Medtronic UNiD™ Patient-Specific Rods | Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D.

What Are UNiD Patient-Specific Rods?

The rods used in spinal fusion hold the spine in its corrected position while it heals. Traditionally, the surgeon bends these rods by hand in the operating room to match the desired curve — a step that is difficult to perform with precision and that can affect both the final alignment and the long-term durability of the construct.

UNiD™ rods take a different approach. Using Medtronic's UNiD Adaptive Spine Intelligence (ASI) software, an AI-driven surgical plan is created from the patient's imaging and target spinopelvic alignment. Each rod is then industrially pre-bent to match that plan before surgery, giving Dr. Hobbs a precise, patient-specific template to reproduce the planned correction in the operating room.

UNiD rods are FDA-cleared for use with Medtronic's spinal fixation systems and are used to treat adult spinal deformity, scoliosis, and complex degenerative conditions.

Sagittal Alignment Is a Dominant Predictor of Outcomes

Achieving harmonious alignment of key spinopelvic parameters — such as the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic incidence/lumbar lordosis mismatch (PI-LL), and pelvic tilt (PT) — is a central goal of spinal deformity surgery.

Patients whose postoperative spinopelvic parameters fall within normative ranges tend to exhibit improved patient outcome scores. Getting alignment right is exactly what patient-specific rods are designed to help achieve.

X-ray comparison showing a Harrington rod versus patient-specific alignment, illustrating that achieving normative spinopelvic parameters (SVA, PI-LL, PT) improves outcomes.

Bar chart from Sardi et al.: without a template surgeons overbent rods by a mean of 17.5 to 20.2 degrees from the target angle, but with a template they came within about two degrees.

Bending to a Template Yields Better Accuracy

In a study by Sardi et al., ten experienced surgeons were asked to contour rods with a French bender to 40, 60, and 80 degrees.

Without a template, the surgeons overbent by a mean of 17.5 to 20.2 degrees for each desired angle. With a template, they came within an average of about two degrees of their target. A pre-bent UNiD rod gives Dr. Hobbs that template-level precision built in.

The UNiD Workflow

From planning to post-op review, the UNiD ASI workflow keeps the surgical plan connected at every step.

UNiD workflow shown on a monitor and phone app: view and manage patient images and data; create AI-driven surgical plans through the AiBLE clinic; order UNiD patient-specific rods; leverage the Stealth AXiS system to execute plans with navigation and robotics; use LiveAlign segmental tracking to confirm the plan in real time; and view post-operative data.

View & Manage Imaging
Patient images and data are organized in one place

AI-Driven Planning
Surgical plans are created through the AiBLE™ clinic

Order Patient-Specific Rods
UNiD™ rods are pre-bent to the approved plan

Navigation & Robotics
The Stealth AXiS™ system helps execute the plan precisely

Real-Time Confirmation
LiveAlign™ segmental tracking confirms the plan is achieved

Post-Operative Review
Post-op data is reviewed to confirm the planned result

What Makes UNiD ASI Different

AI-Driven

Planning is powered by predictive models that use AI to project compensatory changes in unfused spinal segments for adult deformity, pediatric, and degenerative procedures.

Concierge Surgical Planning

Dedicated engineers deliver complete surgical plans — including interbody selection, alignment goals, predictive models, and corresponding rod shape — tailored to surgeon preferences.

Patient-Specific Rods & Template

UNiD™ rods are designed from the approved surgical plan, providing a precise intraoperative template to achieve the planned alignment.

Longitudinal Data

The GAiTEWAY™ platform aggregates data across cases to identify trends and patterns, supporting the continuous evolution of surgical technique.

AiBLE™ Connectivity

Through connectivity with the GAiTEWAY™ platform and Stealth AXiS™ system, surgeons can plan, execute, reconcile, and analyze within the AiBLE™ ecosystem — supporting more predictable outcomes.

Clinical Evidence

According to Medtronic's published postoperative data analysis, UNiD™ rods are associated with a lower incidence of rod fracture compared with historic International Spine Study Group (ISSG) data.

Rod fracture rate — adult deformity (>5 levels)

9%

18 of 200
Historic ISSG data

2.2%

10 of 453
UNiD™ rod data

Rod fracture rate — cases involving a PSO

22%

11 of 50
Historic ISSG data

4.7%

6 of 127
UNiD™ rod data

$Clinical evidence charts: UNiD rods showed a rod fracture rate of 2.2% (10 of 453) in adult deformity versus 9% (18 of 200) in historic ISSG data; and 4.7% (6 of 127) versus 22% (11 of 50) in cases involving a pedicle subtraction osteotomy.$

Figures reflect Medtronic's published comparison of UNiD™ rod postoperative data against historic International Spine Study Group datasets with comparable parameters. These are device-level data, not Dr. Hobbs's individual outcomes, and individual results vary.

Why Choose Dr. Hobbs for Complex & Deformity Surgery

Deformity & Alignment Expertise
Specialty-trained in correcting complex spinal deformities and restoring spinopelvic alignment

Predictive Planning
Uses AI-driven planning and patient-specific rods to translate the plan into a precise result

Image-Guided Navigation
Pairs UNiD rods with StealthStation navigation for exceptional intraoperative accuracy

Board-Certified Neurosurgeon
Board-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

Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute
Practicing at Northwest Indiana's most preferred orthopedic and spine practice

Frequently Asked Questions About UNiD Rods

UNiD rods are spinal rods designed individually for each patient and industrially pre-bent before surgery to match an AI-driven preoperative surgical plan. The plan is created with Medtronic's UNiD Adaptive Spine Intelligence (ASI) software to precisely align the patient's spine. Dr. Hobbs uses them to achieve more accurate, durable correction in complex and deformity spine surgery.

Manually contouring a rod in the operating room is difficult to do precisely. In a study by Sardi et al., experienced surgeons asked to hand-bend rods to set angles overbent by an average of about 17.5 to 20.2 degrees, but when they used a template they came within roughly two degrees of the target. UNiD rods are pre-bent to the surgical plan, giving the surgeon a precise template to reproduce the planned alignment.

Sagittal alignment is one of the most dominant radiographic predictors of patient outcomes. Achieving harmonious alignment of key spinopelvic parameters — such as the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic incidence/lumbar lordosis mismatch (PI-LL), and pelvic tilt (PT) — is a central goal of spinal deformity surgery, and patients whose postoperative alignment falls within normative ranges tend to have better outcome scores.

According to Medtronic's published postoperative data analysis, UNiD rods are associated with a lower incidence of rod fracture. In adult deformity cases of more than five levels, UNiD rods showed a fracture rate of 2.2% (10 of 453 patients) versus 9% (18 of 200) in a comparable International Spine Study Group dataset. In cases involving a pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO), the reported rate was 4.7% versus 22%. These are device-level data, and individual results vary.

UNiD patient-specific rods are used in complex spine procedures where restoring alignment is critical, including adult spinal deformity, scoliosis, and complex degenerative conditions. Dr. Hobbs determines whether patient-specific rods are appropriate based on each patient's anatomy, alignment, and surgical goals.

Yes. Jonathan G. Hobbs, M.D. uses Medtronic UNiD patient-specific rods, pre-contoured to each patient's planned alignment with predictive planning software, to support precise and durable correction in complex and deformity surgery. He practices at Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute, with offices in Crown Point, Chesterton, and Portage, Indiana.

Planning Complex Spine Surgery?

If you're facing spinal deformity or complex fusion surgery, ask Dr. Hobbs how patient-specific rods and AI-driven planning can help achieve a precise, lasting correction. Call today to schedule a consultation.

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500 E. 109th Avenue
Crown Point, IN 46307

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Chesterton, IN 46304