Spine

Three years after COVID-19 was deemed a global pandemic, some spine practices have made permanent the changes they had to implement. Here’s how five spine surgeons are looking back at the early months of the pandemic. Question: It has been more than three years since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. What is an … Read More

Spine surgeons often spend time volunteering within their communities to provide medical care and for other causes. Five spine surgeons told Becker’s how they serve others outside of work. Question: What volunteer work are you involved with this year? Brian Fiani, DO. Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists (Livonia, Mich.): I am establishing a charitable organization for spinal … Read More

Like all specialties, spine surgery is unique and has its own set of rules and guidelines. Here are the things spine surgeons wish other healthcare professionals knew about the profession: Question: What’s something you wish non-spine surgeon colleagues in healthcare understood about your job? Brian Fiani, DO. Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists (Livonia, Mich.): I … Read More

Many spine surgeons do work to push for awareness and advocacy for their colleagues and patients. Ten spine surgeons told Becker’s about the issues that matter to them. Question: What areas of advocacy are you involved with for surgeon and patient concerns? Are there any issues you wish more spine surgeons would engage with? Brian Fiani, DO. … Read More

Sacroiliac joint fusion continues to develop with new technology and recognition from payers. Here is how eight spine surgeons expect the procedure to develop in the near future. Question: What developments do you think will come next for sacroiliac joint fusion in 2023? Brian Fiani, DO. Mendelson Kornblum Orthopedic & Spine Specialists (Livonia, Mich.): The future is bright … Read More

Despite pushback from payers and some reimbursement and training obstacles, many spine surgeons expect endoscopic spine surgery to become more prominent in the U.S. over the next decade.  Eleven spine surgeons from independent practices and health systems across the country discuss what’s next for endoscopic spine surgery. Question: How will endoscopic spine surgery evolve in … Read More

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., December 7, 2022 — Hoag’s innovative spine team has performed the first spinal fusion surgery utilizing the recently FDA-cleared augmented reality (SyncAR) surgical navigator for Spine, co-developed by neurosurgeons from Hoag’s Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute and medical visualization platform leader Surgical Theater. SyncAR for Spine utilizes 3D virtual reconstructions of CT and … Read More

Linda Lifur-Bennett, Ph.D., wants to clarify one thing: She is a patient of Burak Ozgur, M.D., director of the Hoag Spine Center. No, the Newport Beach neurosurgeon did not operate on Dr. Lifur-Bennett. In fact, he did not perform any procedures on the 70-year-old clinical psychologist. Rather, through his compassion and expertise, Dr. Ozgur prevented … Read More

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (August 2, 2022) – Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian announced today it has recruited Adam Kanter, M.D., chief of spine surgery and tenured professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, to be the associate executive medical director of the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute. Dr. Kanter is excited to join Hoag’s … Read More

It was such a small stumble. Oscar Constandse and his buddies were at the tail end of a bachelor party in Cabo San Lucas. The hour was way, way too late, and Oscar tripped on his way to the cantina bathroom. That’s all he remembers about the accident. His friends told him later that he … Read More