Researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery reported that adolescents with pars fractures who underwent robotic-assisted minimally invasive repair were able to resume athletic activity within weeks, based on data presented at the North American Spine Society meeting in Denver. The procedure uses robotic guidance to place a single screw through a small incision and is performed on an outpatient basis.
Pars fractures are breaks in the pars interarticularis, most often in the lower back. They affect an estimated 7 percent of adolescents, with higher rates among athletes in activities that place repetitive stress on the spine. While many injuries heal after a period of rest, some do not, leading to ongoing pain and, in certain cases, later complications.
The HSS team conducted a retrospective review of nine adolescents, with a mean age of 16, who had persistent symptoms for an average of eight months before undergoing the robotic-assisted repair. After surgery, patients followed an eight-week rehabilitation program that gradually reintroduced sport-specific movements. At a mean follow-up of 11.4 months, five had returned to their previous sport level or higher. One patient continued to experience pain and did not resume sports. Three patients who underwent CT imaging at one year showed signs of bone healing. Several athletes were cleared to return to activity as early as six weeks.
The researchers stated that non-surgical management remains the first line of care but said the reviewed cases show that the robotic-assisted approach offered an option for adolescents whose symptoms did not improve with rest.
