South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore has become the first hospital in Suffolk County to perform a spinal fusion using the Mako robotic-assisted surgery system, according to an announcement from Northwell Health, the hospital's parent system.

Two orthopedic spine surgeons, Dr. Daniel Brandenstein and Dr. Brandon Petrone, performed the procedure on a 70-year-old woman with lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylosis, conditions in which the spinal canal narrows and the spine degenerates, often causing chronic pain, numbness and reduced mobility. The surgeons fused two levels of her lower spine, from the L3 vertebra to L5, in an operation that took about three hours.

What the robot changes

The Mako system is already a familiar presence in operating rooms for hip and knee replacements, where it has been used for years. Its use in spine surgery is newer: the system received federal clearance for spinal procedures about five years ago, and Northwell describes robotic assistance in spine surgery as a fast-growing practice that is still reaching hospitals.

In a spinal fusion, the gains come down to precision and time. According to Northwell, the robot allows screws to be placed in the spine faster and more accurately than by hand, which reduces blood loss during the operation. The system also produces three-dimensional X-ray imaging during surgery that is comparable to a CT scan, so the surgical team does not need to pause for separate imaging. Less time on the table means less time under anesthesia, which the hospital expects to translate into faster recoveries.

A growing surgical program in Bay Shore

The milestone adds to a run of surgical firsts at the Montauk Highway hospital. South Shore University Hospital was also the first hospital in Suffolk County to acquire the newest generation of the da Vinci surgical system, used for bariatric, colorectal, thoracic and urologic procedures, and its neurosurgeons performed the county's first spinal surgery guided by an augmented reality navigation platform.

Hospital president Irene Macyk called the robotic spinal fusion a major step for the hospital and the county, and said it reflects the hospital's commitment to bringing newer surgical technology to the South Shore. The hospital plans to expand the robotic-assisted spine program so more patients across Long Island can be treated with it.

For Long Islanders weighing spine surgery, the practical meaning is that a category of robotic procedure that previously meant a trip to Nassau County or New York City is now performed in Suffolk. Patients can learn more about the hospital's orthopedics and spine services through South Shore University Hospital's website or by speaking with their physician about a referral.

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