Andrew Cordover, MD, a spine surgeon with Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Ala., discusses the key technology trends for 2019.
Question: What emerging technology or technique do you think will have the biggest impact on the spine field five years from now?
Dr. Andrew Cordover: I believe image-guidance technology (intraoperative imaging) and biologics will have the biggest impact on the spine field five years from now. Currently, the cost of image guidance can be intimidating to hospitals and surgery centers. As this technology advances with consequent reduction in cost, this will help clear the economic hurdle and allow for this technology to gain more universal acceptance. On the biologics front, there will have to be more accountability with spending and outcomes with resultant improved patient care.
Q: What do you think will fade or disappear from the spine field over the next few years?
AC: I have a concern with the over-reliance on technology and the disappearance of knowledge of basic, technical surgical principles. The burden will fall on teaching institutions to make sure that doesn't happen as image guidance and new biologics (which may allow for suboptimal surgical technique) gain acceptance.
Q: Where do you see the biggest room for innovation in spine? What do you need to provide better care that doesn't currently exist?
AC: The biggest room for innovation in spine is clinical evaluation. In regards to providing better care, having improved diagnostic options (functional scanning) and newer ways to determine what disease is clinically significant would be a huge asset. We must continue to emphasis evidence-based outcomes research to maintain viable spine-care delivery.
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