Overview

Ed Benzel Cleveland Spine Review: Hands-On 2026 is a comprehensive course utilizing the cadaver laboratory and didactic sessions with ample time for discussion. This intensive course emphasizes the fundamentals of spine surgery, particularly biomechanical considerations, and the surgery decision-making process.

Through intensive, hands-on sessions utilizing cadavers, participants study surgical techniques and strategies for a range of procedures including occipitocervical, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar fixation techniques. Complex surgical exposures in all regions of the spine are emphasized.

Led by experienced faculty, the course examines the multiple adjuncts to surgery, including soft tissue and bone retractors and distractors, minimally invasive surgical techniques, spinal implants (from multiple vendors), and dissection tools. Non-operative strategies are also emphasized. Significant time is dedicated to operative indication discussions. The problem-based decision-making process is introduced and emphasized during these very interactive discussions.

Upon completion of the Cleveland Spine Review, the participant will be able to:

Utilize problem-based decision-making to develop logical algorithms for solving complex problems.
Employ physiological and surgical principles to spinal fusion and instrumentation.
Apply anatomic and physiologic principles to the variety of surgical approaches available to access all regions of the spine.
Recognize the fundamental skills required to perform the most appropriate operation for any given clinical pathology, and to recognize one’s own limitations in this regard.
Evaluate available instrumentation systems and appreciate the advantages of each, as well as the relative indications for their use.

Target Audience

Neurosurgeons, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Medical Spine Specialists and Advanced Practice Providers

Why Should Non-Surgeons Attend?

Nurses, Advanced Practice Nurses, Physician Assistants, Physiatrists and other medical spine specialists have the unique opportunity to learn side by side, in didactic sessions as well as a cadaver laboratory, with surgeons in a relaxed, collegial atmosphere.

Additionally, a special session for non-surgeons is held prior to the start of the Spine Review on the first day to meet fellow attendees and prepare for the content to be presented throughout the remainder of the course.

A variety of non-surgical breakout sessions and a cadaver dedicated to non-surgeons gives participants a multifaceted learning experience. Social functions complete an extremely memorable course.

These are verbatim comments taken from the evaluation form of past course attendees:

“I have learned so much about management of patients, who to offer surgery to and who not to, how to evaluate spinal conditions, how to order injections”

“Amazingly insightful (and often entertaining) presentations.”

“The presenters were full of information and knowledge. They were not only passionate about their presentation but were willing to stay over to answer questions.”

“Very collegial group that kept the course fun and informative.”

“Practice pearls and cases were excellent. Very solid course from top to bottom.”

“This was well presented and the flow of information was in a way that was easy to comprehend and in a reinforcing manner. Even though I have attended this event before the material was updated and fresh. Excellent group of people with a diverse set of thoughts and opinions.”

5 Reasons Not to Miss the Final Cleveland Spine Review 2026

Appropriate for oral board preparation. Emphasis is given to the fundamentals of spine surgery (especially biomechanical considerations) and the surgery decision-making process, but the week-long program also allows for a deep dive into a rich array of subtopics in spine care with more than 50 lectures and daily case review sessions.
A serious devotion to “hands-on.” The course is true to its name by pairing its didactic lectures with eight dedicated hands-on sessions in the cadaver laboratory.
Ample time for discussion and problem-based learning. Participant questions are highly encouraged throughout all portions of the course, and significant time is dedicated to operative indication discussions.
An extensive faculty from across the nation and the globe. Half of the course’s faculty are from or trained at Cleveland Clinic and the remaining half is from US and internationally renowned universities and medical centers.
This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ANCC Contact Hours, and AAPA Category 1 CME Credits with more than 50 credit hours.

Unique Features of the Course

Interactive Small Group Case Presentations: Participants are encouraged to bring cases for discussion
Collegial atmosphere with ample opportunity to pose questions to the faculty and honored guest one-on-one and during lectures

Course Schedule

The program runs from Wednesday, July 15, through Monday, July 20.
The pre-course non-surgical lectures begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15.
Round-trip transportation from the Hyatt Regency Hotel at the Arcade to Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital will be provided each day.

Edward C. Benzel, MD

Emeritus Chairman of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Benzel is the founder of the Cleveland Spine Review, the longest-running comprehensive spine course in the world. It dates back to 1990 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when it began as a 2-day didactic AANS course. In 1991, the cadaver lab was added to provide a hands-on experience connected to the lectures with the initiation of the lecture-lab-lecture-lab format. Increased interest resulted in the course being extended to four days and then six days in 1995 and 1996 respectively.

A nursing component was added in 1997 and residents were included in 1998. In 2000, the course moved to Cleveland where it has been held every year with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. The Spine Review course expanded internationally starting in 2003 with the Aegean Spine Review in Izmir, Turkey. Subsequent international courses were held in Egypt, Bahrain, Greece, Chile, Pakistan, Colombia, Jamaica and Indonesia through collaboration with the World Spinal Column Society, The Spine Review course has educated more than 3000 spine surgeons and specialists throughout its history.

Edward C. Benzel, MD is Emeritus Chairman of Neurosurgery at Cleveland Clinic (CCF). Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Association of Neurological Surgery, North American Spine Society (NASS), World Spinal Column Society, and Cervical Spine Research Society.

Dr. Benzel is one of the founding members of the Lumbar Spine Research Society, formed in 2007. He was the first Chairman of the World Spine Society, which in 2009 was re-organized and restructured as The World Spinal Column Society.

He has authored 10 textbooks, edited 27 texts, contributed to over 425 book chapters, over 400 peer reviewed articles and holds 17 patents. His seminal texts include Biomechanics of Spine Stabilization (1st, 2nd & 3rd Editions) and Benzel’s Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complications, Avoidance and Management (1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th & 5th Editions).

Dr. Benzel is the recipient of numerous honors over the years from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Journal of Neurosurgery, the Society of Neurological Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons and the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association.