Welcome to the Safety in Spine Surgery Month, Week 1! This week we reached over 2,000 unique visitors across our social media channels with the message of safety in spine surgery. We saw some excellent and diverse perspectives on what safety means to surgeons, industry, and our partners. Highlights included:

  • Dr. Vitale reminded us, “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re probably in the wrong room,” in his video on Calling in the Reinforcements.
  • Dr. Yazici spoke about the safe management of complex neuromuscular deformities.
  • Dr. Lenke showed us the process of using 3D models to study anatomical landmarks prior to surgery and during surgery.
  • Dr. Sponseller talked us through the why & how of using an IVAC to reduce infection risk in neuromuscular patients following PSF.
  • David Bailey of OrthoPediatrics shared about their support of the Safety month.
  • Dr. Flynn talked about the impact dedicated spine teams have had – he calls them “the greatest safety measure that I’ve seen in my 25 year career”
  • And finally, Dr. Radcliff explained three ways the operative microscope affects safety in spine surgery.

We heard from followers on social media, too—Dr. Vitale commented about 3D Models—“Great way to ‘navigate’ before you get into the OR—much like an athlete visualizes performance prior to the event.” Dr. Sumeet Garg commented on what he’s found effective for improving safety—“Working with plastic surgeons on closure for cases to pelvis. Navigation speeds up placement of sacral and pelvic fixation and aids in maximizing screw diameter.”

We want to thank this week’s contributors, as well as this week’s partner organizations: The Scoliosis Research Society, The Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation, OrthoPediatrics, and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery.

We want to hear from you, too! Join us on social media with your own safety tips or questions. Tag us, and you might win a $100 gift card!

View all this week’s videos here.