Becker's Spine Review

6 SPINE Spine surgeon develops liposuction technique By Carly Behm S teven Cyr, MD, who has dual fellowship training in orthopedic and cosmetic surgery, developed a new liposuction technique called OrthoSculpt. OrthoSculpt extracts fat around muscular anatomy to create a more natural apperance, resembing an athlete, according to a Nov. 30 news release from Dr. Cyr's practice. He developed the idea while working as a spine surgeon when he realized the potential for abdominoplasty and liposuction to address conditions affecting the back. The procedure uses VASER ultrasound-assisted HD liposculpture and can reduce bruising. It preserves fat cells' integrity, allowing surgeons to remove it safely compared to traditional laser methods. Dr. Cyr has used OrthoSculpt since February. He has more than 20 years of experience as a spine surgeon. n Hoag spine surgeons debut new AR navigation By Carly Behm S yncAR, a spine navigation system co-developed by neurosurgeons at Hoag's Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, was debuted, the health system said Dec. 7. Adam Kanter, MD, and Burak Ozgur, MD, performed the first spinal fusion surgery with the augmented reality system, at Newport Beach, Calif.-based Hoag, according to a news release. Sync AR uses 3D images to show detailed visualization of patient anatomy and surgical hardware. The system was FDA cleared in September. "SyncAR for Spine is allowing not only enhanced navigation in the operating room, it is enabling more enlightening and informed pre-operative conversations with our patients" Dr. Kanter said in the release. "They put on the goggles and get to see their own anatomy, and the pathology, with their own eyes. It's truly empowering." n Dr. Alex Vaccaro retains No. 1 spine expert status By Carly Behm A lex Vaccaro, MD, PhD, president of Philadelphia-based Rothman Orthopaedic Institute was recognized as the world's top-rated spine care expert for the second consecutive year by Expertscape. Dr. Vaccaro is ranked in the top 0.0006 percent of spine surgeons since 2012 by Expertscape, according to a Dec. 15 LinkedIn post from Rothman Orthopaedics. Since 2012, Dr. Vaccaro has published 318 eligible publications that has validated his high-proficiency and contributions to the field of spine, and has published a total of 1,000 peer-reviewed publications, a spokesperson for Rothman told Becker's. Dr. Vaccaro's most recent articles include topics about spine patient satisfaction with telehealth, the timing of surgical decompression in acute spinal injury and predicting length of stay aer ACDF. "It's an honor to be recognized for our team's commitment to further the world's knowledge of the treatment and conditions of the spine as well as our team to be recognized by Expertscape as top-experts," Dr. Vaccaro told Becker's Dec. 16. "My colleagues and I did not enter into this field for the individual accolades, but to take care of those who oen suffer from debilitating spine conditions. We truly feel privileged that we are able to do so." Rothman Orthopaedics recently marked its first spine case under a partnership with Bayonne, N.J.-based CarePoint Health. e practice also welcomed Selene Parekh, MD, a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon, who joined from Durham, N.C.-based Duke University. Expertscape is an online platform that ranks people and institutions according to their expertise in diseases, medical conditions and treatments. n Dr. Frank Cammisa performs Hospital for Special Surgery's 1st AR spine surgery By Carly Behm F rank Cammisa, MD, completed the first augmented reality- assisted spine surgery at New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Cammisa completed a spinal decompression and fusion on a 28-year-old man using AR, HSS said in a Dec. 7 news release. His case was also the first AR-guided spine surgery in New York state. "e technology allows us to visualize the patient's 3D spinal anatomy during surgery to accurately guide instruments and place surgical implants, such as pedicle screws," Dr. Cammisa said in the release. "Improved control and visualization of the patient's anatomy and critical structures can lead to a more precise, efficient surgery and can enhance safety." Researchers at HSS will be collecting data to evaluate AR spine surgery compared to other technologies. n

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