Louisville surgeon performs groundbreaking first robotic spine surgery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — A Norton Healthcare spine surgeon has made history by performing a first-of-its-kind procedure.

Louisville’s FOX affiliate WDRB reported that Dr. Jeffrey Gum, a spinal surgeon with Norton Leatherman Spine, became the first surgeon in the world to perform spine surgery using Medtronic’s new Stealth AXiS robotic platform.

The robotic system aims to improve precision in spinal procedures by using AI-assisted guidance and technology that detects patient movement and automatically adjusts during surgery.

Gum played a role in developing the technology, which officials describe as a major advancement in surgical care, according to WDRB.

“It ties in a seamless planning opportunity or user interface,” Gum said. “It allows us to track patient movement in real time and adjust if there’s any motion. That allows us to be more accurate and more precise when placing screws.”

According to WDRB, Gum was the first surgeon to use the system.

In 2025, Gum completed more than 400 spinal surgeries and traveled to over a dozen countries to train other surgeons.

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