Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40181236›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of medical research2025

Unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion assisted by a Tianji robot for lumbar degenerative disease in elderly patients: a retrospective study.

Guofang Fang, Jin Zhang, Hailun Zhu, Xunwei Lai, Jianchang Wu, Xiuwang Li, Zhouxu Hou, Fangxin Chen, Hongxun Sang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of medical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Guofang FangOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. fanguofan@163.com.
Jin ZhangOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Hailun ZhuOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Xunwei LaiOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Jianchang WuOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Xiuwang LiOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Zhouxu HouOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Fangxin ChenOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
Hongxun SangOrthopaedics Department, Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. hxsang@fmmu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (UBE-LIF) has been successfully used to treat degenerative lumbar spinal diseases. Nevertheless, the duration of the UBE-LIF procedure notably exceeds that of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (Mis-TLIF), increasing the potential for perioperative complications, particularly in elderly patients.

objectiveThis retrospective study aimed to compare the results of robot assistance (RA) and non-assistance (NA) groups and to explore the benefits of UBE-LIF assisted by a Tianji robot in aged patients.

methods60 patients were divided into two groups: 30 patients in the RA group and 30 in the NA group from January 2022 to June 2023. The surgical duration, estimated intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, length of hospital stays, and radiation exposure were examined and documented. Clinical assessments, including the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analog scale (VAS), modified MacNab criteria, postoperative complications, and interbody fusion rate, were also evaluated.

resultsNo significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of postoperative drainage, length of postoperative hospital stay, or fusion rate. However, the RA group exhibited lower perioperative complications, estimated intraoperative blood loss, and duration of radiation exposure than the NA group. The average total operation time in the RA group was 105.3 ± 25.8 min, which was significantly shorter than the NA group's average of 130.5 ± 22.5 min (P < 0.001). Furthermore, both groups demonstrated improvements in all clinical outcomes at various postoperative time points, with no significant differences between them (P > 0.05).

conclusionsCompared with the NA approach, robot-assisted UBE-LIF technology provides accurate intraoperative guidance and helps spinal surgeons achieve accurate decompression. Furthermore, it can reduce radiation exposure, operation time, blood loss, and surgical complications, thereby improving the surgical efficiency and safety.

Indexed as

EndoscopyIntervertebral Disc DegenerationLumbar VertebraeRobotic Surgical ProceduresSpinal FusionAgedBlood Loss, SurgicalFemaleHumansLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedOperative TimePostoperative ComplicationsRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeMis-TLIFPostoperative complicationsRobot assistanceUnilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion

Identifiers

PMID40181236
PMCPMC11969944

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.