New Neurosurgical and Robotic Approaches to Back Pain

With advances in AI and robotics, neurosurgery has become an important field to begin integrating new technology for better patient care. Dr. Osama Kashlan, a Neurosurgeon at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital joins us today for a lively chat on his recent work. On the show, he discusses the standardization of back pain and care at Weill Cornell along with the interdisciplinary approach that he supports for all of his patients. He dives into how robotics works in surgery along with its benefits of reducing risk and time, both for the surgery itself and the recovery process. He also shares with us what motion-sparing surgery is and the new understanding that surgeons have of the complex nature of the spine. He advocates for the least invasive treatments (PT, medication, and injections) before patients are considered as surgical candidates. Dr. Osama Kashlan is Director of Spine Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. His specialty is minimally invasive spine surgery, including innovative new endoscopic approaches to the spine. He takes pride in ensuring all motion-sparing options— including disc replacement, facet replacement, and decompressive non-fusion endoscopic procedures—are exhausted prior to offering his patients fusion operations. Before joining the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Kashlan served as Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at the University of Michigan, where he was also in charge of the spine fellowship. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Kashlan is an officer in the Air National Guard and has been involved in projects to improve treatment of head injuries on the battlefield in addition to spreading awareness regarding spinal cord injuries in special warfare operators. He also has a special interest in global neurosurgery and has led multiple neurosurgery mission trips around the world. Connect with him:@osamakashlanmd