Multicenter, prospective, randomized, and double-blinded study. To compare tubular and endoscopic interlaminar approach. Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication of were randomized to tubular or endoscopic technique. Enrollment period was 12 months. Clinical follow up at 1, 3, 6 months after surgery with visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score. Radiologic evaluation with magnetic resonance pre- and postsurgery. Twenty patients were enrolled: 10 in tubular approach (12 levels) and 10 in endoscopic approach (11 levels). The percentage of enlargement of the spinal canal was higher in endoscopic approach (202%) compared with tubular approach (189%) but was not statistically significant (P = .777). The enlargement of the dural sac was higher in endoscopic group (209%) compared with tubular group (203%) but no difference was found between the 2 groups (P = .628). A modest significant correlation was found between the percentage of spinal canal decompression and enlargement of the dural sac (r = 0.5, P = .023). Both groups reported a significant clinical improvement postsurgery. However, no significant association was found between the percentage of enlargement of the spinal canal or the dural sac and clinical improvement as determined by scales scores. Endoscopic group had lower intrasurgical bleeding (P < .001) and lower disability at 6 months of follow-up than tubular group (p=0.037). In the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis, endoscopic technique allows similar decompression of the spinal canal and the dural sac, lower intrasurgical bleeding, similar symptoms improvement, and lower disability at 6 months of follow-up, as compared with the tubular technique.
Background/Objectives: Screw placement accuracy with robotic guidance shows better results than freehand techniques, yet there is scant data for region-specific outcomes, fusion rates, and complication profiles in different populations. The purpose of this study is to assess and describe screw-rod accuracy, fusion rates, and complications of robot-assisted pedicle screw placement in a Spanish cohort. Methods: Robotic-guided technique for thoracolumbar fusion in 115 patients (July 2020–January 2025) using ExcelsiusGPS® platform (Globus Medical Inc., Audubon, PA, USA). Inclusion criteria: adults (≥18 years) with postoperative CT to assess accuracy. Primary outcomes were screw accuracy (assessed on the Gertzbein–Robbins scale), fusion rates, and complications (infection, osteolysis, and subsidence). Jamovi 2.6 was employed for statistical analysis. Results: Of a total of 726 screws implanted, 590 screws (95 patients) were studied: 584 (99%) Grade A, 5 (0.8%) Grade B, and 1 (0.2%) Grade C. Fusion was achieved in 85 out of 95 patients (89.5%). Complications included superficial infections (3/115 patients, 2.6%) and asymptomatic osteolysis (8/95 patients, 8.4%, mostly at S1). There was no screw subsidence or removal. Conclusions: Robotic-guided pedicle screw placement demonstrated exceptional accuracy (99% Grade A), high fusion success (89.5%), and minimal complications in this Spanish cohort, supporting its clinical utility for spinal instrumentation.