{"id":7620,"date":"2026-05-01T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7620"},"modified":"2026-05-01T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T14:30:00","slug":"army-veteran-benefits-from-robotic-spinal-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7620","title":{"rendered":"Army Veteran benefits from robotic spinal surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-05-01T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center pioneers first VA use of MAKO robot for spinal surgery<\/h2>\n<p>For Denetra Dale, back issues have been part of her daily life for years. The Army Veteran spent years ruck sacking her way through military exercises, ultimately returning home after a tour in Germany with chronic back pain.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Years of quiet struggle<\/h2>\n<p>Dale carried the burden of back pain quietly for years. But a week ago, at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/houston-health-care\/locations\/michael-e-debakey-department-of-veterans-affairs-medical-center\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center<\/a> (MEDVAMC), something changed. She had surgery. And the instrument that helped change everything wasn\u2019t only a scalpel or a set of trained hands, although those were essential. It was a robot.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A historic first<\/h2>\n<p>Dale became the first Veteran to receive care using MEDVAMC\u2019s newly acquired MAKO spine robot. The procedure, the first of its kind at any VA hospital in the country, was performed by VA surgeons using the MAKO Spine Robotic System. The results, even just a few days later, are already speaking for themselves. Dale said she is already getting up easier, which is half the battle. She describes her experience at MEDVAMC as nothing short of great and said she feels genuinely hopeful about the future.<\/p>\n<p>The MAKO Spine Robot is not a surgeon, but according to MEDVAMC\u2019s Chief of Neurosurgery, Dr. Alfonso Fuentes, it\u2019s a remarkable partner. The platform integrates robotic assistance with advanced navigation technology in a way that, as Fuentes describes it, improves surgical precision. At the heart of the system is a real-time CT imaging capability that gives the surgical team a live window into the patient\u2019s anatomy as the procedure unfolds. The navigation technology works together with haptic (touch) technology to ensure precise execution at every step. Most critically, it assists in the precise placement of screws in the lumbar region of the spine.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Precision in millimeters<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cIn spinal surgery, millimeters matter,\u201d Fuentes said. \u201cThe difference between a screw being placed perfectly and one being placed slightly off can mean a dramatic difference in a Veteran\u2019s quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minimizing trauma<\/h2>\n<p>Beyond precision, the MAKO system enables smaller incisions, which means less trauma to surrounding tissues, Fuentes said. \u201cThe enhanced surgical precision offered by this robot translates directly into greater safety margins, especially for the Veterans who often present with complex and challenging cases.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those challenges aren\u2019t incidental. Military service often puts extraordinary demands on the body, demands that accumulate over deployments, time and years. The Veterans walking into MEDVAMC often carry spinal, knee, and shoulder conditions that are shaped by their military service. For these Veterans, having access to cutting-edge technology isn\u2019t just a luxury, it\u2019s a meaningful advantage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTechnological advances like the new MAKO robot are particularly valuable when treating the challenging conditions that Veterans often face,\u201d said Dr. David Green, MEDVAMC\u2019s chief of orthopedic surgery. \u201cIn addition to using our new robot on the spine, we will be able to use it for some of the hundreds of knee and shoulder surgeries we perform at the MEDVAMC every year.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A culture of innovation<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/?s=Michael+E.+DeBakey+VA+Medical+Center+\">MEDVAMC<\/a> being the first VA in the nation to deploy this technology is not an accident. It is the product of a culture that views surgical innovation as part of its obligation to the Veterans. \u201cMEDVAMC surgeons pride themselves on being leaders in innovation,\u201d said Dr. Samir Award, chief of surgery. \u201cOur Veterans deserve the best and we are here to give it to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The culture goes beyond any single procedure or technology. As new tools emerge, MEDVAMC has made a standing commitment to implement innovations that can improve patient outcomes. Not every new technology earns its place in the operating room, but when it does, thanks to evidence showing a clear benefit to Veterans, MEDVAMC embraces the opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>For all the enthusiasm about what the MAKO system has to offer, Fuentes is quick to remind everyone that every advanced tool and technological leap at VA exist for the Veterans. The robot guides the screws. The navigation maps the spine. But at the center of every procedure is a person, a Veteran with a history, a body shaped by service and a life they want to return to.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery advanced tool and technique is there to provide our patients with the safest, most effective treatment tailored to their specific conditions and goals,\u201d Fuentes said. \u201cIt really is all about the Veteran at the MEDVAMC.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/146469\/army-veteran-benefits-robotic-spinal-surgery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Houston VA surgeons use a MAKO robot to perform a groundbreaking spinal procedure, offering new hope and improved recovery for patients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Army Veteran benefits from robotic spinal surgery - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Houston VA surgeons use a MAKO robot to perform a groundbreaking spinal procedure, offering new hope and improved recovery for patients.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7620\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Army Veteran benefits from robotic spinal surgery - 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