Orthopedics

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Hand & Upper Extremity

Joint Replacement & Arthritis Surgery

Orthopedic Trauma

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Spine Surgery

Back & Neck Conditions

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Spine Specialist Team

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Your Procedure | Forms & Handouts

UCSD is at the forefront in the development, assessment and use of spine surgical procedures, including:

• One of first in country to use modern (pedicle screw-based) instrumentation and anterior plates (neck, thoracic, and lumbar spine) 
  
  
• Helped develop the kyphoplasty technique for the treatment of painful osteoporotic (and some tumor-related) vertebral fractures
  
  
• Participated in clinical trials for most new spinal instrumentation systems
  
  
• Assessed electrical stimulation (implantable and external) devices for bone growth stimulation following spine and long bone fusion
  
  
• Currently assisting in the development and assessment of artificial disks for the neck and low back
  
  
• Evaluating alternative bone cements for kyphoplasty
  
  
• Studying various procedures for minimally invasive spine surgery, including endoscopic diskectomy and mini-open spinal fusion
  
  
• Will be evaluating medical/pharmacological (drugs) treatments for sciatica

Current Clinical Trials

Spinal Stenosis
Study of a Facet Replacement to Treat Spinal Stenosis

Search UCSD Clinical Trial Database

Video Presentation

	New Approach to Correction of Compression Fractures to the Spine (57 minutes) Presented by Steven Garfin, M.D.
	Watch it now using Real Player