Thomas Errico, MD, is chief of the division of spine surgery within the New York University Hospital for Joint Disease department of orthopedic surgery. He also serves as a professor of orthopedic and neurosurgery in the New York University School of Medicine. He has previously served as the president of the North American Spine Society and is the current president of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery.
Dr. Errico spoke about many different topics during his presidential address of the ISASS, including evidence based medicine and comparative effectiveness research.
"One of the main problems with medical research is that it has not been geared toward helping us make choices among the available options," he said in the address. "Most of medicine's best research—its randomized controlled trials—compare whatever drug to a placebo. But at the end of the day, these trails [don't] tell us much, because of course a placebo isn't effective, and no patient would ever consider taking placebos. Moreover, trials often exclude all kinds of patients, due to age, comorbidities, and whatever else, but we never know of the kinds of excluded patients. So comparative effective research will use meta-analysis, randomized comparative trials, and data mining of giant patient registries compare two or more real-world treatments in the typical real-world patient populations that we treat every day."
During his career, Dr. Errico has been passionate about furthering the cause of spine surgery through technological and research-based innovation as well as through national and international speaking engagements. He has served on the board of directors for the World Spine Society and the Spine Arthroplasty Society. He has a professional interest in treating pediatric and adult scoliosis and spinal deformity.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Errico has published his research on spine surgery in several professional journals and has contributed to the development of spinal implants. He participated in investigational studies for several devices and was the principle investigator for the Flexicore lumbar total disc replacement trial and a consultant to Stryker for the Cervicore cervical total disc replacement trail.
Dr. Errico earned his medical degree at the New Jersey College of Medicine and also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery under John Kostuik, MD, in Toronto.
Learn more about Dr. Thomas Errico.
Read other coverage on orthopedic and spine industry leaders:
- Orthopedic and Spine Industry Leader to Know: Dr. Arthur R. Bartolozzi of 3B Orthopaedics
- Orthopedic and Spine Industry Leader to Know: Dr. Stuart L. Weinstein of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Dr. Errico spoke about many different topics during his presidential address of the ISASS, including evidence based medicine and comparative effectiveness research.
"One of the main problems with medical research is that it has not been geared toward helping us make choices among the available options," he said in the address. "Most of medicine's best research—its randomized controlled trials—compare whatever drug to a placebo. But at the end of the day, these trails [don't] tell us much, because of course a placebo isn't effective, and no patient would ever consider taking placebos. Moreover, trials often exclude all kinds of patients, due to age, comorbidities, and whatever else, but we never know of the kinds of excluded patients. So comparative effective research will use meta-analysis, randomized comparative trials, and data mining of giant patient registries compare two or more real-world treatments in the typical real-world patient populations that we treat every day."
During his career, Dr. Errico has been passionate about furthering the cause of spine surgery through technological and research-based innovation as well as through national and international speaking engagements. He has served on the board of directors for the World Spine Society and the Spine Arthroplasty Society. He has a professional interest in treating pediatric and adult scoliosis and spinal deformity.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Errico has published his research on spine surgery in several professional journals and has contributed to the development of spinal implants. He participated in investigational studies for several devices and was the principle investigator for the Flexicore lumbar total disc replacement trial and a consultant to Stryker for the Cervicore cervical total disc replacement trail.
Dr. Errico earned his medical degree at the New Jersey College of Medicine and also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery under John Kostuik, MD, in Toronto.
Learn more about Dr. Thomas Errico.
Read other coverage on orthopedic and spine industry leaders:
- Orthopedic and Spine Industry Leader to Know: Dr. Arthur R. Bartolozzi of 3B Orthopaedics
- Orthopedic and Spine Industry Leader to Know: Dr. Stuart L. Weinstein of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics