Specialized in musculoskeletal health since 1863 and ranked No. 1 for Orthopedics worldwide and nationwide, HSS treats more people with back and neck conditions than any other hospital in the U.S. The HSS Spine Center with Stamford Health led by co-medical directors Steven J. McAnany, MD, spine surgeon at HSS, and Andrea F. Douglas, MD, FAANS, FACS, chief of Neurosurgery at Stamford Health, builds on a successful collaboration started in 2016. It provides patients aged 12 and older with timely access to highly trained specialists in physical therapy, physiatry, pain management, neurology, neuro-interventional radiology, neurosurgery and spine surgery. Most patients are treated non-surgically.

“Improved care options for neck and spine conditions is one of the fastest-growing needs we see among patients of all ages today,” says HSS spine surgeon Harvinder S. Sandhu, MD, MBA, and Stamford Hospital Orthopedic Department Chair. “This program integrates our personalized approach to diagnosing and developing treatment plans to help us achieve the best possible patient outcomes.”

“Acute and chronic spinal conditions affect many patients in our community and beyond, with wide ranging quality of life impact,” remarks Dr. Douglas. “The Spine Center offers clinical expertise from multidisciplinary teams and facilitates seamless access for our patients closer to home.”

Spine patient successes include long-time Danbury-based soccer coach Tony Elmore. Tony experienced back and sciatic pain that quickly escalated to the loss of feeling in his right foot. Last April, HSS spine surgeon Evan D. Sheha, MD, determined Tony’s L5 nerve was being crushed by bone and a herniated disc. Dr. Sheha decompressed Tony’s nerve root and performed a robotic-assisted fusion that same month.

Soon thereafter, his disc above herniated, causing recurrent nerve pain. In August, Dr. Sheha performed a successful lumbar microdiscectomy and, together with physical therapy, helped Tony regain 80 percent of the feeling in his right foot. “HSS Orthopedics with Stamford Health literally saved my life,” he explains. “Dr. Sheha was fantastic. I’m hard on myself physically and the fact that I can do what I’m doing after two surgeries is remarkable.”

Darien, Connecticut, resident Diane Barston underwent surgery elsewhere for prior spine-related issues. When her scoliosis became significantly worse, she chose to see her surgeon, Dr. Sandhu, who performed minimally invasive lumbar decompression spinal fusion with robotics.

One week after surgery, Diane could walk a mile without pain and has since increased her mileage. She danced at her son’s wedding in October and has returned to higher-impact cardio, tennis, hiking and pickleball. “I knew right away after meeting Dr. Sandhu that he was the best choice,” she recalls. “He knew exactly what was wrong with me and how to treat it. I feel like night and day before versus after my surgery.”

“The HSS Spine Center with Stamford Health harnesses the expertise of our respective institutions to bring world-class patient care to the communities we serve,” said Kathleen Silard, president and CEO at Stamford Health. “Over the past year, hundreds of patients with back and neck conditions have benefitted from the exceptional capabilities and proven expertise we offer through the HSS Spine Center with Stamford Health.”

For more information about the program or to schedule an appointment, please visit: https://www.hss.edu/hss-spine-center-stamford.asp.

About Stamford Health

Stamford Health is a non-profit independent health care system with more than 3,900 employees committed to caring for the community through a wide range of high-quality health and wellness services. Patients and their families receive expert, compassionate care through the system’s 305-bed Stamford Hospital; Stamford Health Medical Group, with more than 40 offices in lower Fairfield County offering primary and specialty care; a growing number of ambulatory locations across the region; and support through the Stamford Hospital Foundation.

Stamford Health is known for its expert, person-centered care through its many recognitions and partnerships. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Stamford Hospital as a High-Performing Hospital. The Leapfrog Group awarded Stamford Hospital an “A” for patient safety. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has granted Stamford Hospital Magnet Status, which recognizes superior patient care with the highest level of safety, quality, and patient satisfaction. Stamford Health is Planetree Gold-Certified for Excellence in Person-Centered Care and is a Certified™ Great Place to Work.

Stamford Health is a major teaching affiliate of the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and offers treatment and expertise from Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s nationally recognized heart and neurosurgeons. Stamford Health and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) have created a premier center for specialty orthopedic care right in Stamford, Connecticut. Stamford Health’s Carl & Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center has a robust collaboration with Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center.

Dedicated to being the community’s most trusted health care partner, Stamford Health puts patients first to build long-lasting relationships. For more information, visit StamfordHealth.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

HSS has specialized in musculoskeletal care since 1863 and is ranked no. 1 for orthopedics worldwide and nationwide. Stamford Health is an independent, non-profit healthcare system committed to caring for the community through a wide range of high-quality health and wellness services offered by Stamford Hospital, Stamford Health Medical Group and ambulatory locations throughout southwestern Connecticut. Stamford Hospital has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “High Performing Hospital” including in the specialty area of Orthopedics, has achieved Magnet Designation for Nursing Excellence and Planetree Gold Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care. The collaboration was formed to bring world-class orthopedic care closer to home for southern New England residents.

HSS Orthopedics with Stamford Health offers a comprehensive array of surgical and non-surgical orthopedic services, including sports medicine, sports rehab, joint replacement, and treatment of all conditions affecting the spine, foot and ankle, and hand and upper extremities. HSS orthopedic specialists consult with patients at locations in Stamford, Hamden, and Wilton. If surgery is necessary, HSS surgeons operate at the award-winning Stamford Hospital and Stamford Health Tully Health Center.

Introduced this year at the HSS Stamford location at Chelsea Piers, HSS Orthopedics Now provides patients 16 years of age and older access to orthopedic care for sudden injuries and severe pain, in order to triage, diagnose, treat, and when needed referral to a higher level of care in an expedited timeframe.

“I’m honored to step into this new role and continue building upon the momentum of our relationship with Stamford Health,” said Dr. Sandhu. “Opportunities for growing the initiative include providing the full spectrum of musculoskeletal care across multiple specialties for sports, degenerative, and arthritic related conditions without the need to travel outside the region.”

Before joining HSS in 1997, Dr. Sandhu was chief of the spinal surgery service at UCLA. His clinical practice specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery, robotic surgery, and the use of spinal biologics to enhance healing. Dr. Sandhu is also actively engaged in researching and developing medical devices and instruments used in spinal surgery and holds several patents. In addition, he has authored or co-authored well over 100 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and has received research awards from the North American Spine Society, the Orthopaedic Research Society and the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, including the prestigious Volvo Award in Spinal Research.

“I look forward to working with Dr. Sandhu as we expand the offerings of our collaboration with HSS to serve more patients in need of high-quality orthopedic services,” said Kathleen Silard, President & CEO at Stamford Health. “We pride ourselves on partnering with the best, and with HSS we’ve created a world-class center for musculoskeletal care in Connecticut. In the coming years, we’ll continue to expand the Collaborative’s geographic footprint in Connecticut, grow the number of providers and enhance our programmatic services to best meet the needs of our community.”

“HSS Orthopedics with Stamford Health will benefit greatly from Dr. Sandhu’s vision and expertise as a clinician, researcher and educator,” said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO at HSS. “We thank Dr. Cornell for his exceptional leadership in establishing and evolving our unique collaboration with Stamford Health, to provide an unsurpassed level of orthopedic care align with HSS best practices to thousands of residents living in Connecticut and New England.” 
 

About Stamford Health

Stamford Health is a non-profit independent healthcare system with more than 3,700 employees committed to caring for the community through a wide range of high-quality health and wellness services. Patients and their families receive expert, compassionate care through the system’s 305-bed Stamford Hospital; Stamford Health Medical Group, with more than 40 offices in lower Fairfield County offering primary and specialty care; a growing number of ambulatory locations across the region; and support through the Stamford Hospital Foundation.

Stamford Health is known for its expert, person-centered care through its many recognitions and partnerships. Stamford Hospital is the only hospital in Fairfield County, CT to receive a grade of A from The Leapfrog Group, an independent watchdog organization for protecting patient safety. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Stamford Hospital as a High Performing Hospital. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rated Stamford Hospital as a five-star hospital for Overall Quality. The American Nurses Credentialing Center has granted Stamford Hospital Magnet Status, which recognizes superior patient care with the highest level of safety, quality and patient satisfaction. Stamford Health is Planetree Gold-Certified for Excellence in Person-Centered Care Hospital of Distinction.

Stamford Health is also a major teaching affiliate of the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and has recently expanded its relationship with Columbia to offer treatment and expertise from Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s nationally recognized heart surgeons. Stamford Health and Hospital for Special Surgery have created a premier center for specialty orthopedic care right in Stamford, CT. Additionally, in 2020 Stamford Health’s Carl & Dorothy Bennett Cancer Center entered into an expanded collaboration with Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center.

Dedicated to being the community’s most trusted healthcare partner, Stamford Health puts patients first to build long-lasting relationships. For more information, visit StamfordHealth.org. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the academic medical center specialized in musculoskeletal care since 1863, today announced the appointment of Sheeraz Qureshi, MD, MBA as co-chief of HSS Spine, effective October 1, 2022. Dr. Qureshi will succeed Harvinder S. Sandhu, MD, MBA, and joins Andrew A. Sama, MD, as co-chief of HSS Spine. Dr. Sandhu will become Co-Chief Emeritus of HSS Spine and Medical Director of HSS Orthopedics with Stamford Health, succeeding Charles “Chip” Cornell, MD, who will retire next month. 

Dr. Qureshi joined HSS in April 2017. His clinical practice focuses on minimally invasive and motion-sparing spine procedures using the latest technologies. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, given more than 100 invited lectures and contributed to educational videos, and trained surgical fellows nationally and internationally.  Dr. Qureshi also works with leading implant manufacturers, pioneering innovations in disks and implants for restoring height and proper spinal alignment.

“Dr. Qureshi is an exceptional spine surgeon, researcher and educator,” said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA, surgeon-in-chief and medical director of HSS. “I look forward to working with him and Dr. Sama as they take HSS Spine to even higher levels of excellence.”

“I’m excited to lead HSS Spine together with Dr. Qureshi, with a shared vision to expand our services with a laser focus on the patient journey from initial diagnosis to rehabilitation,” said Dr. Sama.  “Our team will continue to pioneer advances in spine care, conduct rigorous research, and adopt new technologies and techniques when they are proven to provide better care and achieve better outcomes.”

“I’m honored to join Dr. Sama in leading the specialists who have already made HSS the nation’s most popular and successful spine treatment center,” said Dr. Qureshi, who also serves as the Patty and Jay Baker Chair in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and was recently promoted to professor of orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine.  “Our multidisciplinary team personalizes for each patient the latest evidence-based options, from conservative, nonsurgical therapies to surgical treatment for the most complex conditions.”

More than 22,000 patients a year are treated for back and neck pain by the HSS Spine team.  While the majority are treated non-surgically, HSS performs 138% more spine surgeries than the next leading hospital. 

“Our spine service is a key reason why HSS has been ranked the #1 orthopedic program in the world, and in the United States for 13 consecutive years,” said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO at HSS. “I know that Drs. Qureshi and Sama and the HSS Spine team will continue to advance the field and create new possibilities for our patients.”

Augmented reality (AR) refers to digital information that is superimposed on a user’s view of the physical environment comparable to a car manufacturer that offers an AR app utilizing 3D imagery to help potential buyers learn more about a car’s design, features, energy use and other details.

The AR technology allows HSS-Stamford Health collaborative surgeons to visualize the anatomy of a patient’s spine in 3D during surgery and track progress in real time via a transparent display headset fitted with AR eyeglasses. The headset enables surgeons to determine the position of surgical tools in real time by superimposing the patient’s CT scan or x-ray images over the surgical site to guide the surgeon during the procedure. The headset projects 3D navigation data onto the surgeon’s retina, allowing them to look at the patient and review the data simultaneously without having to shift their focus back and forth to a remote screen.

“The spine system’s augmented reality platform enables ultraprecise alignment and positioning of spinal implants through enhanced visualization capabilities,” explains Dr. Sandhu. “The spinal implants can be placed with much less invasive surgery, as we don’t have to retract or move muscles and tissue to see a patient’s full spine.”

Dr. Sandhu notes that smaller incisions mean faster recovery times and improved outcomes for patients. He also says the system gives surgeons the ability to course correct or alter their approach if needed during procedures.

Patient Experiences Immediate Relief

Paul Solis-Cohen had been experiencing numbness in his left leg and foot along with sciatic pain for two years. When the pain overwhelmed the daily activities of the active 72-year-old owner of Catskill Art Supply, he finally decided to seek treatment.

“I own a farm in Shokan, New York. Between lifting 50-pound bales of hay, splitting, and stacking wood, riding horses, and playing tennis over the years, I eventually just overdid it with my back,” he says.

HSS is well known in the Catskill and Hudson Valley regions. Paul researched HSS surgeons, found Dr. Sandhu and met with him in New York City to review his case and MRI results. Dr. Sandhu determined Paul would need lumbar decompression surgery involving a laminectomy and spinal fusion of the L4 and L5 vertebrae. Dr. Sandhu performed the surgery in late February at HSS Orthopedics at Stamford Health, using the new AR-based system.

“I felt immediate relief from my sciatic pain right after surgery. The pressure on my nerves was totally gone,” he recalls. “I was up and moving very soon thereafter and have been walking a lot. I can’t wait to accelerate the rehab process.”

Paul felt assured that HSS Orthopedics at Stamford Health was strictly adhering to all COVID-19 safety protocols, so he had no concerns about any health risks surrounding his spine surgery. Just weeks after surgery, he is eager to start traveling again to see relatives out west and spend time at their family vacation home in Mexico once Dr. Sandhu clears him to do so.

Stamford Health is currently the only hospital in the tristate area offering an AR-based system for spine surgery. “We expect that as more people in the greater New York metropolitan area become aware of HSS Orthopedics at Stamford Health and our spine system technology, we’ll become their first choice for spine care,” Dr. Sandhu adds.

Drs. Sandhu and Sama succeed Frank Schwab, MD, who will continue his practice as chief emeritus of HSS Spine. Under Dr. Schwab’s leadership, HSS Spine continued to advance its clinical and academic reputation and bolstered its position as the international leader in complex and minimally invasive spine procedures.

“HSS is world-renowned for its innovative and research-based evaluation and treatment of people with all levels of musculoskeletal disease and injury, including afflictions of the spine,” said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, surgeon-in-chief and medical director at HSS. “We look forward to Drs. Sandhu and Sama’s leadership to continue to elevate our spine program to even higher levels of patient care excellence.”

“HSS has been ranked the # 1 Orthopedic program for 10 consecutive years. Our spine service is a key part of that amazing achievement and is one of the best in the world,” said Louis A. Shapiro, president and CEO at HSS. “The combined leadership and experience of Drs. Sama and Sandhu will take us to the next level.”

Dr. Sandhu focuses on minimally invasive spine surgery, microsurgery, computer-assisted surgery and spinal biologics. Previously chief of the spinal service at UCLA, and a graduate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Sandhu joined HSS in 1997. He is actively engaged in the research, development and invention of a variety of devices and instruments and holds several patents on the diagnosis and treatment of spinal disorders.

“HSS is unique in that we have a bench-to-bedside approach and are able to directly translate our innovative research into appropriate and customized patient care,” said Dr. Sandhu. “Sometimes this means not doing surgery when you don’t need to. Other times it means ensuring the right kind of procedure. I am looking forward to this new opportunity to build on the strong foundation of our service and continue our mission to provide the highest quality spine care.”

Dr. Sama specializes in the evaluation and surgical management of all traumatic, degenerative and deformity-related conditions of the spine. A member of numerous spine and orthopedic societies, he lectures at scientific conferences internationally. He is also involved in innovative product development, helping to design orthopedic implant devices for spinal surgery. A graduate of the University of Miami, Dr. Sama completed his fellowship at HSS before beginning his practice in 2001.

“I am honored to co-lead our dedicated multidisciplinary team, who are so experienced that complex procedures have become routine,” said Dr. Sama. “Our high volume and incredible team allows us to continue to advance our expertise, leading to optimal patient care and outcomes.”

"The FDA has allowed us to do this trial without randomizing. There are about 20 centers involved in this clinical trial; some are designated as experimental and others as control. At HSS, all patients who decide to enter the trial will get the new investigational treatment," said Harvinder Sandhu, MD, a spine surgeon who is leading the trial at HSS in New York City.

Degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis is one of the most common problems that occurs in lumbar spine. "It affects primarily adults over the age of 40 and presents as a combination of back pain and pain that goes down the legs with activities," said trial investigator Sheeraz Qureshi, MD, spine surgeon at HSS. "We are always looking for nonfusion alternatives for everything we do, and LimiFlex is an exciting nonfusion option. This trial will help us determine if it is a long term solution."

Degenerative spondylolisthesis is diagnosed when one vertebra slips forward over the one below it. The condition is a disease of aging in which the bones, joints and ligaments in the spine become weak and less able to hold the spinal column in alignment. Degenerative spondylolisthesis most commonly occurs in the L4-L5 level of the lower spine, but can also occur at the L3-L4 level. Females are three times as likely to be diagnosed with the condition than males.

"Degenerative spondylolisthesis results from arthritis in the joints, which then ultimately leads to some abnormal movement of the vertebrae, which then results in this closing up of the nerve channel, the stenosis," said Dr. Qureshi. "The most common treatment is to do a decompression to get rid of the stenosis to open up the nerve channel, and to do a fusion to prevent the spondylolisthesis from getting worse."

The LimiFlex Clinical Trial will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of decompression and stabilization with the LimiFlex Paraspinous Tension Band, compared with the standard treatment, decompression and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with concomitant posterolateral fusion for the treatment of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis (Grade I per Meyerding classification) with spinal stenosis. LimiFlex is designed to stabilize the spine without fusing it. The device is made of two spring-like titanium rods that are wrapped around the back of two spine segments, allowing the spine to move in a controlled manner. Clinical trial investigators will collect data from all trial sites and compare clinical outcomes of patients receiving LimiFlex with patients who receive the conventional treatment.

"We are going to use standardize measures for those outcomes. We also want to see how many patients may require future surgery or have problems at other levels of the spine," said Dr. Sandhu. "There is an ongoing theory that one of the downsides of fusion is that it puts additional stresses on other levels of the spine. With the LimiFlex, in theory, if you don’t actually completely join the vertebrae together and fuse them, allowing some degree of motion, that puts less stress on other levels. The hypothesis is that these patients will be less likely in need of future surgery." The trial will help answer this question.

To be eligible for the trial, patients must be between the ages of 25 and 80 and have lumbar degenerative spondyloslisthesis (grade I per Meyerding classification), at one level from L1 to S1, with radiographic confirmation using X-Ray. Exclusion criteria includes morbid obesity (BMI >40), history of cancer in last five years, involvement in litigation because of spinal condition, and planned hip or knee replacement surgery.