Ep. 11 A Spine Surgeon Who Refuses to Quit: A Battle for Better Spine Care, Evalina Burger, MD

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Evalina Burger, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the UCHealth Spine Center - Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr. Burger recounts her transformative journey from South Africa to the United States, where she has established herself as a leader and innovator at the forefront of spine care. She goes on to share about her own spinal cord injury and how that has changed her perspective and approach to spine surgery. Dr. Burger specializes in complex spine surgery, deformity and scoliosis, and has also been an outspoken advocate and pioneer for motion-preserving spine implants. She has been an investigator in multiple FDA clinical trials, including the TOPS facet replacement from Premia Spine, showing her commitment to research and improving patient care. With her background and incredible personal journey, Dr. Burger has prioritized patient quality of life and is constantly searching for new ways to improve long-term outcomes for her patients.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The importance of new perspectives in order to innovate on currently held treatment methods.
• How quality of life (QoL) is becoming the new outcome metric that providers are beginning to evaluate their surgical outcomes.
• Where motion preserving spine surgeries fit into the care continuum and how we can begin to give patients longer lasting results.
• How spinal fusion has been utilized by surgeons for many decades and how that approach as a primary treatment method is beginning to shift.
• The importance of resilience on growth and overcoming hurdles in life; how to create great outcomes from challenging situations.
• How the treatment for leg and/or back pain is beginning to change and what new options are becoming available to patients seeking spine care.

As someone who dreamed about being a surgeon as a child, Dr. Burger has accomplished that and much more throughout her years in surgery. Currently holding the title of Department Chair of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, she has established herself as a leader and role model within the spine community. Dr. Burger has also contributed more than 95 peer-reviewed journal articles, proving her lasting commitment to research and patient outcomes.

Whether you’re a patient, industry professional, or provider, this episode provides a breadth of experience and knowledge that you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about Dr. Burger and UCHealth Spine Center - Anschutz Medical Campus:

• Website: https://www.uchealth.org/provider/evalina-burger-van-der-walt-md/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evalina-burger-145a7835/

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Ep. 10 Motion Preservation First: A Spine Surgeon’s Journey to a Fusion-Free Practice, J. Alex Sielatycki, MD

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Alex Sielatycki, an orthopedic spine surgeon dedicating his career to revolutionizing spine surgery through motion preservation. Operating out of Steamboat Springs, CO at the Steamboat Orthopedic & Spine Institute (SOSI), Dr. Sielatycki is at the forefront of a significant shift in spine care—one that prioritizes preserving mobility and improving patient outcomes. Dr. Sielatycki continually proves his commitment to research through clinical trials, including being a primary investigator in multiple recent trials and also offers multiple FDA-cleared, currently available motion preserving devices, including Medtronic’s Prestige LP cervical disc and Centinel Spine’s prodisc C and prodisc L for cervical and lumbar pathologies.

In this episode, Dr. Sielatycki delves into the innovative technologies in spine motion preservation, including 3Spine’s MOTUS lumbar total joint replacement, currently in US clinical trials, explaining how it has the possibility to broaden the scope of motion-preserving options available to patients in search of treatment for leg and back pain. He goes on to discuss the potential of establishing motion surgery centers specifically for spine care patients, where all aspects of care are designed to maintain patient mobility. This concept arose out of increasing demand that Dr. Sielatycki recognized from his patients seeking alternatives to spinal fusion.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How motion-preserving alternatives are providing the opportunity to shift the treatment timeline for patients needing spine surgery.
• The importance of providing patients with new technologies through novel clinical trials.
• How patient demand is influencing surgeons’ desires for new and alternative spine surgery implants.
• Patients increased willingness to travel for improved spine surgery treatment options.
• The possibility for patients to return to work and regular activity earlier through motion-preserving devices.
• The growing number of surgeons looking to create spine surgery practices focused exclusively on motion-preserving alternatives.

As a father, husband, surgeon, and leader across the spine industry, Dr. Sielatycki is paving the way for the next generation of spine surgeons, focused on providing motion surgery treatment options for all patients he treats. Building upon the practice founded by his mentor, Dr. Clint Devin, and serving eight different cities across Colorado and Wyoming, Dr. Sielatycki continues to drive forward the field of motion preservation - committed to providing the highest level of care for spine patients across the mountain region and the greater United States.

For patients, surgeons, and industry professionals, this episode provides insight into the future of spine surgery, where patient-centered innovation leads the way.

Learn more about Dr. Sielatycki and SOSI:

-Website: https://steamboatortho.com/

-LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-alex-sielatycki-95991515a/

You can find The Spine Pod on all Podcast Streaming Platforms, including:

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Ep. 09 Mentorship Meets Innovation in Spine Surgery: Creating a Path to Better Care, Richard V. Chua, MD, FAANS, FACS

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf explore the transformative power of technology in spine surgery with Dr. Richard Chua. As a leading neurosurgeon and professor at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, AZ, Dr. Chua discusses how minimally invasive surgery (MIS), robotics, and motion preservation are changing the landscape of spine care, offering patients quicker recoveries and improved long-term outcomes. He shares his personal journey into medicine, from his early years being inspired by his father to becoming a pioneer in the field of spine surgery. Dr. Chua also highlights the importance of clinical education and training in the adoption and advancement of new technologies in spine care.

Dr. Chua continues the conversation by discussing how spine surgery is becoming more personalized to match the treatment options to patients’ individual needs. The conversation wraps up with Dr. Chua talking about the philanthropic endeavours he is currently pursuing overseas with the Nepal Spine Foundation, founded by Richard Wohns, which provides education and training for local medical providers to improve access to care to the local population of Nepal.

In this episode you’ll learn about:

• How multiple technologies, including robotics, navigation, and motion preservation, are coming together to provide a higher level of patient care in spine surgery
• The importance of clinical education and training in the adoption of novel technologies
• How introspection and self-reflection can help improve surgical care
• The necessity of data aggregation and pre-operative planning to provide more personalized treatment options for spine patients
• Where spinal fusion fits into the modern spine care continuum and where motion-preserving implants provide a viable alternative
• The value of role models and mentors in advancing spine surgery outcomes

Whether you’re seeking out information on innovative technologies, spine treatment options, or life advice - Dr. Chua provides a wealth of knowledge and insight that you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about Dr. Chua and Banner University Medical Center:

• Website: https://doctors.bannerhealth.com/provider/richard-chua/2117141
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-v-chua-md-faans-facs-051b7940/

You can find The Spine Pod on all Podcast Streaming Platforms, including:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcA8vODr8pDabWImOrHv3ZQ
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Follow The Spine Pod on Facebook to learn more about the latest episodes and happenings in the world of motion preservation: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558880652712