Asan Medical Center opens new 'Spine Center' to handle complex spinal disorders

The center combines seven clinical departments.

South Korea's Asan Medical Center has launched a new Spine Center to provide integrated care for degenerative and complex spinal disorders, including osteoporotic fractures, spinal deformities, and spinal cancer.

The center combines seven clinical departments, namely Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine, Radiology, Neurology, and Rheumatology, into a single multidisciplinary team.

Patients will now receive diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation in a streamlined process, reducing repeated tests and consultations, the center said.

Data from the National Health Insurance Service show that general spinal surgery was the second most frequently performed surgery nationwide in 2023 and accounted for the largest share of total medical expenditures amongst major procedures.

The center is designed to address not only common degenerative conditions but also complex spinal issues that require advanced care, including severe spinal stenosis, osteoporotic fractures, advanced deformities, and spinal cancers. It also provides individualised treatment plans encompassing rehabilitation, pain management, and, when needed, chemotherapy.

Additionally, the Spine Center now offers a seamless continuum of care, ensuring prompt nonsurgical interventions for common conditions whilst concentrating specialised resources on complex cases requiring surgery.

To enhance surgical safety and precision, the center will adopt minimally invasive and robotic surgical techniques and expand the use of navigation systems and AI-based predictive platforms.

In addition, the Spine Center will serve as a research and education hub, holding multidisciplinary case reviews and building a database to advance spine care innovation.

The center officially opened on  26 January  at the East Building Auditorium.