A board certified neurosurgeon, Dr. Ditsworth developed the Non-Traumatic Discectomy for treating herniated and bulging discs in the spine. In contrast to traditional approaches to spine surgery, which frequently do damage to a healthy spine, this procedure truly is “minimally invasive.”
Dr. Ditsworth has been on staff at Cedars Sinai Medical Center since 1983. He has written more than 40 peer reviewed abstracts, articles, and book chapters. And he is a member the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Dr. Ditsworth completed an accelerated program for his bachelor’s degree and his medical degree from the University of Utah, School of Medicine Honors Surgery Program. He completed an internship at University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Ditsworth then went on to do a fellowship in neurosurgery at the Yale University School of Medicine. He did his residency in neurosurgery at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.
CERTIFICATION :
Board Certified in Neurosurgery, 1983
Diplomate, American Board of Neurosurgery
Dr. David Ditsworth developed the Non-Traumatic Discectomy for treating herniated and bulging discs in the spine. This procedure is beyond “minimally invasive”.
Tiny Nick in Skin with No Internal Cutting – [18-second video]
Publications – Peer Reviewed
(All articles have been peer reviewed. Abstracts were reviewed by the indicated organization and accepted for publication.)
Nano Endoscopic Approach for Central Lumbar Disc Herniations. The International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery in Boca Raton, FL USA | April 12 – April 14, 2017.
Non-Traumatic Approach Through the Ligamentum Flavum for Extruded Disc Herniations in the Lumbar Spine. 30th Annual Meeting of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, Orlando, FL, March 5-8, 2014.
Successful Unifactorial Treatment of Multifactorial Spinal Stenosis. The Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Annual Meeting. September 2012, Miami, Florida.
“Contrast Disc Analysis and Mapping as a Prelude to Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy.” The 14th Annual International Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. Phoenix, Arizona. May23-27, 2001.
IDET and PED: Benefits of Combination Treatment (Joint Section meeting Feb. 2000).
American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons abstract compilation.
“The Development of Percutaneous Lumbar Endoscopic Microdiscectomy (This Author’s Twelve Year Experience)” The Eleventh Annual International Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. San Antonio, Texas. May 1998
“Endoscopic Transforaminal Percutaneous Discectomy for Recurrent Lumbar Disc Herniation,” The Tenth Annual International Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. Naples, Florida. May 28-31, 1997.
“True Transforaminal Endoscopic Percutaneous Lumbar Discectomy,” The Tenth Annual International Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. Naples, Florida. May 28-31, 1997.
“Non Traumatic Discectomy,” Faculty, International Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. Amsterdam, the Netherlands. May 9, 1996.
“Endoscopic Spinal Surgery,” Invited Faculty (taught seminar), The American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Minneapolis, Minnesota. April 30, 1996. Commended for presenting “the surgery of the future”.
“Endoscopic Transforaminal Disc Removal and Reconfiguration,” Selected by Joint Section of American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons as best paper for publication.
“Percutaneous Transforaminal Non Traumatic Discectomy,” North American Spine Society. Washington, D.C. October 18-21, 1995.
“A New Superior Technique for Removal of Herniated Lumbar Discs,” The Canadian Journal of Neurological Science. Volume 22, Number 2. May 1995.
“A Safer, Effective Alternative to Laminectomy,” Presentation at International College of Surgeons. San Diego, California. April 1, 1995
“A New Technique for Intra and Extra Discal Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Surgery,” Presentation, Annual Symposium and Call for Papers: Techniques in Spinal Surgery. New York City, New York. December, 1994.
“Percutaneous Discectomy in the Older Patient (Improved Results with Nucleotome/Laser Enhancement),” Presentation, Seventh Annual Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. Aberdeen, Scotland. May, 1994.
“New Comprehensive Percutaneous Discectomy Using a Working Channel Scope and Nucleotome,” Presentation, Seventh Annual Intradiscal Therapy Society Meeting. Aberdeen, Scotland. May, 1994.
“Percutaneous Discectomy in the Older Patient,” Presentation, Second Annual Symposium, Techniques in Spinal Surgery. New York, New York. December, 1993.
“Percutaneous Discectomy- Lasers and Fiberoptics,” Continuing Medical Education Lecture, National Scientific Conference, (Westside Hospital). Hawaii. July, 1993.
“Percutaneous Discectomy- Recent Advances,” Continuing Medical Education Lecture, National Scientific Conference, (Westside Hospital). Hawaii. July, 1992.
Back Pain and Alternatives to Back Surgery: Percutaneous Discectomy, Lecture Series, Beverly Hills Medical Center, 1989.
Back Pain and Alternatives to Back Surgery: Percutaneous Discectomy, Lecture Series, Beverly Hills Medical Center, December 1988.
Arachnoiditis, Presentation, Congress of Neurological Surgeons’ Annual Meeting, October 1980, Houston, Texas.
Benign Brain Tumor, National Critical Care Inst. Journal, Vol 5, Number 11, Nov. 1978.
Subdural Hematoma, Chronic, National Critical Care Institute Journal, Volume 5, Number 9, September 1978.
