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Innovations in Review 2025

Orthopedics & Spine

Orthopedists and orthopedic surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian deliver exceptional care for patients with conditions of the bones and joints, helping them regain function and mobility. In 2025, our specialists evolved surgical techniques for better patient outcomes, fostered cross-specialty collaboration in pediatric spine surgery, leveraged artificial intelligence for improved diagnostics, focused on identifying health disparities in orthopedic cancers, and more. These advancements are providing comprehensive solutions that bring expert orthopedic care to the patients we serve and beyond.

Orthopedics & Spine
Orthopedics & Spine

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Read more about our top research and key innovations from 2025:

Study Finds Spanish-Speaking Sarcoma Patients Face Higher Metastatic Risk

Arthroscopic Approach To Neurogenic TOS May Prevent Rib Resection

Evolving Tommy John Surgery For Modern Baseball Players

Novel Concussion Biomarker Paves Way For New Diagnostic Tool

Dual-Specialty Approach Improves Outcomes In Pediatric Spine Cases

Extensive Multistage Spine Surgery Transforms A Severe Case Of Kyphoscoliosis

Innovating Shoulder Surgery Through Tendon Transfers

Study Finds Spanish-Speaking Sarcoma Patients Face Higher Metastatic Risk

Research led by Wakenda Tyler, M.D., MPH, a musculoskeletal oncologist and division chief of orthopedic oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, found that patients with bone and soft-tissue sarcomas were twice as likely to have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis if their preferred language was Spanish. This study is among the first to investigate a patient’s preferred language as a factor that potentially contributes to delayed diagnosis. These findings underscore the need for more research to test interventions aimed at overcoming language barriers to reduce health disparities.

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Study Finds Spanish-Speaking Sarcoma Patients Face Higher Metastatic Risk

Arthroscopic Approach To Neurogenic TOS May Prevent Rib Resection

Rib resection surgery is a typical course of treatment for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) if nonoperative approaches fail, but up to 50% of patients experience a recurrence of symptoms within two years. Karan Dua, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, is pioneering a minimally invasive alternative that preserves the rib, specifically for patients with dynamic brachial plexus entrapment. Dr. Dua is among the few surgeons in the country who performs arthroscopic pectoralis minor tendon release with brachial plexus neurolysis to treat neurogenic TOS. This alternative approach allows patients to avoid the potential morbidity of an invasive open surgery while reducing postoperative pain during recovery. Currently, there is a lack of minimally invasive approaches in TOS, and this arthroscopic option demonstrates the potential for more surgical innovations that can improve patient outcomes.

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Arthroscopic Approach To Neurogenic Tos May Prevent Rib Resection

Evolving Tommy John Surgery For Modern Baseball Players

Christopher S. Ahmad, M.D., chief of sports medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia and team physician for the New York Yankees, has devoted his career to enhancing Tommy John surgery to make the procedure more durable and reproducible. Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears were once career-ending injuries, but Dr. Ahmad has continued to innovate the procedure for better outcomes, with the latest advancement being the Triple Tommy John (TJ3) surgery, which integrates repair of the native ligament, the use of an internal brace, and ligament reconstruction. TJ3 provides increased strength and durability and maximizes the chance of a successful recovery.

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Evolving Tommy John Surgery For Modern Baseball Players

Novel Concussion Biomarker Paves Way For New Diagnostic Tool

Diagnosing a concussion depends largely on self-reported symptoms and subjective clinical evaluations. Thomas Bottiglieri, D.O., chief of the primary care sports medicine division in the Department of Orthopedics at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, is developing a software tool that uses machine learning to quantify a biometric that can help physicians better diagnose concussions. Dr. Bottiglieri and his colleagues discovered the biometric — subtle head and neck movements related to proprioception — while conducting research and developed an algorithm to quantify an amplitude and bandwidth frequency that was consistent with concussion. The diagnostic tool uses an eye-tracking headset to capture patients’ movements and can detect the biomarker with 80% to 90% sensitivity. Further research is planned to validate the tool and explore its clinical applications.

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Novel Concussion Biomarker Paves Way For New Diagnostic Tool

Dual-Specialty Approach Improves Outcomes In Pediatric Spine Cases

Both orthopedic and neurological spine surgeons are essential to pediatric spinal surgery, but collaboration between these two specialties has historically been less common in pediatric cases compared with adult cases. Leaders from Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia Michael G. Vitale, M.D., chief of pediatric spine surgery, and Taemin Oh, M.D., director of pediatric neurosurgical scoliosis surgery, are pioneering an integrated model of care that unites the two specialties in the planning and execution of pediatric spine surgeries. This partnership has enabled reduced surgery times and blood loss, as well as improved overall safety for patients.

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Dual-Specialty Approach Improves Outcomes In Pediatric Spine Cases

Extensive Multistage Spine Surgery Transforms A Severe Case Of Kyphoscoliosis

An adolescent patient born with congenital kyphoscoliosis, which progressed to 140 degrees kyphosis and 56 degrees scoliosis, traveled from the Philippines to New York for surgical treatment led by Lawrence Lenke, M.D., co-director of Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian and chief of spinal deformity surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia. Dr. Lenke developed a treatment plan consisting of several staged procedures over six weeks, including halo gravity traction, rib resection, installation of an interbody cage, placement of rods and screws, removal of several vertebrae, placement of bone material, and irrigation and debridement to promote optimal wound healing. The surgeries successfully corrected the curvatures and fused the spine into proper position, with the patient expected to return to normal life without limitations.

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Extensive Multistage Spine Surgery Transforms A Severe Case Of Kyphoscoliosis

Innovating Shoulder Surgery Through Tendon Transfers

On the Advances in Care podcast, Karan Dua, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, discussed an innovative approach to personalized treatment for shoulder conditions and why he wants to shift the standard of care toward solutions that help delay or avoid joint replacement, particularly for younger patients. Through the procedure, he is able to reanimate the shoulder, using either a donor tendon or taking a tendon from another part of the body and replacing the injured tendon through arthroscopic surgery, which helps to preserve a patient’s joints and restore shoulder movement. This practice is considered a game-changer for younger and otherwise healthy patients who want a more targeted treatment that offers better quality of life and longer-term shoulder functionality.

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Innovating Shoulder Surgery Through Tendon Transfers