Spinal News Bio
Spinal News International is published monthly in London, England and has a worldwide distribution to the medical community. We're pleased to announce that Dr. Goldstein was selected for a feature profile in the October 2011 issue. This unique honor is afforded to a select few orthopedic surgeons.
When did you decide that you wanted a career in medicine and why specifically in orthopedic surgery?
Many people in medicine are strongly influenced by their parents or close relatives when they are young. My parents are both retired teachers and they impressed upon me the necessity to excel in school. From high school, I attended Colgate University with a desire to progress on to medical school. At Colgate, I had a strong liberal arts curriculum and then attended medical school. Initially, I anticipated a career in reconstructive surgery but then gained exposure to orthopedic surgery early in my internship.
Most of what we do in orthopedics has a positive effect on quality of life. Our patients are generally healthy and appreciative of the opportunity to gain improved function. I had the opportunity to train with Henry Bohlman at University Hospitals in Cleveland. It was at that point that I had my first exposure to spine surgery. Dr Bohlman’s exemplary approach to patient care and leadership in orthopedic science served as an example that I wanted to emulate, and I sought out further training in spine surgery in Baltimore with Paul McAfee.
Which technique or technology has had a profound effect on your career?
Motion preservation and artificial disc replacement of the cervical and lumbo-sacral spine provided me with my first opportunity to participate in a level one research project. Not only were we able to demonstrate the beneficial effects of artificial discs for the treatment of cervical radiculopathy and degenerative disease of the lumbar spine, but we also were able to acquire level one data that demonstrated the benefits of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for patients with neck and arm pain as a result of cervical radiculopathy. We also showed the benefits of spinal fusion for the treatment of recalcitrant low back pain.
Additionally, my participation in the Prodisc trials has given me the opportunity to share in the publication and presentation of some of the strongest evidence we have regarding the benefits of spine surgery for our patients. During the past 10 years, I have shared ideas and learned from, as well as formed lifelong relationships with, many outstanding spine surgeons, thought leaders, and academics. I have had the opportunity to teach and learn from others around the world and share our experiences of artificial disc replacement.
