expansion of indication of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, such as robot-assisted percutaneous vertebroplasty/percutaneous kyphoplasty (PVP/PKP), or robot-assisted operation will be meaningless for PVP/PKP surgery, as shown in Figure 6. Additionally, this device has been successfully used to minimally invasive surgery of the upper cervical spine and other parts of the body suitable for robot-assisted surgery in our department.
No significant differences were observed in the accuracy of pedicle screw placement (P>0.05) between both groups. This result revealed that the modified minimally invasive tracer fixation device does not compromise accuracy during pedicle screw placement compared with conventional fixation and inherits the natural advantage of high accuracy in robot-assisted spine surgery. The device is highly clinically feasible with the characteristics of short tracker fixation duration, simple, and reliable fixation method. Furthermore, no image artifact displayed excellent picture quality despite the Kirschner wire development during image collection and automatic registration. In fact, no complications of the spinal cord and nerve root injury were found for both groups in the intraoperative and postoperative periods. This result demonstrates that the device is highly safe and relieves the concerns of patients, surgeons, and robotic engineers on severe complications of spinal surgery. Moreover, this finding promotes the pervasive application of the device in robot-assisted pedicle screw placement surgery.