Virtua First in Philly/South Jersey Region to Use ‘Safe Zone’ Robotic-Assisted Spine Surgery

On Jan 21, 2026

Virtua Health announced it has become the first in the Philadelphia region and South Jersey to provide robotic-assisted spine surgery combined with a GPS-like navigation system that enhances safety and enables better outcomes.

The navigation software, called Spine Guidance by Stryker, enables surgeons to create “safe zones” where the surgical tools can be blocked from entering, minimizing the risk of damage to surrounding structures.

“It’s the only software on the market that allows us to set up safe zones, which enables us to relieve pressure on compressed nerves more safely and efficiently,” said Dr. James Sanfilippo, vice president of clinical operations for musculoskeletal services at Virtua Health.

Robotic-assisted spine procedures are not widely available yet, and Virtua is one of the first in the country to offer them. The not-for-profit health system has been a leader in robotic surgery for 20-plus years, including hip and knee replacements, among other procedures.

“Our decades of experience performing other types of robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery have positioned us to readily embrace new forms of the technology as they’re introduced,” said Dr. Sanfilippo, who is also a spine surgeon with Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics. “We work closely with robotic-device manufacturers, in this case Stryker, to ensure we can offer the best options to our patients across our region and beyond.”

He and his team use Stryker’s Mako Spine robotic surgery platform, in addition to its Spine Guidance software.
Robotic-assisted spine surgery with Spine Guidance offers increased precision, which can optimize safety, help preserve healthy tissue, reduce the amount of cutting, and make recovery faster and easier, compared to other spine-surgery techniques.

The state-of-the-art technology is used for spinal fusion surgery, which joins the vertebrae (spine bones) together to stabilize injured spinal segments. Rods and screws are attached between the fused vertebrae to relieve pressure on compressed nerves and thereby reduce or eliminate pain and preserve a person’s mobility.

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