Photo via Saint Agnes
published on August 4, 2026 – 4:55 PM
Written by Ben Hensley
Saint Agnes Medical Center has become the first hospital in the Central Valley to perform spine surgery using the Mako 4 robotic surgical system, expanding its robotic surgery capabilities and giving Valley patients access to the technology without leaving the region.
The new system is Saint Agnes’ second Mako platform and expands its range of robotically assisted procedures to include spine, total hip, total knee, partial knee and shoulder surgeries.
Saint Agnes acquired its first-generation Mako system in 2021. That platform is used exclusively for knee surgeries.
“Saint Agnes is proud to lead the way in robotically assisted spine and orthopedic surgery across the Valley,” said Dr. Gurvinder Kaur, Saint Agnes president and market leader. “By connecting our community with the most advanced surgical technology, we can ensure our patients get the highest quality care without needing to travel out of the area, so they can start the healing journey right here at home.”
The Mako 4 uses virtual three-dimensional, CT-based modeling to help surgeons develop individualized surgical plans based on each patient’s anatomy.
The platform also includes specialized cranial and spine guidance software that assists with planning before an operation and guides the surgeon during the procedure.
The system is designed to limit surgery to the areas identified in the surgical plan. According to Saint Agnes, the added precision may help preserve more of a patient’s natural anatomy and may reduce pain and recovery times compared with traditional surgical methods.
“Being the first in the Valley to use the Mako 4 robotic surgical system for spine surgery reflects our commitment to bringing the most advanced, precision driven technology to patients close to home,” said Fresno-area orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Devan Higginbotham. “Mako 4 enhances surgical accuracy and consistency, helping us lead the way while delivering the highest level of treatment and outcomes for our community.”
The addition builds on more than two decades of robotic surgery at Saint Agnes, which introduced its first robotic surgical system in 2001. The hospital also added an Intuitive da Vinci 5 system in 2025 for procedures outside the Mako platform’s orthopedic and spine applications.
Dr. Russell Martin, chief of surgery at Saint Agnes, has said robotic systems allow surgeons to perform more complex procedures while keeping them minimally invasive.
“At the end of the day, if you can keep it minimally invasive, there’s no comparison,” Martin said. “There’s less pain, faster recovery, less infections.”