It is an exciting time for the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves (DSPN). As the largest section in organized neurosurgery, we continue to build momentum through impactful education, advocacy, research support and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
This past February, our annual Spine Summit in Tampa, Florida marked a record-breaking success. Under the leadership of Dr. Juan Uribe (Section Chair), Drs. Dean Chou and Larry Lenke (Scientific Program Chairs) and Dr. Zack Ray (Annual Meeting Chair), the meeting welcomed an unprecedented number of attendees and industry partners. Corporate sponsorships, led by Dr. John Shin, exceeded expectations—reflecting both the strength of our educational programming and the growing interest in spine innovation. The meeting also welcomed more than 100 orthopedic spine colleagues, highlighting the evolving multidisciplinary nature of our field and initiatives like the Albert Scholars program.
The scientific program was particularly strong, with over 1,500 abstracts submitted and thoughtful sessions covering degenerative spine disease, peripheral nerve, spine oncology and emerging technologies. Looking ahead, planning is already underway for our 2026 meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. With Dr. Laura Snyder leading scientific content development as Scientific Program Chair, we’re excited to build a dynamic and forward-thinking program that reflects the evolving landscape of spine care. The meeting, themed “Beyond Limits: Elevating Quality in Spine Surgery”, will continue to advance our mission of innovation, collaboration and excellence. As Section Chair, I look forward to supporting the planning team and ensuring this remains a must-attend event for the spine and peripheral nerve community.
The Section remains financially healthy and well-positioned for long-term sustainability. A newly formed Finance Committee, composed of Drs. Charles Sansur, Juan Uribe, Michael Wang, Dan Sciubba and Luis Tumialán, is exploring strategies to ensure continued growth and responsible stewardship of Section resources.
Our partnership with the Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF) continues to expand. The Section now has over 20 spine-related Honor Your Mentor (HYM) funds, several of which are actively disbursing funds. Notably, the Kevin Foley and Mark Shaffrey funds have seen strong engagement. These funds are instrumental in supporting mission-aligned research efforts, including collaborations with Spine CORe, our Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) and American Spine Registry (ASR) initiative, reinforcing the Section’s commitment to data-driven advancement in spine care.
We are also proud to support and collaborate closely with the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, where the Spine Section continues to play a central role in delivering high-quality, relevant content for both spine specialists and general neurosurgeons. Under the leadership of Dr. Anand Veeravagu and the Education Committee, the Section developed a dynamic lineup of sessions for this year’s meeting, including cervical spine debates, neuromonitoring dilemmas, complication-focused case discussions and rapid-fire abstract presentations in spine and peripheral nerve surgery. Additional highlights included the Kline Lecture in peripheral nerve and sessions devoted to leadership and career development.
We also remain engaged in shaping spine content for the CNS Annual Meeting, where this year’s program will include a special symposium honoring the career and innovations of Dr. Richard Fessler. The CNS meeting will also feature spine-focused symposia and interactive sessions in areas such as spinal trauma, chronic low back pain and personalized spine surgery—further demonstrating the Section’s commitment to advancing spine care across all major academic forums.
Our Media and Communications Committee, led by Dr. Cheerag Upadhyaya, has been working closely with the AANS marketing and communications team to enhance visibility across digital platforms. Regular strategy sessions have helped strengthen content coordination, social media engagement and meeting promotion. We’ve seen steady growth across LinkedIn, X and Instagram, and ongoing website updates continue to support increased traffic and user engagement. Efforts are also underway to explore additional multimedia channels and speaker toolkits to further enhance outreach and impact.
Advocacy remains one of our top priorities. The Payor Response Committee, under the leadership of Dr. Yi Lu, continues to collaborate with the CPT team and Washington Committee to defend fair reimbursement and protect access to necessary spine procedures. Recent efforts include coordinated responses to denials of interbody fusion codes and addressing challenges related to procedural valuation. These initiatives reflect the Section’s commitment to representing the interests of spine surgeons nationally and ensuring our patients receive appropriate care.
Internally, we’ve made strategic moves to strengthen continuity and long-term vision. The Strategic Planning Committee has transitioned to standing status, and a new Vice Chair role within the Scientific Program Committee will help ensure consistency and institutional memory across meetings. Our Section remains committed to inclusivity, with continued efforts to engage medical students, residents, APPs and early-career neurosurgeons.
Finally, I’d like to thank the many volunteers, staff and partner organizations, whose collaboration and support have made this work possible. From advancing science and education to protecting our practice environment and growing the next generation of leaders, the Spine Section is proud to serve as a forward-looking, engaged community within organized neurosurgery.
We look forward to continuing to elevate spine care together—beyond limits.
Erica Bisson, MD, MPH
Dr. Erica Bisson is Professor of Neurosurgery and Adjunct Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of Utah. Dr. Bisson’s clinical career encompasses treating patients with the breadth of spinal disease, focusing on craniocervical pathologies. Nationally, Dr. Bisson has led a multicenter research consortium focused on the evaluation of outcomes following spine surgery. These efforts have distinguished her as a leader in defining quality spine care.
Cheerag Upadhyaya, MD
Dr. Cheerag Upadhyaya is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina, and serves as Medical Director of Supply Chain for UNC Health and Media Chair for the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves.
