Primetime Living 2.22.26 - Flipbook - Page 4
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A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Sunday, February 22, 2026
HEALTH
Advanced
Technology has
High Impact in
Spinal Surgeries
University of Maryland
Medical Center shares
benefits with patients for
personalized results
S
urgery on any part of your body is unsettling, at best. Patients can feel more
at ease with technologies that have turned once-tedious surgeries into more
detailed and efficient operations. Depending on your outlook, the use of tech-
nology like robotics or 3D imaging can be enticing.
Technology advances have influenced spinal surgery in terms of efficiency, efficacy and recovery. According
to Timothy Chryssikos, M.D., a neurosurgeon at University of Maryland
Medical Center, there are several key
advances that have or will impact spinal surgery positively: the wider use
of intraoperative navigation and robotics; motion-preserving surgery using
new implant technology; patient-specific planning and personal implants;
advances in biologics and bone graft
substitutes; medical informatics and
outcomes analytics, incorporating AI
technology.
Computer-Assisted Navigation and
Robotics Offer Precision
“Navigation and robotics primarily
improve precision and consistency,
which can translate into safer operations, especially in complex scenarios,”
Dr. Chryssikos says. “When used with
minimally invasive approaches, patients
tend to experience less blood loss,
shorter hospitalization, faster mobilization and a smoother early recovery.”
Modern imaging tools have improved
spinal surgery by offering preoperative
planning that results in a more precise
anatomy review and alignment strategy. These tools also improve guidance
for implant placement during the surgery itself and provide a clear pathway
in complex or revision cases. “These
technologies are tools, not goals,”
Chryssikos says. “Experienced teams
use these for strategic reasons – when
they improve safety, precision or minimally invasive feasibility.”
Augmented reality could also play
an increasing role in spine surgery in
the future. When using this technology,
surgeons wear special glasses or use
software integrated with an operating microscope to visualize the deeper
parts of the spine and adjacent structures.
Imaging Software Changes
Preoperative Planning
Today’s advanced imaging and software planning have also changed how
the medical team designs the surgeries.
“We can simulate and compare multiple surgical strategies preoperatively,
assess the best approach and anticipate how the spine’s shape and balance
will respond after surgery,” Chryssikos
explains. This helps individualize the
procedure and allows doctors to more
accurately predict the outcome.
“The key is matching the technology
to the right patient and the right procedure,” the neurosurgeon says.
One Size Does Not Fit All
If you’re among the patients who
are entranced with technology, you’ll
appreciate the modern advancements
that allow the procedure to be personalized to your individual anatomy.
Chryssikos notes that this personalization helps the patient to see the plan
and feel that it is individual for them. It’s
not a one-size-fits-all plan.
MIS Benefits from Technology
Minimally invasive surgeries (MIS)
are on the rise, due to new imaging
and planning capabilities. Chryssikos
says, “To me, MIS is a spectrum of
approaches tailored to the pathology
and the patient. The goal of innovation
is not simply smaller incisions, but
safer surgery, fewer complications and
a more predictable recovery.” He says
the advantages of MIS extend to less
blood loss and soft-tissue disruption,
shorter hospital stays and earlier return
to activity.
While computer-assisted tools and
robotics may allow better patient outcomes, Chryssikos notes that surgeons
still have the skills to perform operations without these technologies. “We
Spinal Surgeries
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