; ?>){kind=logo}
Best Practice Guidelines
Browse S3P Best Practice Guidelines developed by leading spine surgeons, researchers, and other professionals. These guidelines are intrinsic to the delivery of safe and effective surgical care.
Consensus Recommendations for Avoiding Errors in Robotic-assisted Spine Surgery (RASS)
Section 1: General protocols:
- The use of robotic and/or assisted surgery should be discussed prior to surgery and as part of the informed consent process
- Manufacturer’s guidelines for each system should be fully understood and followed
Section 2: Screw planning/execution:
- The attending surgeon should plan their own screws or verify each screw plan
- The attending surgeon should review fluoroscopy-to-CT calibration/matching
- Surgeons should beware of skive potential and select the starting point judiciously
- There should be a formal anatomy check following registration
- If deviation from planned trajectory is suspected, confirm accuracy of navigation before proceeding
- A patient-based fiducial marker is highly encouraged
- If there is concern that navigation inaccuracy has occurred, proceed with re-verification, re-registration/re-calibration, or abandonment of robotics/navigation
- For intraoperative CT imaging acquisition, principles of ALARA (as low as reasonably allowable) should be utilized whenever possible, especially for younger patients
- Imaging should be considered to check implants prior to extubation
View the PDF for the full set of guidelines.
Watch this video introduction by Dr. 
