Spine Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center Serves as Hub for Region’s Most Complex Cases

Multidisciplinary spine team takes on high acuity referrals from central and southern New Jersey hospitals

With spine surgery, patient stakes are high. One misstep during a complex procedure can have life-altering effects. That’s why central and southern New Jersey hospitals refer their highest acuity surgical spine cases to Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s Spine Center.

The Spine Center integrates specialists from the spectrum of disciplines, including orthopedics, neurosurgery, interventional pain management, and physiatry to take on the most complex spine cases, from pediatric to geriatric. The team offers depth of expertise in degenerative disease, trauma, tumors and deformity of the cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral spine.

Not only are they capable of taking on complex cases, they do so in volume. Nearly every summer weekend, for example, the Spine Center addresses spine trauma resultant from beach and pool diving injuries. Other cases regularly treated include other unplanned spine traumas, deformities, tumors (in seamless conjunction with oncology) and scoliosis. An on-call surgical team consisting of one orthopedic spine surgeon, Ramil S. Bhatnagar M.D., Chief of Orthopedic Spinal Surgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, and three neurosurgeons stands ready to serve spine trauma patients 365 days a year. The initiative is a partnership between the two specialties, with collaborative leadership by Simon Salerno, M.D., Chief of Neurosurgical Spine Surgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

Applying his insight of high acuity cases, Dr. Bhatnagar contributes to the development of spine surgery bone biologics, intervertebral spacers and other technologies. He also lends his experience to the innovation of spine surgery operating room workflows and robotics.