Personalized Approaches to Spine Surgery

Patient-centric decision-making has imbued all aspects of health care, including spine surgery. This review describes how spine surgeons can use evolving technologies and knowledge of disease and pain states to tailor their surgical approach to the individual patient. This includes preoperative screening for and optimization of low bone mineral density, intraoperative selection of implant material and customization of interbody cages and screws, and postoperative personalization of pain regimens and rehabilitation courses. By working in a multidisciplinary fashion, spine surgeons can avail themselves of these advances to provide individualized care.