Here are seven spine and neurosurgeons making headlines this week.
Todd Lanman, MD, and Matthew Gornet, MD, examined the efficacy of Medtronic's Prestige LP device in 2-level cervical disc replacements and published findings in the Journal of Neurosurgery. The paper found that discs next to the point of fusion required surgery twice as often as discs adjacent to artificial discs.
Neurosurgeons Edward Scheid, MD, and Louis Noce, MD, joined Morristown, N.J.-based Altair Health. Dr. Scheid specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery and artificial disc replacement and Dr. Noce specializes in complex spine and minimally invasive treatments for spine conditions.
Samuel Joseph, MD, performed a robotic endoscopically assisted percutaneous outpatient spinal fusion at Memorial Hospital of Tampa, Fla. The combined endoscopic and robotic-guided approach enabled the patient to be discharged within one hour of the procedure.
Neurosurgeon Richard Wohns, MD, performed an M6-C artificial cervical disc replacement at the NeoSpine outpatient spine surgery center in Puyallup, Wash. The M6-C disc is designed for patients needing an artificial disc replacement as an alternative to spinal fusion. It features a shock-absorbing nucleus and fiber annulus that imitate the anatomic structure of a natural disc.
Wichita, Kan.-based Abay Neuroscience Center added neurosurgeon Ashley Barks, MD, to its practice. Dr. Barks specializes in neuro-oncology and degenerative, traumatic and minimally invasive spine surgery. She performs surgery at Kansas Spine & Specialty Hospital, Ascension Via Christi Hospital St. Francis and Wesley Medical Center, all located in Wichita, Kan.