His thoughts are lightly edited for clarity.
1. The most important spine technology trend for 2018 is biologics, including stem cells. There is very little data on this right now, but practitioners will continue to push the envelope and treat. Better trials and data are needed, however.
2. The best opportunity for spine surgeons this year will be integrating spinal surgical care in the multispecialty practice setting. The times of solo practitioners are over. Targeted minimally invasive surgery has lots to offer for most spinal pathologies. This requires, however, accurate diagnosis and effective aftercare, rehab and lifestyle modification in the interdisciplinary setting.
More articles on spine surgery:
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3 surgical options for adult spinal deformity—Which comes out on top?
5 trends in the spine surgery market
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