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As published on WJAR-TV 10’s website
Barbara Morse Silva, WJAR-TV 10’s Health Check reporter featured orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Ian Madom of Ortho Rhode Island and South County Hospital’s ExcelsiusGPS robotic assisted technology for spine surgery.
(Follow this link to view the segment online.)
South County Hospital is the first in Rhode Island to perform navigation-guided, robot-assisted spine surgery.
"This is a new tool that we're using in spine surgery,” said Dr. Madom, director of spine surgery at South County Hospital.
And 60-year-old David Lagerstrom is a beneficiary. Up until three months ago, walking was a chore.
"To look at me, on the short term, you wouldn't notice a problem,” said Lagerstrom. “But walking any distance was extremely difficult and painful. Standing for any length of time was a problem."
That's because David had spinal stenosis.
"His alignment was off because the bone here (in his lower spine) had shifted forward and the nerve that comes right out here was really being pinched,” said Madom, referring to his CT scan.
"I think it was a diving accident when I was 11,” said Lagerstrom of how he might have injured his spine.
Over the years, he progressively got worse-- in spite of physical therapy.
"You can still suffer and live the way you're living or you can try to make it better," said Lagerstrom.
He chose to try and make it better, so, he came to see Dr. Madom who told him he needed a spinal fusion. Perfect timing, because the hospital had this new technology known as ExcelsiusGPS.
"It helps us place the screws that go in to the spine more accurately, more safely and through smaller incisions,” explained Madom.
Most of the work is done before surgery as Dr. Madom maps out exactly what he wants the robotic arm to do.
"Then utilizing the ExcelsiusGPS, we place some screws and then place a spacer in between the two vertebrae so that we could realign his spine."
Using this new technology shortens the time in surgery and is less invasive, says Madom. "The robotic arm allows us to access spaces that our hands can't typically access."
And with amazing accuracy.
"We've been getting post-operative CT scans on patients and checking the precision. It's been perfect every single time,” said Madom.
"I wish I did it earlier,” said Lagerstrom.
Three months out he says he’s fully recuperated.
So far, Dr. Madom says he has performed more than 30 robot-assisted spine surgeries since January 2019.
For more information visit the South County Health Orthopedics Center web page. To schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic physicians, call 401-789-1422.