Just by looking at her, you wouldn’t think Susan Floyd from Kenmore had serious spine surgery just a little over two weeks ago. She said, “I’ve never felt this good, I feel like i’m 21 again.”
It’s been over a decade since she blew out 4 discs in her back. She said, “I heard a crack, and I couldn’t kinda breathe. I had some numbness immediately.”
Now she is the first person to try out a robotic spine surgery in the area.
Dr. Anthony Leone has become quite familiar with the device which is about the size of a pop can. He said, “What’s more accurate than a computerized robot?”
The surgery is a non- invasive procedure that uses computer mapping. This means no cutting through muscle, the device speeds up recovery time, there is less blood loss and most importantly less pain.
Dr. Leone said, “With less post operative pain, there is less chance of addiction. That’s because you’re not going to be put on those stronger, more potent pain killers.”
Dr. Leone is familiar with the opiod epidemic here. It’s something he’s see quite frequently, especially with spine injuries. He said, “It’s finding its way into colleges and high schools.”
And as less invasive technology becomes more popular, he’s hopeful robots like the “Mazor” (mazure) will put a cap on that.
Floyd said, “I just think technology is amazing, and for something to be so accurate, it blows me away.”