About

Cailiang Shen is a spine surgeon and clinical researcher whose work sits at the forefront of surgical robotics and minimally invasive spinal techniques. His research primarily investigates the accuracy, safety, and clinical outcomes of robot-assisted spinal surgery, with particular emphasis on pedicle screw placement across thoracolumbar and cervical spine procedures. Shen's most influential contribution is his 2019 meta-analysis synthesizing data from nine randomized controlled trials comparing robot-assisted to conventional freehand techniques — a paper that has garnered 192 citations and helped establish an evidence base for adopting robotic guidance in spine surgery. He has continued to expand this comparative framework, producing multiple meta-analyses and cohort studies benchmarking robotic systems against fluoroscopy-guided and computer-assisted navigation methods, collectively accumulating over 400 citations. Notably, Shen has pioneered inquiry into the application of robotics in cervical spine surgery, a technically demanding frontier given the region's complex anatomy and catastrophic complication risks. His work on facet joint violation rates further highlights his commitment to minimizing iatrogenic injury. Through rigorous quantitative synthesis and clinical outcome analysis, Shen has meaningfully advanced the field's understanding of when and how robotic assistance offers genuine advantages, making his body of work essential reading for spine surgeons and biomedical engineers alike.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

10
H-Index
13
Papers
426
Total Citations
33
Avg Citations/Paper
🏆 Most Cited Paper
Accuracy of Pedicle Screw Placement and Clinical Outcomes of Robot-assisted Technique Versus Conventional Freehand Technique in Spine Surgery From Nine Randomized Controlled Trials
192 citations · 2019
📈 Most Prolific Year: 2023 (4 Papers)
🤝 Key Collaborators: 38
🏛 Institutions: National Natural Science Foundation of China, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, U.S. National Science Foundation, Anhui Medical University

Top Papers

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Key Collaborators

Contact & Links

Available for collaboration
Content generated · 13 days ago