In The News
What’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?
If you notice a loved one becoming forgetful, you may worry that they have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. But these conditions are not the same, says Dr. Aaron Ritter, a dementia expert who directs the Memory & Cognitive Disorders Program at Hoag Hospital. “Alzheimer’s Disease is a disease that causes a group of symptoms that usually … Read More
Spine Surgeons Predict ‘Tremendous Growth’ in Endoscopy Over the Next 10 Years
Despite pushback from payers and some reimbursement and training obstacles, many spine surgeons expect endoscopic spine surgery to become more prominent in the U.S. over the next decade. Eleven spine surgeons from independent practices and health systems across the country discuss what’s next for endoscopic spine surgery. Question: How will endoscopic spine surgery evolve in … Read More
‘One in a Million’: What Celine Dion’s Stiff Person Syndrome Diagnosis Teaches Us About Rare Disorders
Photo Courtesy: Rolling Stone To her fans, the heartbreaking news that Celine Dion is battling a condition that only affects about ‘one in a million’ people is, perhaps, no surprise. The iconic singer is in a lauded category of her own. It would take a rare condition to affect such a rare vocal treasure. A … Read More
First SyncAR for Spine Surgery in the world performed at Hoag
Hoag’s innovative spine team has performed the first spinal fusion surgery utilizing the recently FDA-cleared augmented reality (SyncAR) surgical navigator for Spine, co-developed by neurosurgeons from Hoag’s Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute and medical visualization platform leader Surgical Theater. SyncAR for Spine utilizes 3D virtual reconstructions of CT and MRI images to enable detailed visualization of … Read More
AI, Machine Learning Will Lead to More ‘Predictable, Efficient and Safer’ Surgeries: 10 Spine Leaders Weigh In
From improving patient outcomes, reducing complications and decreasing healthcare spending, the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning in spine surgery is vast. Ten spine surgeons discuss how the technology will affect the future of the specialty: Question: What will artificial intelligence and machine learning look like in spine surgery in 10 years? James Dowdell, … Read More
4 Surprising Secrets to Healthy Aging that All Superheroes Know
It’s no secret that healthy lifestyle choices greatly lower your risk of dementia. But, says Aaron Ritter, M.D. the Larkin Family Endowed Chair in Integrative Brain Health and the director of the Memory & Cognitive Disorders Program at Hoag’s Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute, most people don’t think about the connection between diet, exercise and dementia … Read More
Avoid Back Injury in 4 Easy Steps
Often back pain begins with something innocuous. Twisting to reach something too high, bending to lift a heavy shopping bag. It seems to come out of the blue, but in reality, it can be the culmination of a lifetime of bad habits. The good news is that back pain prevention often requires only a few … Read More
10 Surgeons on the Most Controversial Trends in Spine
From medically unnecessary spine surgeries to non-surgeons performing endoscopic spine procedures to the duration and rigor of residency and fellowship programs, 10 spine leaders share what they believe are the most controversial trends in their specialty today. Question: What’s the most controversial trend in spine surgery today? Andrew Sama MD. Hospital for Special Surgery (New … Read More
Why Dr. Adam Kanter Joined Hoag After 15 Years at a 40-Hospital Academic System
After 15 years at Pittsburgh-based UPMC, Adam Kanter, M.D., left the 40-hospital academic health system, where he was chief of spine surgery and a tenured professor, to become associate executive medical director of the Hoag Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute in Orange, Calif. Dr. Kanter is a central figure in several spine societies, including the chair … Read More
Science-Backed Ways to Slow Multiple Sclerosis Progression
If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), you probably know which of the four types you have: Clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, secondary progressive MS, or primary progressive MS. Regardless, you might not know exactly what “progression” of the disease means, and how—or if—you might be able to do something to help halt that progression. According to … Read More