Motion preservation has gone from a niche concept to one of the biggest shifts in spine surgery. As artificial disc replacement, minimally invasive techniques and other fusion alternatives continue to evolve, a growing group of surgeons is redefining how spine conditions are treated with an emphasis on preserving mobility, accelerating recovery and improving long-term outcomes.
The following spine surgeons are leading that movement through clinical innovation, research, education and the development of next-generation motion-preserving technologies.
Editor’s note: This is not a comprehensive or ranked list. Surgeons are listed alphabetically by last name. Becker’s does not endorse any individual featured. To nominate a spine surgeon for a future list, please contact Sophie Eydis at seydis@beckershealthcare.com.
- Joel Beckett, MD. Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles): Dr. Beckett is a neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, artificial disc replacement and complex spinal deformity. He is particularly recognized for his expertise in motion-preserving spine surgery, having performed more than 950 artificial disc replacement procedures while emphasizing mobility preservation over fusion whenever appropriate.
Dr. Beckett combines clinical practice with ongoing innovation in minimally invasive and arthroplasty techniques. He remains active in surgeon education and academic collaboration, helping advance motion-preserving spine surgery through research, peer training and the refinement of next-generation surgical techniques.
- Scott Blumenthal, MD. Texas Back Institute (Plano): Dr. Blumenthal is one of the nation’s pioneers in motion-preserving spine surgery and the first U.S. surgeon to dedicate his practice exclusively to the research and application of artificial disc replacement. He played a pivotal role in introducing cervical and lumbar disc replacement to the U.S. and has led numerous clinical trials evaluating spinal arthroplasty technologies.
Also a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Dallas-based UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dr. Blumenthal has spent decades advancing alternatives to spinal fusion through artificial discs, posterior dynamic stabilization and other motion-preserving technologies. His work has helped shape the evolution of spinal arthroplasty and expand treatment options for patients seeking to maintain spinal mobility.
- Dom Coric, MD. Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates (Charlotte, N.C.): Dr. Coric is a neurological spine surgeon specializing in artificial disc replacement, motion-preserving spine surgery, spinal trauma and adult spinal reconstruction. He has been at the forefront of spinal arthroplasty research for decades and has led numerous clinical studies evaluating cervical and lumbar disc replacement technologies.
Dr. Coric has written more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and is a nationally recognized leader in motion preservation. He has served as president of the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery and as chair of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, helping shape the future of spine innovation and evidence-based care.
- Charla Fischer, MD. NYU Langone Health (New York City): Dr. Fischer is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in scoliosis, spinal deformity, degenerative spine disease and minimally invasive spine surgery. As chief of orthopedics for Tisch Hospital and Kimmel Pavilion, she is recognized for advancing patient-centered spine care while helping expand the use of minimally invasive techniques.
Dr. Fischer also serves as director of quality and patient safety for NYU Langone’s Division of Spine Surgery. An NIH-funded researcher, she has published extensively on spine surgery outcomes, quality improvement and patient safety, helping advance evidence-based care across the specialty.
- Scott Hodges, DO. Spine Motion Specialists (Chattanooga, Tenn.): Dr. Hodges is an orthopedic spine surgeon who has spent more than three decades advancing motion-preserving spine surgery and non-fusion treatment strategies. Guided by a philosophy that the spine is designed to move, he has dedicated his practice exclusively to motion-preserving procedures that restore function while maintaining natural spinal biomechanics.
Dr. Hodges’ expertise is rooted in decades of clinical experience and biomechanics research. Through his work in non-fusion spine surgery and patient-centered care, he has become a leading advocate for preserving spinal motion and reducing reliance on fusion whenever appropriate.
- Armen Khachatryan, MD. The Disc Replacement Center (Salt Lake City): Dr. Khachatryan is an orthopedic spine surgeon dedicated to advancing motion-preserving spine surgery and artificial disc replacement. Among the first surgeons in Utah to perform cervical and lumbar disc replacement, he founded The Disc Replacement Center in 2013 to expand patient access to fusion alternatives and advance spinal arthroplasty.
Dr. Khachatryan is an internationally recognized educator who lectures on cervical disc replacement and trains spine surgeons from around the world in the latest arthroplasty techniques. His clinical expertise and commitment to research have made him a leading advocate for motion preservation and personalized spine care.
- Todd Lanman, MD. Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery/Beverly Hills (Calif.) Spine Surgery: Dr. Lanman is one of the world’s leading advocates for motion-preserving spine surgery, with more than three decades dedicated to advancing artificial disc replacement and alternatives to spinal fusion. A spinal neurosurgeon, he has served as a principal investigator for multiple cervical and lumbar disc replacement clinical trials and has helped bring several motion-preserving technologies to patients through the FDA approval process.
Also an associate clinical professor of neurosurgery at the University of California Los Angeles, Dr. Lanman has helped redefine spine care with a philosophy centered on preserving mobility whenever possible. His research, clinical leadership and pioneering work in spinal arthroplasty have made him one of the field’s most recognized voices in the movement away from fusion and toward motion preservation.
- Lauren Matteini, MD. Fox Valley Orthopedics (Geneva, Ill.): Dr. Matteini is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, cervical disc replacement and complex cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine conditions. She is widely recognized for her expertise in motion-preserving cervical arthroplasty, helping patients maintain spinal mobility while reducing recovery time whenever appropriate.
Dr. Matteini has published research advancing spine surgery and remains an active advocate for innovation in minimally invasive and motion-preserving techniques. Through her clinical practice, research and mentorship of the next generation of physicians, she continues to help shape the future of spine care.
- Pierce Nunley, MD. Spine Institute of Louisiana (Shreveport): Dr. Nunley is an orthopedic spine surgeon internationally recognized for advancing motion-preserving spine surgery, including artificial disc replacement and minimally invasive techniques. As director of the Spine Institute of Louisiana, he has helped pioneer cervical and lumbar motion-sparing procedures while leading research on next-generation spine technologies.
Dr. Nunley has written numerous scientific publications and serves in leadership roles with several spine organizations, including the North American Spine Society. His work in spinal arthroplasty, clinical research and surgeon collaboration has made him a leading voice in the evolution of motion preservation.
- Frank Phillips, MD. Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (Chicago): Dr. Phillips is an internationally recognized orthopedic spine surgeon and one of the pioneers of minimally invasive spine surgery. He specializes in minimally invasive cervical and lumbar reconstruction, motion-preserving procedures and cervical disc replacement, serving as a principal investigator in multiple FDA clinical trials evaluating artificial disc technology.
A founder and past president of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Dr. Phillips has helped develop many of the minimally invasive techniques now used worldwide. He is a professor of orthopedic surgery at Rush University, has published extensively and continues to educate spine surgeons globally on motion preservation and minimally invasive spine innovation.
- Sheeraz Qureshi, MD. Hospital for Special Surgery (New York City): Dr. Qureshi is an orthopedic spine surgeon internationally recognized for advancing minimally invasive and motion-preserving spine surgery. As co-chief of HSS Spine and chief medical officer of West Palm Beach-based HSS Florida, he leads one of the nation’s premier spine programs while performing hundreds of minimally invasive procedures each year.
Dr. Qureshi is a founding member and treasurer of the Minimally Invasive Spine Study Group and has written more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters and textbooks. His research on outcomes, value and surgical innovation, combined with his work developing new spine technologies and educating surgeons worldwide, has helped shape the future of minimally invasive spine care.
- Alexandre Rasouli, MD. Rasouli Spine (Beverly Hills, Calif.): Dr. Rasouli is a spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery, motion-preserving procedures and the treatment of complex cervical, thoracic and lumbar disorders. He leads clinical trials evaluating advanced motion-preserving technologies while caring for patients with degenerative spine disease, deformity, trauma and spinal tumors.
Dr. Rasouli is widely recognized for his research in spinal cord injury and regenerative medicine, including pioneering work on nerve regeneration following spinal cord trauma. He has written more than 50 scientific publications and continues to advance the field through clinical research, innovation and surgeon education.
- K. Daniel Riew, MD. Columbia University Irving Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian (New York City): Dr. Riew is one of the world’s foremost authorities on cervical spine surgery and motion preservation. His practice is devoted exclusively to cervical spine procedures, including cervical artificial disc replacement, laminoplasty and minimally invasive microsurgery. Having performed more than 6,000 cervical spine operations, he has helped define modern approaches to preserving motion while treating complex cervical disorders.
Dr. Riew is a former president of the Cervical Spine Research Society and has published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers advancing cervical spine care. Through his research, international leadership and surgeon education across nearly 50 countries, he has played a pivotal role in shaping motion-preserving cervical spine surgery worldwide.
- Jessica Shellock, MD. Texas Back Institute (Plano): Dr. Shellock is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in motion-preserving spine surgery, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, and minimally invasive treatment of degenerative spine conditions. As a member of the Texas Back Institute’s Center for Disc Replacement, she has participated in multiple FDA clinical trials evaluating next-generation artificial disc technologies.
Dr. Shellock has built her practice around preserving spinal motion whenever possible, emphasizing disc replacement over fusion for appropriately selected patients. Her clinical expertise and research in spinal arthroplasty have made her a leading advocate for motion-preserving spine care.
- Elizabeth Yu, MD. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus): Dr. Yu is an orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery and the treatment of degenerative spine disease, scoliosis and spinal deformity. As chief of the Division of Spine, fellowship director and director of the Orthopaedic Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Service at Ohio State, she has helped expand the use of motion-preserving and less invasive surgical techniques.
Dr. Yu has published extensively in peer-reviewed spine journals, written book chapters and serves on national spine research committees. Her leadership in minimally invasive spine surgery, research and surgeon education has made her a respected voice in advancing motion-preserving spine care.
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