A masterful guide on awake spine surgery and minimizing patient anesthesia burdens

Spine surgery is an inherently evolving subspeciality with an ever-increasing understanding of the pathology, biomechanics, and natural history of spinal disease. Concurrently, technological innovations have been introduced that enable better and safer patient outcomes. At the forefront is awake spine surgery, a groundbreaking approach that is about more than avoiding general anesthesia—it stems from the philosophy of minimizing the surgeon’s “footprint” on patients. Awake Spine Surgery edited by pioneering surgeons Muhammad M. Abd-El-Barr, Alok Sharan, Kingsley Abode-Iyamah, Bhavuk Garg, and Ernest E. Braxton Jr. details this innovative and emerging area of spine surgery.

The book is organized into three parts and 22 chapters covering preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative considerations. The text lays a solid foundation, covering patient selection criteria, contraindications, and a full spectrum of ultrasound-guided blocks, from erector spinae to abdominal wall. The multidimensional aspects of awake spine surgery are reflected in topics ranging from global lessons learned from COVID-19 and outpatient awake surgery program development to long-acting nerve blocks and postoperative delirium.

Key Highlights
• Encompasses the latest approaches, including endoscopy, robotics, next-generation TLIFs, and minimally invasive lateral spine surgery
• Invaluable clinical pearls, practical tools, comprehensive protocols, and inspiring case studies to integrate into practice
• Expert tips, key points, and tables enhance understanding and acquisition of knowledge
• Seventeen high-quality procedural videos demonstrate diverse techniques

This unique resource provides a blueprint for the future of spine surgery. It will help empower spine surgeons, anesthesiologists, and pain practitioners to achieve optimal patient outcomes, while eliminating general anesthesia-related risks and recovery challenges.

Muhammad M. Abd-El-Barr, MD, PhD, FAANS, is Professor, Vice-Chair of International Affairs, Chief of Endoscopic Spine Surgery, and Spine Fellowship Co-Director, Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Alok Sharan, MD, MHCDS, is an Orthopedic Spine Surgeon and President of the Spine and Performance Institute, Edison, New Jersey, USA.

Kingsley Abode-Iyamah, MD, is a Neurosurgeon, Department of Neurological Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

Bhavuk Garg, MBBS, MS, is an Orthopedic Surgeon and Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Dehli, India.

Ernest E. Braxton Jr., MD, MBA, FAANS, is US Ski Team Physician, Spine and Neurological Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Vail Summit Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery, Colorado, USA.