TITLE:
Application of Tianji Orthopedic Robot-Assisted Screw Placement versus Traditional Free-Hand Screw Placement in Upper Cervical Fractures
AUTHORS:
Tong Zhao, Xianhai Zeng, Feng Chen, Minghao Bi, Tao Jiang, Qianhou Zhou, Junlei Tan, Wenye Ma, Mingfu Li, Chengkua Huang, Guosheng Su
KEYWORDS:
Tianji Orthopedic Robot, Free-Hand Screw Placement, Upper Cervical Spine, Fracture, Pedicle Screw
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology,
Vol.16 No.10,
October
16,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objective: To compare the application effects of Tianji orthopedic robot-assisted screw placement and traditional free-hand screw placement in posterior pedicle screw internal fixation for upper cervical fractures, and to provide a more optimal treatment plan for clinical practice. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 58 patients with upper cervical fracture who underwent surgery at Baise People’s Hospital from January 2017 to October 2023. The patients were divided into the robot-assisted group (RA group, 27 cases) and the traditional free-hand group (FH group, 31 cases). General data (gender, age, BMI, fracture site, etc.), screw placement accuracy (postoperative CT combined with Gertzbein-Robbins criteria), perioperative indicators (intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative hospital stay), and prognosis (VAS score, NDI score, complications) were compared between the two groups. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in general data between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the RA group, among 112 screws, 109 were grade A + B (97.3%), with a perfect screw placement rate of 85.7%; in the FH group, among 137 screws, 123 were grade A + B (89.8%), with a perfect screw placement rate of 68.6%, and the difference in screw placement accuracy between the two groups was significant (P 0.05). Conclusion: Tianji orthopedic robot-assisted surgery has more advantages in improving screw placement accuracy, reducing blood loss, and lowering the risk of vertebral artery injury. It is safe, effective, and precise in operation, and is worthy of promotion.