John Keller, MD, neurosurgery section chief at Metro Health-University of Michigan Health in Wyoming, Mich., performed his first augmented reality-assisted spine surgery in September, Grand Rapids Business Journal reports.

Allowing out-of-state competition for health insurance would significantly benefit the U.S. healthcare system, which is dominated by commercial payers, according to two spine surgeons from DISC Sports & Spine Center in Newport Beach, Calif.

West Palm Beach, Fla.-based St. Mary's Medical Center and Palm Beach Children's Hospital were among the first hospitals in the state to use Immertec's Medoptic virtual reality surgical training platform, South Florida Hospital News reported Oct. 15.

West Plains, Mo.-based Ozarks Medical Center onboarded orthopedic and spine surgeon Troy Caron, DO.

The oblique lateral interbody fusion is among the most innovative spine surgery approaches. It allows surgeons to achieve the same outcomes as open procedures with less tissue disruption and an accelerated patient recovery time. Becker's was able to sit down with four leading spine surgeons to learn more about how they incorporated OLIF into their practice and where they see the procedure heading in the future.

From advancement in stem cells to artificial facet joint replacements, here are the biggest technologies that nine spine surgeons are excited about:

A new device that attaches to eyeglasses has been designed to provide fluoroscopic guidance during spine surgery, Medical Xpress reports.

Vertebral body tethering, a novel minimally invasive surgery for scoliosis, is helping some patients get back to activity in half the time of those who get traditional spinal fusion, CBS Miami reports.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded $13.5 million to neurosurgeons and engineers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., to develop devices for patients with spinal cord injuries.

Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital in Gifford, Fla., welcomed orthopedic surgeon Anas Saleh, MD, according to an Oct. 8 article from South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report.

Reno, Nev.-based Great Basin Orthopaedics onboarded Sean Fitzpatrick, MD, to its practice, according to an Oct. 8 report from Northern Nevada Business Weekly.

From a Nevada surgeon performing a surgery with new technology to another professional's take on awake spine fusions, here are the latest spine surgeons making headlines.

NY Spine Medicine has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a claim of not providing a patient timely access to her medical records.

Here are the top-read stories on Becker's Spine Review during the week of Oct. 5-9:

Christopher Good, MD, on Oct. 8 performed a spinal fusion with the Augmedics Xvision Spine System, an augmented reality platform approved by the FDA in December.

Stanford Health Care's scoliosis and spinal deformity program in Palo Alto, Calif., has four pediatric spine surgeons, but features an all-women team twice a week that has been well-received by girls being treated at the center.

From two scoliosis lifetime achievement awards to honorees of the North American Spine Society, here are six spine surgeons who drew acclaim in the past month:

Awake spinal fusion is a novel approach to spine surgery that fuses minimally invasive or endoscopic surgical techniques with contemporary anesthesia. 

Miami Neuroscience Institute has onboarded neurosurgeon Michael Gomez, MD, according to an Oct. 7 report by South Florida Hospital News.

From loosened restrictions for 3D printing to increased regulations for the use of stem cell-based products, here are the next regulatory changes that three spine surgeons want to see in the field.