Overview

Ed Benzel Cleveland Spine Review: Hands-On 2025 is a comprehensive course utilizing the cadaver laboratory and didactic sessions with ample time for discussion. This intensive course emphasizes the fundamentals of spine surgery, particularly biomechanical considerations, and the surgery decision-making process.

Through intensive, hands-on sessions utilizing cadavers, participants study surgical techniques and strategies for a range of procedures including occipitocervical, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar fixation techniques. Complex surgical exposures in all regions of the spine are emphasized.

Led by experienced faculty, the course examines the multiple adjuncts to surgery, including soft tissue and bone retractors and distractors, minimally invasive surgical techniques, spinal implants (from multiple vendors), and dissection tools. Non-operative strategies are also emphasized. Significant time is dedicated to operative indication discussions. The problem- based decision-making process is introduced and emphasized during these very interactive discussions. Upon completion of the Cleveland Spine Review, the participant will be able to:

• Utilize problem-based decision-making to develop logical algorithms for solving complex problems.
• Employ physiological and surgical principles to spinal fusion and instrumentation.
• Apply anatomic and physiologic principles to the variety of surgical approaches available to access all regions of the spine.
• Recognize the fundamental skills required to perform the most appropriate operation for any given clinical pathology, and to recognize one’s own limitations in this regard.
• Evaluate available instrumentation systems and appreciate the advantages of each, as well as the relative indications for their use.

Target Audience

Neurosurgeons, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Medical Spine Specialists, and Advanced Practice Providers.

Why Should Non-Surgeons Attend?

Nurses, Advanced Practice Nurses, Physician Assistants, Physiatrists and other medical spine specialists have the unique opportunity to learn side by side, in didactic sessions as well as a cadaver laboratory, with surgeons in a relaxed, collegial atmosphere.

Additionally, a special session for non-surgeons is held prior to the start of the Spine Review on the first day to meet fellow attendees and prepare for the content to be presented throughout the remainder of the course.

A variety of non-surgical breakout sessions and a cadaver dedicated to non-surgeons gives participants a multifaceted learning experience. Social functions complete an extremely memorable course.

5 Reasons Not to Miss Cleveland Spine Review 2025

1. Appropriate for oral board preparation. Emphasis is given to the fundamentals of spine surgery (especially biomechanical considerations) and the surgery decision-making process, but the week-long program also allows for a deep dive into a rich array of subtopics in spine care with more than 50 lectures and daily case review sessions.
2. A serious devotion to “hands-on.” The course is true to its name by pairing its didactic lectures with eight dedicated hands-on sessions in the cadaver laboratory.
3. Ample time for discussion and problem-based learning. Participant questions are highly encouraged throughout all portions of the course, and significant time is dedicated to operative indication discussions.
4. An extensive faculty from across the nation and the globe. Half of the course’s faculty are from or trained at Cleveland Clinic and the remaining half is from US and internationally renowned universities and medical centers.
5. This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ANCC Contact Hours, and AAPA Category 1 CME Credits with more than 50 credit hours.

Unique Features of the Course

• Interactive Small Group Case Presentations: Participants are encouraged to bring cases for discussion
• Collegial atmosphere with ample opportunity to pose questions to the faculty and honored guest one-on-one and during lectures

Course Schedule

• The program runs from Wednesday, July 23, through Monday, July 28.
• The pre-course non-surgical lectures begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23.
• Round-trip transportation from the Hyatt Regency Hotel at the Arcade to Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital will be provided each day.

These are verbatim comments taken from the evaluation form of past course attendees:

“I have learned so much about management of patients, who to offer surgery to and who not to, how to evaluate spinal conditions, how to order injections”

“Amazingly insightful (and often entertaining) presentations.”

“The presenters were full of information and knowledge. They were not only passionate about their presentation but were willing to stay over to answer questions.”

“Very collegial group that kept the course fun and informative.”

“Practice pearls and cases were excellent. Very solid course from top to bottom.”

“This was well presented and the flow of information was in a way that was easy to comprehend and in a reinforcing manner. Even though I have attended this event before the material was updated and fresh. Excellent group of people with a diverse set of thoughts and opinions.”