Innovators have developed a new two-arm surgical robot that can place screws in the spine faster, more safely and with greater accuracy.
The robot operates exclusively on ultrasound imaging, eliminating the need for X-ray radiation and complex CT equipment during surgery.
The system is not yet on the market, but it represents a promising step towards safer spinal procedures.
Lower-back problems are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Patients with severe spinal instability can be treated with surgery in which screws and rods are placed to stabilise the vertebrae.
This procedure requires extreme precision: even a deviation of a few millimetres can lead to serious complications or paralysis.
Currently, surgeons perform the operation manually and rely on X-ray or CT images to determine the precise drilling location.
The setup is complex, and both the patient and the surgical team must wear heavy lead protection to shield themselves from ionising radiation.
The robotic system developed at KU Leuven (the research team received the KUKA Innovation Award for this development) uses two coordinated robot arms for the first time.
One arm creates a 3D ultrasound image of the spine. The second arm automatically drills and adjusts its motion in real time whenever the patient’s spine shifts, for example, due to breathing.
It is the first robot capable of continuously detecting such movement and communicating it to the drilling arm.
The Ultratopia robot marks a major step forward in medical robotics and in the treatment of patients with chronic back pain – a condition affecting hundreds of millions worldwide, with tens of thousands of surgeries performed each year in Belgium alone.
Professor of surgical robotics, Emmanuel Vander Poorten, said: ‘In close collaboration with clinicians, we show that parts of a surgical procedure can be carried out with robotic support without compromising safety or accuracy. Ease of use is essential as well: the system is designed to move easily between operating rooms. In the future, this technology could support surgeons in treating patients with lower-back problems and other conditions. It brings us closer to a safer, less burdensome and more precise approach.’
The new approach offers three clear advantages:
1. There is no need for X-ray radiation or complex imaging equipment
2. Automatic control of the drilling process improves safety and reliability
3. The combination of ultrasound guidance and robotic motion compensation enables a minimally invasive approach. Instead of a long incision along the back, surgeons need only small openings at the screw insertion sites. This reduces tissue damage and may shorten recovery times for patients who currently face prolonged healing after major spinal surgery.
Researcher Kaat Van Assche said: ‘This constant adjustment is unique. It allows us to significantly increase the precision of the procedure. And because we no longer use radiation, the long-term impact for expert surgeons and their teams, who perform these operations frequently, could be substantial.’
