Robotic-Assisted & Navigated Spine Surgery | Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D.

Milestone · September 14, 2026

The first robotic spine surgery in Northwest Indiana

On September 14, 2026, Dr. Hobbs and the surgical team at Northwest Health Porter in Valparaiso completed the hospital’s first spine procedure using the Medtronic Stealth AXiS™ robotic guidance system. It was the first robotic spine surgery performed in Northwest Indiana and among the first Stealth AXiS cases in the state.

The robotic arm held each planned trajectory for the spinal instrumentation while Dr. Hobbs performed the operation. StealthStation navigation and O-arm imaging confirmed the placement before closing. The robot guides; the surgeon operates.

Northwest Health Porter, Valparaiso, IN
Medtronic Stealth AXiS™ Surgical System
Surgeon-controlled, robot-guided

Whether robotic guidance is used depends on the procedure and your individual situation. Call (219) 250-5010 to ask whether it applies to your care.

Dr. Hobbs at the operating table with the draped Stealth AXiS robotic arm positioned over the surgical field — Northwest Health Porter, September 14, 2026. Photos used with the team’s permission.

Surgical team at the table with planned screw trajectories shown on the navigation screen — Northwest Health Porter, September 14, 2026. Photos used with the team’s permission.

Case walkthrough

What the surgeon sees during robotic spine surgery

These are the actual navigation screens from the first Stealth AXiS™ case at Northwest Health Porter, in order. Every step starts as a plan on the patient’s own imaging, and the system tracks each instrument against that plan in real time. Shared with the patient’s written permission; identifying details have been removed.

1 · The plan comes firstBefore surgery, the target alignment and screw levels are mapped on the patient’s standing X-ray. This is the blueprint the robot will follow.
2 · A 3D scan in the operating roomThe O-arm™ takes a 3D scan once the patient is positioned. The planned screws, yellow on the left and blue on the right, sit on the real anatomy.
3 · Every trajectory checked in three viewsEach screw path is reviewed from the front, the side, and the top before the arm moves.
4 · The arm aligns to the planThe Stealth AXiS™ arm moves to the planned path and holds it steady. The surgeon works through the guide it provides.
5 · The system stops itselfWhen the arm drifted from the planned height, guidance halted with a red alert until the surgeon realigned it. Safety checks like this run throughout the case.
6 · On trajectoryThe green banner confirms the instrument is following the planned path, live, as Dr. Hobbs works.
7 · The screw is placedThe placed screw appears on the scan exactly where it was planned.
8 · Confirmed before closingWith all screws in, a final 3D scan confirms the placement before the incision is closed.

The robot guides the trajectory; Dr. Hobbs performs the operation. Screens are from Medtronic’s StealthStation™ software, cropped to the imaging panes.

How it works

Precision Through Robotics and Navigation

A GPS for the spine, paired with a steady robotic guide.

Some of the most important moments in spine surgery come down to millimeters — placing a screw safely within a small corridor of bone, or positioning an implant to restore exact alignment. Robotic guidance and image-guided navigation are the tools Dr. Hobbs uses to achieve that level of precision.

Think of it as a GPS paired with a steady robotic guide. The O-arm™ imaging system creates a real-time 3D picture of your spine during surgery. StealthStation™ navigation tracks the surgeon's instruments against that 3D model, showing their exact position relative to your anatomy. And the Axis™ robotic guidance system provides a stable, pre-planned trajectory so each step follows the surgical plan precisely.

Dr. Hobbs is extensively trained in these systems and uses them routinely. Importantly, the surgeon remains fully in control at every moment — the robot guides the trajectory, it does not operate on its own.

Hover a system to find it in the room

Three Technologies Working Together

StealthStation™ Navigation

A GPS for the spine. It locates anatomical structures in 3D and tracks surgical instruments in real time against intraoperative images, so Dr. Hobbs always knows the exact position of his instruments relative to your anatomy.

Axis™ Robotic Guidance

Combines surgical planning with a robotic arm that provides a stable, pre-planned trajectory. It helps execute the plan efficiently and accurately — the surgeon stays in control while the robot guides each step.

O-arm™ Imaging

An intraoperative imaging system that provides on-demand 2D and 3D images during surgery — building the 3D map navigation relies on, and letting Dr. Hobbs confirm precise implant placement before closing.

What it means for you

Benefits of Robotic & Navigated Surgery

Exceptional Accuracy
Implants and screws are placed along a pre-planned, real-time-guided trajectory

Smaller, Tissue-Sparing Incisions
Precise guidance supports minimally invasive, muscle-preserving approaches

Intraoperative Confirmation
Imaging verifies accurate placement before the incision is closed

Plan-to-Execution Consistency
The pre-operative plan carries through precisely into the operating room

Efficient Execution
Combining planning, navigation, and robotics streamlines complex steps

Supports Better Recovery
Less tissue disruption can contribute to less pain and faster recovery

The connected system

The AiBLE™ Smart Ecosystem

Robotics and navigation are one part of a connected system that spans the entire surgical journey — from planning, to the operating room, to recovery.

01Pre-Operative

2D & 3D full-body imaging
Visualize the entire musculoskeletal alignment and compensatory mechanisms.
AI-driven planning & simulation
Concierge surgical plans for alignment and construct design, powered by predictive AI.

02Intra-Operative

Robotics & navigation
Execute the plan through navigated and robotic-assisted implant placement and bony work.
Patient-specific rods
A personalized rod template confirms alignment targets are achieved.
2D & 3D intraoperative imaging
Confirm precise implant placement before closing.

03Post-Operative

Aggregated data & analytics
Review radiographic alignment and compare outcomes over time.
Objective & subjective patient data
Patient-reported outcomes and health data give a holistic view of recovery.

Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D.

Board-Certified Neurosurgeon · Spine Surgery

ABNS
Certified

Residency
Chicago

M.D.
Kentucky

Why Dr. Hobbs

Why Choose Dr. Hobbs

Routine, Extensive Use
Extensively trained in StealthStation navigation and Axis robotics, and uses them routinely.
Full Technology Stack
Combines robotics and navigation with AI planning and patient-specific implants.
Board-Certified Neurosurgeon
Certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
Elite Training
University of Kentucky medical degree; neurosurgery residency at the University of Chicago, serving as chief resident.
Minimally Invasive Focus
Uses guidance technology to support smaller, tissue-sparing approaches.
Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute
Offices in Crown Point & Chesterton, Northwest Indiana.

Call (219) 250-5010 The full surgical process

Frequently Asked Questions About Robotic & Navigated Spine Surgery

Robotic-assisted spine surgery uses a robotic guidance system — Dr. Hobbs uses the Medtronic Axis system — to execute a surgical plan with a high degree of precision. Based on the patient's imaging, a plan is created before surgery for exactly where each screw and implant should go. During the procedure, the robotic arm provides a stable, pre-planned trajectory that helps the surgeon place instruments and implants accurately. The surgeon remains in control at all times; the robot guides, it does not operate on its own.

Image-guided or navigated spine surgery uses real-time 3D imaging to act like a GPS for the spine. Dr. Hobbs uses the Medtronic StealthStation navigation system together with the O-arm imaging system, which creates a 3D model of the patient's anatomy during surgery and tracks the position of surgical instruments against that model in real time, allowing for exceptional accuracy through small, tissue-sparing approaches.

Robotics and navigation are tools that support accuracy and safety. By planning implant placement in advance and guiding it in real time, these technologies can improve the precision of screw and implant placement, support smaller and more tissue-sparing incisions, and allow the surgeon to confirm accurate placement with intraoperative imaging before closing. Every surgery carries some risk, and Dr. Hobbs discusses the risks and benefits with each patient.

No. The robot does not perform the surgery on its own. Dr. Hobbs performs the operation; the Axis robotic guidance system provides a stable, pre-planned trajectory that helps him execute the surgical plan accurately. The surgeon directs and controls every step of the procedure.

AiBLE is Medtronic's connected ecosystem that links each stage of spine care: AI-driven preoperative planning and full-body imaging, intraoperative robotics, navigation, patient-specific rods and imaging, and postoperative data and patient-reported outcomes. Connecting these stages helps ensure the surgical plan carries through accurately from the clinic into the operating room and is verified afterward.

Yes. Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D. is extensively trained in Medtronic StealthStation navigation and the Axis robotic guidance system and uses them routinely, along with O-arm imaging, to plan and execute procedures with exceptional accuracy. He practices at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute, with offices in Crown Point & Chesterton, Indiana.

Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D. performed the first robotic spine surgery in Northwest Indiana on September 14, 2026, at Northwest Health Porter in Valparaiso, using the Medtronic Stealth AXiS robotic guidance system. It was the hospital's first Stealth AXiS case and among the first in Indiana. The robotic arm held each planned trajectory while Dr. Hobbs performed the operation, and intraoperative imaging confirmed the placement before closing.

The surgeon sees the patient's own 3D scan with every planned screw drawn on it, and a live overlay of each instrument against that plan. A green banner confirms the instrument is on the planned trajectory; if the robotic arm drifts, the system halts with an alert until it is realigned. A final 3D scan confirms placement before closing. The case walkthrough on this page shows these screens from Dr. Hobbs's first Stealth AXiS case, shared with the patient's written permission.

Your next step

Discuss your spine care with Dr. Hobbs

Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D. is a board-certified neurosurgeon at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute. For questions about robotic-assisted & navigated spine surgery, call the office to arrange an individual evaluation and discuss which options may be appropriate.

Consultation offices: Crown Point, Chesterton. Your symptoms, examination, imaging, and prior treatment help guide the discussion.

Call (219) 250-5010 Appointments & insurance

Request a free second-opinion review