The Spine Pod

Struggling with leg and/or back pain and overwhelmed by confusing MRI results? You’re not alone—and this episode is for you.

In this special episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf rejoin forces with Dr. Ahilan Sivaganesan (Dr. Siva), a neurosurgeon building an all-encompassing spine program with Hospital for Special...

Ep 17 Founder Series Pt 2: A 20-Year Journey to Make Motion Preservation the New Standard in Spine, Scott Hodges, DO

In Part 2 of our Founder Series, co-hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with fellowship-trained, orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Scott Hodges. Well known by several titles, including Medical Director at 3Spine, co-inventor of MOTUS, and leading advocate for motion preservation in spine surgery, Dr. Hodg...

Ep 16 Founder Series Pt 1: A Lifetime of Spine Surgery, Motion Advocacy & Giving Back, Craig Humphreys, MD

In this first episode of our two-part Founder Series, co-hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Craig Humphreys, a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon, innovator, and pioneer in spine surgery, to discuss the evolution of motion preservation and the rewarding journey behind MOTUS—the first lumbar...

Ep. 15 From Ideas to Action: How Spine Surgery is Evolving for Better Patient Outcomes, Lali Sekhon, MD

Welcome to Season 2 of the Spine Pod! In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Lali Sekhon, a neurosurgeon dedicated to improving patient outcomes through patient-centric treatment options....

Ep 14 The Hip-Spine Connection: What Every Patient & Surgeon Needs to Know, Russell Bodner, MD

In this special episode of The Spine Pod, we break from tradition by welcoming our first sports medicine orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Russell Bodner, a renowned hip-spine expert with over 35 years of experience. Known for his groundbreaking research an...

Ep. 13 Teaching the Future of Spine: Research, Motion Preservation, & Improving Care, Jeffrey A. Goldstein, MD

In this episode of The Spine Pod, co-hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Jeffrey A. Goldstein, a globally recognized expert in orthopedic spine surgery and Director of the Spine Surgery Fellowship and Education programs at NYU Langone. With over 30 years of clinical and research experience, Dr...

Join hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf for a special live episode of The Spine Pod, recorded from the floor of the North American Spine Society (NASS) 2024 conference in Chicago. This episode explores the latest advancements in spine surgery, with conversation spanning the spectrum of motion preservation, navigation, robotics, and minimally invasive surgery (MIS). You’ll get to hear from an array of thought leaders across s...

Ep. 11 A Spine Surgeon Who Refuses to Quit: A Battle for Better Spine Care, Evalina Burger, MD

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Evalina Burger, an orthopedic spine surgeon at the UCHealth Spine Center - Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr. Burger recounts her transformative journey from South Africa to the United States, where she has established herself as a leader and innovat...

Ep. 10 Motion Preservation First: A Spine Surgeon’s Journey to a Fusion-Free Practice, J. Alex Sielatycki, MD 

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Dr. Alex Sielatycki, an orthopedic spine surgeon dedicating his career to revolutionizing spine surgery through motion preservation. Operating out of Steamboat Springs, CO at the Steamboat O...

Ep. 09 Mentorship Meets Innovation in Spine Surgery: Creating a Path to Better Care, Richard V. Chua, MD, FAANS, FACS

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf explore the transformative power of technology in spine surgery with Dr. Richard Chua. As a leading neurosurgeon and professor at Banner University Medical Center in Tucson, AZ, Dr. C...

Ep. 08 - The World of Motion Surgery: A Vocation to Motion Preservation & Global Spine Care, Jared Ament, MD, MPH, FAANS

In this episode of The Spine Pod, co-hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf explore the world of spine surgery through the lens of Dr. Jared Ament, fellowship trained neurosurgeon and co-director of the Spine Neurosurgery at the Neurosurgery & Spine Group. Dr. Ament’s practi...

In this episode of The Spine Pod, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Christopher Good, President and CEO of the Virginia Spine Institute (VSI), sits down with hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf to discuss his multi-faceted and holistic approach to spine care. Dr. Good explains how his practice integrates multiple specialties under one roof to offer comprehensive, patient-centered spine treatment. Inspired in his early chil...

Ep 06 - What Do Spine Surgeons & Professional Athletes Have in Common? - Choll Kim, MD, PhD

In this episode of The Spine Pod, hosts Courtney Schutze and Brady Riesgraf sit down with Choll Kim, MD, PhD, from the Excel Spine Center in San Diego, CA. A leading expert in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) and endoscopic spine surgery, Dr. Kim shares his journey to becoming a pioneering spine surgeon, merging novel techniques and dev...

Ep. 05 - The Intersection: Motion Preservation & Complex Spine Surgery, Alan Daniels, MD & Bassel Diebo, MD

On this episode of The Spine Pod, we dive into the synergistic nature of complex spine surgery and motion-preserving techniques driving innovative options and enhanced patient outcomes. Dr. Alan Daniels and Dr. Bassel Diebo, renowned complex spine surgeons at University Orthopedics in Rhode Island, sit down and shar...

Ep 04 - Who’s The Best? Surgeon Rankings, Malaligned Incentives, & Cost Transparency: Ahilan "Siva" Sivaganesan, MD Part 2

If you missed part I with Dr. Ahilan Sivaganesan: Where’s The Money? Health Economics, Motion Preservation, & Value-Based Care you can find it here: https://podc...

Ep 03 - Where’s The Money? Healthcare Economics, Motion Preservation, and Value-Based Care, Part 1: Ahilan "Siva" Sivaganesan, MD

In this episode of The Spine Pod, we dive deep into the complex landscape of spine surgery with Dr. Ahilan "Siva" Sivaganesan, a minimally-invasive / endoscopic neurosurgeon and health economics expert at Thomas Jefferson University. Join us as we explore the cutting-edge advancements in motion preser...

Join us on this episode of the Spine Pod with Dr. Avinash Patwardhan as we discuss the fundamental components of spine biomechanics and the driving principles behind why restoring natural motion in the spine is the key to long-term successful outcomes and improved quality of life for patients seeking spine care.

Dr. Avinash Patwardhan is a professor at the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and a world-renowned biomechani...

Join us on The Spine Pod as we delve into a behind-the-scenes look at spine surgery with Dr. Armen Khachatryan, a world-renowned orthopedic spine surgeon known for his expertise in motion preservation and cervical disc replacement procedures. Founder of The Disc Replacement Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dr. Khachatryan is pioneering patient care with advanced surgical techniques in motion surgery.

Welcome to The Spine Pod, hosted by Courtney Schutze & Brady Riesgraf. Whether you’re a patient seeking alternatives to spinal fusion for leg and back pain, a surgeon eager to learn from top experts, or an industry professional keeping up with the latest innovations, this podcast is for you. Explore the latest in motion preservation technologies and join discussions that challenge the conventional reliance on fusi...