UTHealth Houston Neurosciences Is First in Houston to Use New Imaging Platform for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Spine surgeons at UTHealth Houston Neurosciences are the first in Houston to use a new imaging platform for minimally invasive spine procedures, including transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF). The TELIGEN™ System – developed by Johnson & Johnson MedTech – aims to enhance visualization by placing a high-definition camera directly within the surgical site, with a goal of improving both precision and patient safety.

“The camera’s optical angle provides an unobstructed view, which allows us to see around corners while we work in the small space created by a minimally invasive incision,” says Jessica Stark, MD, assistant professor in the Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, who performed the first Houston case in July 2025. “MIS-TLIF has traditionally been performed using tubular retractors with surgical microscopes. The TELIGEN System combines the familiarity of retractors with the advantages of endoscopy, but without the steep learning curve of adopting a fully endoscopic approach.”

Stark, who attended a hands-on training course sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, currently uses the TELIGEN System for microdiscectomies, MIS-TLIF, and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). She notes that the technology also supports minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-LLIF).

“The benefits to patients are significant,” she says. “Smaller incisions mean less blood loss, faster recovery, and, in many cases, same-day discharge.”

The TELIGEN System includes a digital control tower with camera-control functions, a lens-cleaning wash box, suction pump, high-definition monitor, and a disposable high-definition camera that delivers an expanded field of view and clear, unobstructed visualization.

Equally important are the ergonomic and teaching advantages for surgeons. “We don’t have to bend over the operating table to perform the procedure,” Stark explains. “The heads-up display and two-handed instrument control allow for hands-free visualization. Residents scrubbed into the surgery can share the same visual field on the monitor, which enhances teaching without requiring me to take over the case.”

The TELIGEN System is housed at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center and is being integrated into UTHealth Houston’s neurosurgery training programs.

For more information, visit jnjmedtech.com/teligen-system (external link).