UC San Diego Health has become the first health system on the West Coast to perform spine surgery using a new AI-powered robotic platform. The technology integrates artificial intelligence, custom implants and robotic guidance into a single system designed to improve precision and patient recovery.
A neurosurgeon at UC San Diego Health has completed the first AI-assisted robotic spine surgery on the West Coast, marking a significant milestone in how complex spinal procedures may be performed in the future. The surgery was led by Joseph Osorio, a neurosurgeon and chief of spine surgery for the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine, who was selected to spearhead the launch based on his background in complex spinal care and history of introducing cutting-edge treatments.
“This platform fundamentally changes how we think about spine surgery,” Osorio, who also serves as an associate professor of neurological surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine, said in a news release. “For the first time, we are bringing together artificial intelligence, data-driven alignment planning, patient-specific implants, navigation, and robotic screw delivery within a single system. That level of precision and coordination allows us to operate more efficiently while significantly enhancing safety for our patients.”
The new system represents a convergence of technologies that have previously existed in isolation. Rather than relying on separate tools for imaging, planning and robotic assistance, surgeons can now access all of those capabilities through one integrated platform. The system generates detailed three-dimensional views of a patient’s spine and uses AI to craft surgical plans tailored to each individual’s anatomy — reducing the guesswork that has historically accompanied even the most skilled manual procedures.
How the Technology Works
At its core, the platform merges AI-driven surgical planning with robotically guided implant placement. Before a patient enters the operating room, surgeons use the system to map out a personalized procedure based on the patient’s specific spinal structure. During surgery, robotic arms assist with placing screws and implants with a level of accuracy that would be difficult to replicate by hand alone.
“AI-driven planning and patient-specific implants enable personalized surgical plans to enhance patient functional outcomes,” added Alexander Khalessi, the chief innovation officer at UC San Diego Health and chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “By combining these capabilities with intra-operative imaging, navigation and robotic workflow, surgeons can execute the procedure with precision, safety, and efficiency. Patients leave the operating room certain their surgeon’s technical goals were achieved and a smoother recovery ahead.”
In practical terms, patients undergoing spinal fusion — a procedure that joins two or more vertebrae to eliminate painful movement — stand to benefit most immediately. Surgeons expect the platform to increase consistency across procedures, reduce operating time, and support faster recovery by minimizing surgical disruption to surrounding tissue.
Why It Matters
Spine surgery is among the most technically demanding fields in medicine. Spinal fusions alone are performed on hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, and outcomes can vary widely depending on surgeon experience, patient anatomy and the accuracy of implant placement. A system that standardizes precision and personalizes planning could meaningfully shift those outcomes at scale.
For students studying medicine, biomedical engineering, or health technology, this development offers a window into where surgical care is headed. The integration of AI into the operating room is no longer a research-stage concept — it is being performed on real patients at major academic medical centers right now.
“Our patients will directly benefit from this advancement, and our surgeons will have tools that match the complexity of the conditions we’re treating,” Osorio added.
UC San Diego Health’s spine program has earned accreditation from The Joint Commission for excellence in spine surgery, and its neurology and neurosurgery program ranked among the top programs in the country in the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” rankings. The program draws together neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, rehabilitation specialists and pain management experts to offer a full continuum of care — from conservative non-surgical treatment to highly complex procedures like the one now being performed with this new robotic system.
A Broader Push for Surgical Innovation
The launch is part of a larger effort by UC San Diego Health to position itself as a national leader in neurosurgical modernization. As academic medical centers across the country compete to adopt emerging technologies, being first on the West Coast to deploy this platform signals a commitment that extends beyond institutional bragging rights — it reflects a deliberate strategy to bring innovations from the lab to the operating room as quickly and safely as possible.
For patients in Southern California and beyond, that means access to a level of surgical precision that was unavailable even a few years ago. And for the next generation of surgeons and biomedical innovators, it sets a new benchmark for what modern spinal care can look like.
Source: UC San Diego Health