Bernard Pfeifer, MD
What first brought you to NASS, and what do you remember about the early years?
I joined in 1987 looking for an organization for spine education that did not have a bias to orthopedic or neurosurgical spine care. NASS was just evolving and I was fortunate enough to be asked to be the Boston local host. I was there for the evolution from a summer meeting part time to a fall meeting full time. When I was asked to help plan the 1992 Boston meeting we expected about 300 members and when the meeting was held, over 600 Surgeons participated. Thankfully there was a second hotel available for overflow. This was the last summer meeting and we were fortunate to have the Tall Ships come into Boston and the only full week of good weather that summer.
Can you share your favorite NASS memory?
Teaching and organizing the Vertebral Augmentation Courses.
What was spine care like when you entered the field and how did it evolve throughout your career?
At the institution where I was trained, the neurosurgeons performed the decompressions, and the orthopedic side was more open to fusion if needed. My mentors cured me of that approach. I was fortunate to perform the first pedicle screws at my institution, the first discography, and the first laparoscopic BAK cage lumbar insertion. I watched Dr. David Fardon navigate the pedicle screw issues in the early 1990s and saw the evolution toward cross-specialty training for spine care in the 2000s. MIS now seems to be the focus, along with biologics.
Was there a particular project, committee, or initiative you were proud to be a part of? What made it memorable?
Coding and Reimbursement and liason to AAOS to be on the RUC and CPT Editorial panel over a 15 year period.
Who were some of the people who shaped your experience in NASS?
David Fardon, MD; Hansen Yuan, MD; Bruce Frederickson, MD; Volker Sonntag, MD; Charles Mick, MD; and Eric Muehlbauer.
What did it feel like to be a part of building NASS into what it is today?
Fun to be involved with and observe the growth of the Society.
Looking back, what was one of the biggest challenges the spine field faced during your active years, and how was it addressed?
Finding the place for pedicle screws and understanding fusion is for instability, not just back pain.
If you could preserve one lesson or philosophy for future generations of spine care providers, what would it be?
Listen to your patient, they usually tell you the diagnosis. Use studies only to support the diagnosis.
What did you learn from patients that changed how you approached your work or saw your role in the field?
Some times the best result comes from knowing when to NOT operate.
What does "service to the profession" mean to you, and how did you try to live that out?
Don't be afraid to volunteer: I learned so much on my time on the Board, RUC, and CPT editorial panel.