So you are now a Surgeon

In this presentation, a functional neurosurgeon emphasizes the growing role of interventional pain physicians in performing minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as spinal cord stimulation and interspinous fusion. He urges practitioners to adopt a surgical mindset, stressing the importance of infection control, patient screening, wound care, and postoperative monitoring. Drawing from experience and data, he notes that prior infections—not obesity or diabetes—are key predictors of post-op infections. He highlights the shift in pain management from conservative therapies to procedural interventions and calls for increased training, surgical standards, and collaborative care to support safe and effective patient outcomes.