{"id":115043,"date":"2016-01-11T15:55:17","date_gmt":"2016-01-11T20:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=115043"},"modified":"2016-07-28T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-07-28T20:00:00","slug":"new-englands-first-patient-receives-robotic-spine-surgery-uconn-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2016\/01\/new-englands-first-patient-receives-robotic-spine-surgery-uconn-health\/","title":{"rendered":"New England\u2019s First Patient Receives Robotic Spine Surgery at UConn Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Jan. 7 Frank Ditaranto, 50, of Terryville, Connecticut was the first patient in New England to receive pioneering, robotic-guided spine surgery at UConn Health.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.
On Jan. 7 Dr. Isaac Moss at UConn Health performed the first robotic-guided spine surgery in New England.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using the new, state-of-the-art Mazor Robotics Renaissance Guidance System, UConn John Dempsey Hospital\u2019s Dr. Isaac Moss<\/a> performed the first minimally invasive, robotic-guided spinal procedure.<\/p>\n

To relieve Frank\u2019s severe lower-back and leg pain, Moss successfully removed\u00a0and\u00a0fused Frank\u2019s L4-5 deteriorated disc using minimally invasive techniques.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to the robotic technology, we were able to place screws in the patient\u2019s spine with extremely high accuracy, small incisions and minimal intraoperative radiation,\u201d said Moss, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery at the Comprehensive Spine Center of the\u00a0UConn Musculoskeletal Institute<\/a> at UConn Health. \u201cThe simplicity of the technology as well as our superb operating room staff made the transition to using the robotic-guided technology smooth and the procedure went extremely well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moss used the innovative robotic technology\u2019s software to pre-plan Frank\u2019s spine surgery virtually, using a 3-D simulation of his spinal anatomy based upon his most recent CT scan. During the operation, Moss\u2019 pre-operative 3-D plan was matched in real time with intra-operative X-ray imaging of Frank\u2019s spine. Then during surgery, the technology\u2019s small robotic arm, about the size of a soda can, helped pinpoint the most precise location for Moss to place his tools to insert screws and other hardware allowing for greater surgical accuracy, safety and reduced neurological risks.<\/p>\n

A day after the robotic surgery, Frank already felt truly transformed: \u201cFor the first time I was able to stand up straight and not have pain shooting down my left leg.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank had been working in the construction field for 30 years but one day that all suddenly changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo years ago while working construction my back went out and it stayed that way,\u201d said Frank. \u201cEver since I have been bent over like I was 90 with shooting pain down my left leg to my toes, and I was unable to even straighten my leg. People don\u2019t understand what it\u2019s like to have bad back pain until they have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"mazor
The robotic technology helped pinpoint the most precise location for Dr. Moss to insert screws and other hardware into the spine for the greatest surgical accuracy.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Daily life and even walking became difficult for Frank. He tried pain medicine, physical therapy, aqua therapy, and epidurals but there was just no relief in sight — until now.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am too young at 50 years old to have to live like that. My primary care doctor suggested I go visit UConn Health,\u201d said Frank. \u201cI now have new discs and hardware in my spine and I am good to go. The robot is the best way to go about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frank says he feels \u201cgreat\u201d and most importantly, as a single-dad of a 16-year-old daughter he looks forward most to getting back to playing volleyball with her, and simply walking around, and living life pain free.<\/p>\n

Moss adds: \u201cI look forward to using this robotic-guided technology, now only available throughout New England and Connecticut at UConn Health, to help\u00a0patients\u00a0with spinal pathology by performing complex procedures with optimal precision and the best outcomes possible.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Jan. 7 Frank Ditaranto, 50, of Terryville, Connecticut was the first patient in New England to receive pioneering, robotic-guided spine surgery at UConn Health. Using the new, state-of-the-art Mazor Robotics Renaissance Guidance System, UConn John Dempsey Hospital\u2019s Dr. Isaac Moss performed the first minimally invasive, robotic-guided spinal procedure. To relieve Frank\u2019s severe lower-back and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":115044,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2231,179],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1873],"class_list":["post-115043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-well-being","category-uconn-health"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-10 06:20:46","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115043"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115045,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115043\/revisions\/115045"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/115044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115043"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=115043"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=115043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}