Spine surgeons across the country are being recognized for first-in-their-region procedures, landmark technology integrations and pioneering surgical techniques.
Here are five spine surgeons who have made headlines in the last two weeks:
Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD, and Paul Celestre, MD, became the first surgeons to use Spine Wave’s new Testa TP pivoting spacer system, a newly released non-expanding, 3D-printed titanium device for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Dr. Vaccaro’s case was performed at Rothman Orthopaedics at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, and Dr. Celestre completed his at Norton Leatherman Spine Center in Louisville, Ky.
Ehsan Jazini, MD, completed the first two-level lumbar disc replacement combined with the TOPS spine system at Reston (Va.) Hospital. The milestone case restored the patient’s height and mobility using a 360-degree reconstructive approach following previous spinal fusion.
Benjamin Weisenthal, MD, of Knoxville (Tenn.) Orthopaedic Clinic is the first surgeon in East Tennessee to perform endoscopic spine surgery. He has completed more than two dozen procedures at the practice’s surgery center, offering patients an “ultra-minimally invasive” option.Kornelis Poelstra, MD, PhD,performed the world’s first spine surgery using the first FDA-cleared multi-arm, navigation-based robotic system at Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas. The platform aims to enhance precision and reduce operating and recovery time.
