Ashish Patel, MD, and Elian Shepherd, MD, of Methodist Hospital in Merrillville, Ind., perform scoliosis and spine operations together, according to the Northwest Indiana Times.
Here are five insights:
1. Performing the surgery together reduces the duration, blood loss and complications from spinal procedures.
2. In the last nine months, Drs. Patel and Shepherd have performed more than 200 spinal surgeries together.
3. A study concluded that the two-surgeon approach significantly lowered the risks associated with complex scoliosis spinal surgery.
4. The dual-surgeon procedures reduced operating room time by an average of two and a half hours compared to signal-surgeon procedures.
5. When in the operating room, Drs. Patel and Shepherd work independently on separate aspects of the surgery.