CRMC Leads the Way in Assisted Robotic Spine Surgery
Advanced Robotics for Safer, Complex Procedures
The future of spine care is at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center (CRMC) — both figuratively and literally. The Critical Access Hospital and its nationally recognized Orthopaedic department recently acquired state-of-the-art technology focused on improving patient safety and surgical precision for spine care. CRMC now offers the VELYS™ Active Robotic Assistance Platform (VELYS™ Spine), a cutting-edge system with active robotics that automatically adjusts to patient movement and challenges during surgery. It’s designed to enhance precision across a variety of complex back and neck procedures.
“Robotics is the future of spine care. This technology features active robotics, which means it moves with the patient as they breathe in real time. I’m really comfortable with open surgery, operating without navigation or a robot, but these new technologies allow us to handle more complex cases in a safer, less invasive way.” said CRMC Spine Surgeon Dr. James Stokman, MD.
One of the First in the Nation to Offer VELYS™ Spine Technology
First introduced to the market in Spring 2025, CRMC is one of just five medical facilities in the nation, including the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, to offer VELYS™ Active Robotic Assistance.
“For a critical access hospital, it’s unique that we adopted the robot so early. Thanks to the timing of my training, we’re using technologies, procedures, and techniques that even some big-city spine surgeons aren’t doing yet. We are absolutely cutting-edge,” added Dr. Stokman.
Bringing World-Class Spine Care to Rural Minnesota
A Fellowship-trained spine specialist, Dr. Stokman was the first in the nation to use the active robotic arm to place screws in a patient’s spine while the patient remained on their side.
“We’ve been performing single-position spine surgeries for years now—well before the robotic arm was available,” Dr. Stokman said. “It’s a technique that allows us to avoid repositioning the patient mid-surgery, which shortens anesthesia time, reduces overall surgical risk, and supports a faster recovery. Now, by integrating active robotics into this approach, we’ve added another valuable tool to our surgical toolkit. This allows us to do complex surgeries faster and less invasively.”
As a Crosby native, Dr. Stokman is proud to bring world-class spine care to his hometown, ensuring patients don’t need to travel far for innovative treatment. He earned his Medical Degree with honors from the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, completed an Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the University of Wisconsin Orthopedics and Rehabilitation in Madison, Wisconsin, and a Spinal Surgery Fellowship at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2020.
“We deliver truly high-quality care, and we’re not lacking any of the resources or technologies needed to do so,” said Dr. Stokman.
With advanced technology like VELYS™ Spine and a team dedicated to innovation, CRMC continues to redefine what’s possible in spine care — right here in the heart of our community.