Ascension’s Dell Children’s Medical Center North Campus announced that it is the first pediatric hospital in the world to provide spine surgeries with an advanced active robotic assisted and navigation platform. The introduction of this new technology supports the expansion of Dell Children’s nationally ranked pediatric orthopedic and spine program, offering patients a more precise and accurate procedure. The procedures will be done exclusively at Dell Children’s North beginning early June.
“Being the first hospital in the world to offer advanced pediatric spine surgeries with this leading-edge technology is both an honor and a reflection of our vision,” said Adam Messer, President of Dell Children’s. “This investment supports our ongoing mission to bring world-class care to children and families, both here in Central Texas and across the nation.”
This new spine technology was designed to assist surgeons with more complex spinal deformity cases. The system is dual use, meaning it features both a standalone navigation and an active robotics platform that allows surgeon flexibility in their approach and plans. Active robotics provides surgical guidance tailored to surgeon preference.
“This technology investment is going to be a game-changer for our patients as we continue to expand our world-class orthopedic spinal surgery program," said Dell Children’s pediatric orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Kirsten Ross & Dr. Brian Kaufman. “We look forward to seeing the positive outcomes this enabling technology has by allowing more precise screw placement which can allow for increased correction of scoliosis and a potentially more rapid return to daily activities.”
From fractures and trauma injuries to complex spine conditions and congenital conditions — fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Dell Children’s have the expertise to deliver advanced orthopedic care for children. Dell Children’s Orthopedics was ranked by the U.S. News & World Reports 2024-2025 “Best Children’s Hospitals" as one of the top pediatric programs in the U.S.
Dell Children’s is part of Ascension, the largest nonprofit health system in the U.S. and the world’s largest Catholic health system. Through this affiliation, Dell Children’s delivers nationally recognized, mission-driven care to patients across Central Texas and beyond. Its comprehensive pediatric spine and scoliosis program spans both the North and Main campuses and includes board-certified orthopedic surgeons Dr. Matt Geck, Dr. Kirsten Ross, and Dr. Brian Kaufman.
Robotic spine procedures using an advanced active robotic-assisted and navigation platform are performed exclusively at Dell Children’s North, while the main campus also offers robotic spine procedures. Together, the two locations are expected to perform more than 130 spine procedures during the current fiscal year, reflecting a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to pediatric spine care.
