SAN ANTONIO – The top meeting in spine care descends this week on San Antonio, Texas, for the 41st North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting.
NASS 2026 Features Expanded Surgical Sessions, Increased Number of Presented Abstracts, Largest Spine Technical Exhibition, and Much More
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North American Spine SocietyNASSannual meeting
From October 14-17 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, NASS 2026 will showcase expanded and enhanced surgical sessions covering a wide swath of spine care topics, including endoscopic spine surgery, artificial intelligence (AI), as well as emerging technologies, robotics, minimally invasive spine surgery, total disc replacement, deformity correction, arthroplasty, lateral approaches, spinal biologics, tumors, oncology, infections, degenerative disorders, complications, implants and motion preservation, among others.
The meeting will also feature a wide range of multidisciplinary sessions designed for all members of the spine care team, as well as sessions on the business of spine that will cover socioeconomic issues, coding, and advocacy topics.
A total of 1,469 abstracts were submitted this year, while 22 received the Best Paper designation. In addition to Best Papers, attendees can evaluate 300+ presentations of the latest cutting-edge spine research. Saturday, October 17, will feature presentations from early-career spine professionals who are recognized as emerging voices and rising leaders in spine care.
“Since my first NASS course in 2002, spine care knowledge has expanded dramatically,” said Paul Saiz, MD, a NASS Program Co-Chair and orthopedic surgeon in New Mexico. “Advances in technology, coding and billing, practice logistics, AI, and surgical techniques have made it increasingly difficult to stay current in every area. Fortunately, the NASS course has evolved to cover the topics most relevant to spine surgeons.”
In addition to Saiz, the meeting program co-chairs are Jack Jallo, MD, PhD, FACS, a neurosurgeon in Philadelphia, and Richard Skolasky, ScD, a researcher in Baltimore.
“I’m most looking forward to is seeing the new technologies on display and, just as importantly, talking about how we connect them to real-world practice,” Jallo said. “That question is at the heart of this year’s theme, The Connected Spine. I’m also excited to see colleagues from around the country and around the world, and trading experiences. Some of the most useful conversations at a meeting like this happen between sessions.”
A brand-new Advanced Practice Provider (APP) half-day course is being offered on Saturday as well and is designed for nurse practitioners and physician assistants to strengthen their clinical knowledge and practical decision-making skills for complex presentations.
The latest products and services from industry will be on display at the world’s largest spine Technical Exhibition, including the new Spine Venture Village that brings innovators and investors together, allowing attendees to learn about breakthrough technologies and emerging treatment paradigms, participate in daily innovation forums, and peer-to-peer learning.
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NASS is the home of spine professionals and dedicated to fostering the highest quality, ethical, evidence- and value-based spine care by promoting education, research, innovation and advocacy. NASS' mission is leading excellence in surgical and comprehensive spine care, and we strive for a world where science, collaboration and innovation optimize spine health. For more information, visit www.spine.org, NASS’ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn channels.
Author
TH
TJ Halvorson
The De Angelis Group | Orthopedics This Week | MSK Innovations
Why This Matters
Two Perspectives
MBA Lens: Economic and industry impact
The 41st NASS Annual Meeting highlights key market trends and strategic initiatives in spine care. Expanded surgical sessions cover AI, robotics, and emerging technologies, alongside business-focused discussions on socioeconomic issues, coding, and advocacy. The event features the world’s largest spine Technical Exhibition and a new Spine Venture Village, connecting innovators and investors to accelerate breakthrough technologies and treatment paradigms, signaling significant market development and investment opportunities.
- The meeting addresses market dynamics through sessions on AI, robotics, emerging technologies, and the business of spine, including coding and advocacy.
- Strategic initiatives like the Spine Venture Village foster innovation and investment in new spine technologies and treatment approaches.
PhD Lens: Clinical and outcomes impact
The 41st NASS Annual Meeting showcases extensive clinical and technological advancements in spine care. It features 1,469 submitted abstracts, over 300 presentations, and 22 Best Papers, disseminating cutting-edge research. Topics span endoscopic surgery, AI, robotics, total disc replacement, deformity correction, and spinal biologics, reflecting diverse clinical evidence and emerging treatment modalities. An Advanced Practice Provider course also enhances clinical decision-making skills.
- The meeting presents 1,469 abstracts, over 300 presentations, and 22 Best Papers, highlighting new research and clinical evidence.
- Key clinical and technological areas include endoscopic spine surgery, AI, robotics, total disc replacement, and deformity correction.
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Discussion
This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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