Tuoshou Orthopedic Surgical Robot

The Tuoshou® Trinity Orthopedic General Surgical Robot (NS100) represents Tuodao Medical’s flagship product and the foundation of the company’s commercial operations in China. Receiving NMPA approval in 2022 with registration number 国械注准 20223011042, Tuoshou has established presence in the competitive domestic orthopedic robotics market through successful hospital installations and competitive tender wins.

Product Overview

Tuoshou® (佗手, meaning “healing hand”) is designed as a general-purpose orthopedic surgical robot covering three major application areas: spinal surgery, trauma surgery, and joint procedures. This breadth of application distinguishes it from single-specialty competitors, allowing hospitals to use a single robotic platform across their orthopedic department.

The system employs an optical tracking architecture that monitors both patient anatomy and robotic arm position in real-time, enabling continuous verification of surgical accuracy without requiring patient-attached trackers. This design reduces procedural setup time and eliminates tracker-related complications noted with some competing systems.

Key Features

Tuoshou® is Tuodao Medical’s NMPA-approved (2022) orthopedic robot covering spine, trauma, and joint surgery with optical non-contact tracking compatible with both preoperative CT and intraoperative C-arm imaging.

• Multi-specialty coverage: Single platform addresses spine, trauma, and joint surgery applications
• Optical tracking system: Real-time position monitoring for robotic arm and surgical field
• Flexible imaging integration: Compatible with both preoperative CT and intraoperative C-arm X-ray imaging
• Radiation reduction: Robotic precision enables fewer verification images during screw placement
• Servo control: Continuous position feedback ensures robotic arm maintains planned trajectory

Technical Specifications

Tuoshou® (NS100) uses a master control execution system with real-time optical tracking to plan screw trajectories from CT or C-arm data, applying servo control feedback throughout execution.

Clinical Applications

Spinal Surgery

The primary application domain for Tuoshou includes pedicle screw placement across cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. The system assists surgeons in planning screw trajectories based on individual patient anatomy, with the robotic arm providing stable positioning during drilling and screw insertion. Published clinical research from Nanjing First Hospital demonstrated the system’s accuracy in spinal procedures.

Trauma Surgery

For fracture fixation procedures, Tuoshou provides assistance with implant placement in complex anatomical situations where manual positioning proves challenging. The optical tracking maintains accuracy even when working around fracture fragments.

Joint Surgery

The platform supports joint-related procedures including certain arthroplasty applications, though specific capabilities may vary based on available accessories and software versions.

Regulatory Status

Clinical Evidence

Academic validation for the Tuoshou system includes peer-reviewed publication in Bioengineering journal (2022), documenting development process and initial clinical trial results. The research, conducted in collaboration with multiple Chinese medical institutions including Jiangsu Province Hospital and Wuhan Fourth Hospital, demonstrated the system’s positioning accuracy and safety profile in spinal procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What surgeries can Tuoshou perform?

Tuoshou is approved for spinal surgery (pedicle screw placement across cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions), trauma surgery (fracture fixation), and joint surgery procedures. The system is designed as a general orthopedic platform rather than single-specialty device.

How does Tuoshou compare to TiRobot?

Both systems address similar orthopedic applications in the Chinese market. According to the published PMC study, Tuoshou was developed to address certain limitations of existing systems including simplified operation procedures and reduced tracker-related complications. Direct comparative clinical data between the two systems has not been published.

What imaging is required for Tuoshou procedures?

Tuoshou accepts both preoperative CT scans and intraoperative C-arm X-ray images. This flexibility allows surgeons to choose based on case requirements and available equipment, with Tuodao’s own Daoying and Tuoying C-arm systems offering integrated solutions.