Complex Spine Surgery Requires a Specialist.
Not Every Surgeon Is One.
Dr. Zeeshan Sardar, MD, MSc, F.R.C.S.C
Co-Chief of Spinal Deformity Surgery • Director, Quality & Patient Safety • Medical Director, Spine Unit
Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University • New York, NY
RECOGNIZED EXCELLENCE
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REAL PATIENT OUTCOMES
Spinal deformity surgery restores what patients have often lost for years: the ability to stand upright, walk without pain, and return to daily life.
View more patient transformations →
WHY PATIENTS COME TO DR. SARDAR
Most spine surgeons treat common conditions. Dr. Sardar treats those, and the cases other surgeons refer out — the complex deformities, the failed prior surgeries, the Harrington rod complications, the patients told there’s nothing more that can be done.
As Co-Chief of Spinal Deformity Surgery at the Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University, Dr. Sardar is one of a small number of surgeons in the United States who completed three separate spine fellowship programs — spanning orthopedic and neurosurgical spine at Cedars Sinai Hospital, artificial disc replacement at the Texas Back Institute, and complex spinal deformity at Columbia. That training gives him a technical range that most spine surgeons do not have.
He uses robotic-assisted navigation in instrumented procedures, with intraoperative CT verification confirming screw position before the patient leaves the operating room. He performs the full range of deformity correction techniques — including pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) and vertebral column resection (VCR) — and is an active researcher and member of the Scoliosis Research Society.
Patients travel from across the United States and internationally to see Dr. Sardar. Telemedicine consultations are available in NY, NJ, CT, FL, PA, MO, CA, and TX. International patients can contact NewYork-Presbyterian Global Services at +1-212-746-9100.
WHAT MAKES THIS PRACTICE DIFFERENT
Three Fellowship Trainings
Orthopedic and neurosurgical spine (Cedars Sinai). Artificial disc replacement (Texas Back Institute). Complex spinal deformity (Columbia). One of the only surgeons in the US to have completed all three.
Robotic Surgery
Instrumented procedures use robotic navigation system. Intraoperative CT confirms screw positions before the case closes.
Complex Cases Welcome
Failed prior surgery, Harrington rod complications, flatback deformity, high-grade spondylolisthesis, adult and adolescent scoliosis — Dr. Sardar specializes in the cases most surgeons do not perform.
Academic Medicine at Its Highest Level
NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University. Intraoperative neuromonitoring, cell salvage, advanced imaging, and critical care — all in-house. The infrastructure that complex spine surgery requires.
Motion-Preserving Options
Not every spine problem requires fusion. Dr. Sardar offers cervical and lumbar disc replacement, laminoplasty, and posterior foraminotomy — and evaluates every patient for motion-preserving candidacy before recommending fusion.
Honest, Patient-Centered Consultation
Surgery is recommended only when it is genuinely the best option. Dr. Sardar will tell you clearly when it is not — and help you navigate non-surgical care when appropriate.
FIND YOUR CONDITION
Dr. Sardar treats patients age 10 and older across the full spectrum of spinal conditions.
Spinal Deformity
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS)
- Adult Scoliosis
- Congenital Scoliosis
- Kyphosis (Including Scheuermann’s)
- Flatback Deformity
- Harrington Rod Complications & Revision
- Complex Revision Spine Surgery
Cervical Spine (Neck)
- Cervical Myelopathy (Spinal Cord Compression)
- Cervical Radiculopathy (Pinched Nerve)
- Cervical Disc Herniation
- Cervical Spondylosis
- ACDF Surgery
- Cervical Disc Replacement
- Cervical Laminoplasty
- Posterior Cervical Fusion
Lumbar Spine (Lower Back)
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Herniation & Sciatica
- Lumbar Stenosis & Neurogenic Claudication
- Lumbar Spondylolisthesis (Adults)
- Lumbar Microdiscectomy
- MIS Lumbar Decompression
- Robotic Lumbar Fusion & TLIF
- Lumbar Disc Replacement
Pediatric & Adolescent
- Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
- Congenital Scoliosis
- Spondylolisthesis in Children
- Spondylolysis in Young Athletes
Other Conditions
- Vertebral Compression Fractures & Kyphoplasty
- Osteoporosis & Spine Surgery
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Motion-Preserving Spine Surgery
TECHNOLOGY THAT CHANGES OUTCOMES
The difference between a good outcome and a great one often comes down to the tools available — and the surgeon’s command of them.
- Robotic Spine Surgery — preoperative planning on a 3D model of your exact anatomy, executed with robotic precision and verified by intraoperative CT before the case closes. Used in instrumented procedure.
- Intraoperative Neuromonitoring — continuous real-time monitoring of spinal cord and nerve root function throughout every procedure involving the spinal cord.
- Intraoperative CT (O-arm) — imaging confirmation of implant position before the patient leaves the operating room. No surprises post-operatively.
- Patient-Specific Implant Planning — instrumentation and interbody cage selection based on each patient’s individual anatomy, not a one-size approach.
- Custom Rods & Patient-Specific Implants — for select severe deformity and revision cases where standard implants don’t provide an adequate fit.
- Cell Salvage — intraoperative recycling of the patient’s own blood, minimizing the need for donor transfusions in major reconstructive procedures.
Learn more about robotic spine surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian →
CREDENTIALS & TRAINING
- Co-Chief of Spinal Deformity Surgery — NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University
- Director, Quality & Patient Safety (QPS) — Och Spine Hospital
- Medical Director, Spine Unit — Och Spine Hospital
- Board Certified — American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Fellowship #1 — Combined Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Spine Surgery, Cedars Sinai Medical Center
- Fellowship #2 — Artificial Disc Replacement, Texas Back Institute
- Fellowship #3 — Complex Spinal Deformity, Columbia University
- Active Researcher — Published in international spine journals; presenter at NASS, SRS, AOSpine
- Member: Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) • NASS • AAOS • AOSpine • ISASS
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
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FROM THE BLOG
What to Ask Your Spine Surgeon Before Agreeing to Surgery
The right questions before surgery can change the outcome — and help you know whether you’re seeing the right surgeon for your case.
The Truth About Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
What MIS techniques can genuinely offer patients — and where their limits are, especially in complex deformity cases.
Second Opinions in Spine Surgery: When and Why
Why a second opinion is rarely a step backward — and when it matters most for spine surgery decisions.
CONSIDERING A SECOND OPINION?
If you have been told your case is too complex, that nothing more can be done, or that you need surgery but aren’t sure — a consultation with Dr. Sardar will give you a clear, honest, expert assessment of your options. Second opinions are always welcome.
Telemedicine available in NY, NJ, CT, FL, PA, MO, CA & TX • International patients: +1-212-746-9100