Episode 25: The Evolution and Optimization of Spine Surgery. A Conversation with Dr. Edward Benzel

Dr. Maxwell Boakye
July 1, 2022

There are few names as recognizable as Dr. Edward Benzel in the field of spine surgery. He quite literally wrote the book on it. On this episode, I have the distinct privilege of sitting down with Dr. Benzel to discuss a myriad of topics including his experiences in spine surgery and the lessons he’s learned, his evolution as a spine surgeon, safety in spine surgery, and his thoughts on where the field is headed next.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

Getting to know Dr. Benzel and his current clinical practice [0:37]
How to evolve as a spine surgeon [5:59]
Improving your decision-making skills [11:38]
How Dr. Benzel stays productive and relevant [14:48]
Cognitive versus psychomotor development and advice for surgeons training the next generation [17:12]
How to best minimize complications and the most common errors made by surgeons [20:18]
Dr. Benzel’s seven cardinal sins for a spine surgeon [23:19]
Addressing burnout in spine surgeons [25:44]
Improvements in biomechanical knowledge from surgeons in training [28:14]
What surprises Dr. Benzel the most about the evolution of spine surgery and the new technologies he is most excited about [31:19]
Dr. Benzel’s take on current trends in spine surgery [34:55]
Exploring the prevention and treatment of chronic back pain [37:56]
The role mental health plays in the treatment of severe stenosis and spondylolisthesis [40:32]
How Dr. Benzel treats cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) [41:37]
Getting specific about laminoplasty [48:04]
Dr. Benzel answers rapid-fire spine surgery questions and three things hospitals with spine programs can do to optimize their outcomes [50:06]
Comparing global spine surgery rates and eliminating unnecessary operations [54:59]
The magic wand question [56:41]

The evolutionary process of a spine surgeon

Every spine surgeon wants to be the best. They spend countless hours perfecting their techniques to try and ensure every patient has a positive outcome. However, as a seasoned spine surgery veteran, Dr. Benzel places much more emphasis on the decision, rather than the incision. He believes the truest sign of a spine surgeons’ evolution is their ability to increase their cognitive skills and constantly learn how to make better decisions for their patients. A great example of this is focusing on more than just the positive outcomes of surgery. Surgeons need to look at all sides of an outcome and not blind themselves to unintended negative results. Dr. Benzel tries to focus on what went wrong, even if many things went right, with any given case or decision-making process.

Make better choices

When it comes to the practical side of beefing up your decision-making abilities, you can’t go wrong with focusing on heuristics. These are little mental shortcuts that provide a framework to help you efficiently make better decisions. But overall, Dr. Benzel urges spine surgeons to be honest with themselves. Don’t over or underestimate your surgical skills and carefully evaluate each patient. In his younger days, Dr. Benzel admits to seeing imaging and having an immediate knee-jerk reaction to operate. However, with more age and experience, he’s learned to operate on the patient and not an image. Life is not a television medical drama. Sure, there might be a chance to pull off something spectacular, but at what risk? Dr. Benzel notes that the more conservative he’s become, the more careful he is in the decision-making process.

Stay productive

At 71 years old, Dr. Benzel has accomplished so much in his prestigious career. As the author of over 30 books and the holder of 17 US patents, you start to wonder when he has time for spine surgery. He only recently decided to cut back to 80% instead of full-time when so many would be thinking about retirement. Dr. Benzel believes two things are the root cause for this level of productivity throughout his career. The first is a hunger for knowledge. He wanted to be the best and did everything in his power to perform the research he wanted, even when the specific programs needed to do so didn’t exist yet. The second is the company he keeps. One of the best decisions he’s ever made is surrounding himself with highly motivated people who are just as hungry as he is. Listen to this episode for more on Dr. Benzel and his insights into the world of spine surgery!