Spine Surgeon Dr. Michael Gallizzi of The Steadman Clinic Achieves Milestone in Robotic and Endoscopic Surgery

The Steadman Clinic and Dr. Michael Gallizzi continue to strengthen their reputation as global leaders in advanced surgical technology. GNW

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Innovative Combination Technique Advances Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

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VAIL, Colo., June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Steadman Clinic and Dr. Michael Gallizzi continue to strengthen their reputation as global leaders in advanced surgical technology. Since joining the clinic three years ago, Dr. Gallizzi has performed over 400 robotic spine surgeries and more than 600 endoscopic procedures, the majority of which have been completed during his tenure.

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Beyond these remarkable figures, Dr. Gallizzi is at the forefront of innovation in minimally invasive spine surgery. He is among the first to successfully integrate robotic and endoscopic techniques within a single procedure—a groundbreaking approach that enhances surgical precision, accelerates recovery and delivers lasting benefits for patients.

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Advancing Treatment for Young Athletes

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One particularly promising application of this innovative method is the robotic-assisted endoscopic repair of adolescent pars fractures, a condition common among young athletes engaged in repetitive-motion sports like ski racing, football, volleyball, tennis, soccer and swimming.

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“We’ve done a number of new procedures that are a combination of both robotic and endoscopic,” said Dr. Gallizzi. “Among the 400 robotic cases, we’re starting to do adolescent pars fracture repairs for young athletes and are having really good outcomes. Being able to do that procedure as a same-day, outpatient surgery makes it even more appealing to the patient and helpful in improving and lessening the recovery time.”

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Historically, untreated pars fractures often led to spinal shifting and instability in adulthood. With this precise, outpatient procedure, young athletes experience shorter recovery times—typically three months of restricted movement—and significantly lower risks of long-term complications.

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“Essentially, the typical treatment for that was to rest the athlete, usually at least three months of bracing, and hoped that it healed,” continued Dr. Gallizzi. “A lot of times it did heal, but those are the patients that often end up with shifting in their spine as they get older. So, when they hit their 30s, 40s and 50s, they start getting a lot of instability pain, because the pars is no longer connected together and it actually starts to slide. Using the combination of robotic navigation plus the endoscope when the fracture happens acutely, we are able to repair the fracture and mitigate those potential long-term issues.

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“If we’re able to catch and diagnose these athletes early,” added Dr. Gallizzi, “we now have a very precise and durable operation that’s done in a truly minimally invasive fashion.”