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”.

Back Institute Surgery Staff (2 Neurosurgeons)



 

    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.)

• Precision Posterior Intradiscal Placement For Lumbar Endoscopic Partial Discectomy Procedures. ASRA NOV. 2019 New Orleans, LA
• Paramedian lumbar endoscopic spinal canal fragmentectomies without bone removal – long term follow-up. EANS Sept. 2019 Dublin, Ireland.
• Endoscopic Discectomy and Reconfiguration at L5-S1 – Long Term Follow-up. ISASS 19th Annual Conference, April 2019. Anaheim, California.
• 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.
• Removal of Disc Fragments from the Lumbar Spinal Canal Without Normal Anatomy Disruption. Spine Summit 2016. The 32nd Annual Meeting of the Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, March 2016. Orlando Florida.
• Paramedian, Zero Trauma Approach Through the Ligamentum Flavum for Extruded Disc Herniations in the Lumbar Spine. Contress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, Sep 2015. New Orleans, Louisiana
• Endoscopic Anterior Cervical Discectomy Without Fusion Through a Two Millimeter Opening. The International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery Annual Meeting, May 2014. Orlando Florida.
• 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.
• Book Chapter – Decision Making in Spinal Care – Chapter 61; Copyright 2013 by Thieme
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• Successful Unifactorial Treatment of Multifactorial Spinal Stenosis. The Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Annual Meeting. September 2012, Miami, Florida.
• Multifactorial Lumbar Stenosis Treated Successfully with Primary Factor Treatment Only. The 2012 AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerve Annual Meeting , Mar 2012. Orlando Florida.
• “Lumbar Fusion Candidates” Avoid Fusion: Long Term Follow-up. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2011 Annual Meeting, Oct 2011.
• NON-TRAUMATIC, TRANS-LIGAMENTUM FLAVUM APPROACH FOR L5/S1 EXTRUDED DISC HERNIATIONS. Annual Meeting of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, Feb 2010.
• Double Approach Non-traumatic Lumbar Spine Surgery in Central and Paracentral Lumbar Disc Herniations: No Access Surgical Trauma, Better Results and No Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. IITS 2009, Phoenix
• Treatment of central and paracentral lumbar disc herniations with a transforaminal double access non-traumatic discectomy: safe and with better results. WCMISST June 2008
• 7 cases with previous surgeries and free fragments: 100% success with average of 16 weeks follow-up. IITS 2007 France
• “Lumbar Fusion Candidates” Avoid Fusion (Long Term Follow-up). Minimally Invasive Surgery of the Spine 2007, San Diego
• Book Chapter – Decision Making in Spinal Care – Chapter 63; Copyright 2007 by Thieme
• Non-traumatic Transforaminal Endoscopic Approach to the Lumbar Spinal Canal for Removal of Migrated Free Fragments. IITS 2006, Phoenix
• Outpatient Small Non Traumatic Discectomy In L4/5 Lateral Recess Lumbar Disc Herniations: Successful And Surgically Conservative. 2005 March
• Enhanced Discography (Pre-Operative Mapping) A Prelude to Small Guided Non Traumatic Discectomy. IITS 2005, San Diego
• Double Approach Small Non Traumatic Discectomy in L4/L5 and L5/S1 True Central Disc Herniations: No Access Surgical Trauma, Better Results. CNS 2004 San Francisco
• Paramedian Small Endoscopic L5-S1 Discectomy. CNS 2002 Philadelphia
• Preparative Analysis for Precision Lumbar Endoscopic Disc Surgery. CNS 2001 San Diego, California
• Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: Small, Soft Scope Technique. Spine & Peripheral Nerves Section 2001
• IDET and PED: Benefits of Combination Treatment Los Angeles Metropolitan Hospital. Spine & Peripheral Nerves Section 2000
• Paramedian Percutaneous Non Traumatic Discectomy: New Surgical Technique and Initial Clinical Results. CNS 1998 Seattle, Washington
• “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.
• “Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Discectomy and Reconfiguration: A Postero-lateral Approach Into The Spinal Canal” Surgical Neurology. Volume 49, Number 6. pp.588-598 June 1998.
• “Endoscopic Transforaminal Lumbar Discectomy and Reconfiguration: A Postero-lateral Approach into the Spinal Canal” Surgical Neurology. Volume 49, Number 6. pp.588-598 June 1998.: sciencedirect.com
• “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,” The 12th Annual Meeting of the Joint Section of Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Association of Neurological Surgeons on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. Lake Buena Vista, Florida. February 28 – March 2, 1996.
• “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
• “Comprehensive Percutaneous Endoscopic Spinal Surgery,” Presentation, The American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Orlando, Florida. April, 1995.
• “2.8 mm Endoscopic Comprehensive Percutaneous Lumbar Disc Surgery,” Presentation at International Intradiscal Therapy Society. La Jolla, California. March, 1995. Taught Discectomy Workshop – Faculty – UCSD OrthoMed Facility.
• “A New and Superior Technique for Removal of Herniated Disc: Endoscope and Nucleotome Combination,” Presentation to the Joint Section of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and The Congress of Neurosurgeons. Phoenix, Arizona. February, 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 Over Age Sixty (Nucleotome With Laser Enhancement)” Presentation, Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves (A Joint Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons). Tenth Annual Meeting. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. February, 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.