Amplify Surgical announced the successful completion of what is believed to be the world’s first continuously navigated endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) procedure, performed at Emory Healthcare by Dr. Daniel Refai and his surgical team. The procedure represents a significant advancement in minimally invasive spine surgery, combining real-time navigation with endoscopic visualization throughout the entire case.
ATLANTA, May 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Amplify Surgical today announced the successful completion of what is believed to be the world’s first continuously navigated endoscopic transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) procedure, performed at Emory Healthcare by Dr. Daniel Refai and his surgical team. The procedure represents a significant advancement in minimally invasive spine surgery, combining real-time navigation with endoscopic visualization throughout the entire case.
The procedure was performed using Amplify Surgical’s endoscopic platform, the dualPortal® approach and the dualX® expandable interbody in conjunction with Stryker Endoscopy and Stryker Navigation powered by the Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance 5 with Copilot, and VB Spine’s ES2 Minimally Invasive Pedicle Screw System. Pedicle screws were placed under power with continuous navigation maintained throughout the case. The fully navigated endoscopic TLIF marks a first not only for the state of Georgia but also, to the surgical team’s knowledge, for the global spine surgery community. Every step of the procedure was continuously navigated in real time from skin incision planning, soft dissection and bone decompression to instrumentation placement.
“This case represents a meaningful leap forward in how we approach minimally invasive lumbar fusion,” said Dr. Daniel Refai, Professor of Neurosurgery and Orthopaedics, Emory Healthcare. “Maintaining continuous navigation throughout an endoscopic TLIF — from decompression through interbody placement and powered screw fixation — gives us a level of precision and confidence that has not previously been possible. This was a tremendous, concerted effort by the Emory team, and I am grateful to Amplify Surgical, Stryker, and VB Spine for their continued support and dedication in making this possible for our patients.”
The continuously navigated endoscopic TLIF workflow integrates several technologies into a single, uninterrupted procedure:
- Amplify Surgical’s dualPortal and dualX platform enables the integrated endoscopic TLIF workflow.
- Stryker Endoscopy: provides direct visualization of the surgical corridor through a minimal access approach.
- Stryker Navigation with the Q Guidance System and Spine Guidance 5 with Copilot: delivers real-time, image-based intraoperative guidance throughout the procedure.
- VB Spine ES2 Pedicle Screw System placed under power with continuous navigation; combines efficiency with navigated precision and reduces reliance on intraoperative fluoroscopy.
By maintaining navigation continuously across decompression, interbody preparation, cage placement, and screw fixation, the workflow is designed to support reproducibility and offer patients the benefits of a minimally invasive approach without compromising on accuracy. The procedural advancement will enable more surgeons to learn endoscopic approaches with greater confidence and ease.
“Today’s case is the result of close collaboration between Amplify Surgical, Stryker, VB Spine, and the team at Emory Healthcare,” said Andy Choi, CEO, Amplify Surgical. “Dr. Refai and his team have set a new benchmark for what is possible in endoscopic spine surgery, and we are honored to have played a role in this milestone.”
About Amplify Surgical:
Amplify Surgical, Inc. is a privately held medical device company headquartered in Foothill Ranch, California, focused on transforming minimally invasive spine surgery through innovative surgical solutions. The company’s product portfolio includes the first-to-U.S. market dualPortal® two-portal endoscopic system for lumbar spine procedures and the dualX® family of dual expanding titanium interbody implants for transforaminal, posterior, and lateral lumbar interbody fusion. For more information, visit amplifysurgical.com.