O.C. hospital performs world’s first spine surgery using ‘open’ spine robot

ORANGE, Calif.  – Providence St. Joseph Hospital announced it has successfully performed the world’s first robotic spinal surgery using a new open spine platform by eCential Robotics to implant a Spineart medical device.

eCential Robotics, a surgical robotics company which developed the open surgical platform and Spineart, a leader in spine surgery innovation, are collaborators in a new age of open technology sharing that allows cross-functional use of implantation devices and robotic surgical platforms.

“In our relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence in patient care, we were eager to utilize the solutions provided by Spineart and eCential,” said Erick Westbroek*, M.D., Providence St. Joseph spinal surgeon. “The integration of Spineart’s advanced implant system with eCential’s open robotic platform will enable us to perform minimally invasive surgeries with high predictability, reproducibility and outcomes.”

Providence St. Joseph Hospital has become the first clinical institution in the world to be equipped with the state-of-the-art robot, and the recent surgeries are the first in the United States to be used successfully in conjunction with Spineart implants.

“St. Joseph Hospital has built a strong reputation for world-class surgical care, and our patients often travel from far and wide to seek treatment and care from our stellar spine and orthopedic surgeons, who are armed with cutting-edge technology,” said Brian Helleland, chief executive of Providence St. Joseph Hospital and the Orange County/High Desert area. “These advances provide yet another sophisticated platform for our surgeons to do what they do best.”

“We are thrilled to announce the installation of this state-of-the-art robot at St. Joseph Hospital,” said Jerome Trividic, CEO of Spineart. “We believe this advancement will greatly benefit our customers, hospitals, surgeons, and patients by enhancing surgical precision and improving patient outcomes.”

St. Joseph’s surgical cases for eCential Robotics are a first-in-human use of its unified robotic technology, as well as the start of eCential operations in the US. It also marks the introduction of cutting-edge solutions that address the evolving needs of surgeons and patients worldwide.

“We are pleased to see the adoption of our technology in the US,” Clément Vidal, CEO of eCential Robotics. “There is strong interest and momentum for our open solution because it allows surgeons to select the optimal implant system for each patient while providing financial advantages to hospitals. Our platform is described as the smartphone of surgical robots.”

About Providence St. Joseph Hospital

Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California is a nationally recognized, 463-bed, not-for-profit Catholic hospital founded in 1929 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. Fully accredited by The Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, St. Joseph Hospital’s reputation for clinical excellence and compassionate, family-centered care draws patients from all over the United States. St. Joseph Hospital is part of Providence, a health system serving in 52 hospitals with a comprehensive range of services across Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. For more information visit: providence.org/stjoseph.

About Spineart

Spineart is a global fast-growing company in spine surgery innovation, dedicated to accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technologies for surgeons and hospitals worldwide for the benefit of their patients. Renowned for its commitment to Quality, Innovation, and Simplicity, Spineart continues to push the boundaries of spinal surgery with its comprehensive portfolio of procedural solutions and digital technologies. Spineart was awarded the “Prix de l’Economie Genevoise 2022” for its contribution to technological and scientific innovations, commercial activities, job creations and ESG principles.

Please visit www.spineart.com and follow on LinkedIn. For media inquiries or further information, please contact press@spineart.com.                       

About eCential Robotics

eCential Robotics is a French and US-based company, founded by Stéphane Lavallée and part of the Grenoble Haventure network, specializing in surgical robotics. It has developed an open, unified yet modular and scalable 2D/3D imaging, navigation, and robotic platform aiming to improve bone surgery outcomes. With more than 100 patents and 7 trademarks, eCential Robotics is pursuing a disruptive innovation strategy, enabling third parties to integrate their implants with the platform and develop surgical Apps in its ecosystem. Thanks to multiple partnerships already established with implant manufacturers, tech companies, and research labs, eCential Robotics is positioned as a leader in the fast-growing surgical robotics market and aspires to become the world leader in open robotic platforms.

Please visit www.ecential-robotics.com and follow on LinkedIn (eCential Robotics).