Dr. Todd Lanman - Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery

04/01/2026

As an instructor at ADR masterclass in Amsterdam, Dr. Lanman and his colleagues discussed the potential for correcting spinal deformities with Artificial Disc Replacement.

It’s possible to correct, they concluded, but there’s still a realistic limit to patient safety. Patients with degenerative scoliosis up to about 20º can achieve promising results with multi-level ADR.

This 57-year-old patient is a prime example: She came to Dr. Lanman with severe back pain and degenerative discs. She had a flat back with discs collapsed, creating bone-on-bone interaction in her spine.

Using a standing X-ray, Dr. Lanman was able to understand her anatomy and determine the best treatment strategy. He replaced her collapsed lumbar discs with three artificial ones to restore the natural curve of her back.

The final outcome was a much straighter back than before, zero pain, and a new gratitude for this life-changing surgery.

03/30/2026

Dr. Todd Lanman brings unparalleled credibility to spine surgery as both a pioneering researcher and a patient advocate. A member of the Cedars-Sinai Institute of Spinal Disorders with over 10 peer-reviewed publications, he was a principal investigator on multiple FDA clinical trials and co-authored the landmark 24-month study showing 81.4% success rates for two-level cervical ADR versus 69.4% for fusion. This research is reshaping how the medical community approaches spine treatment. His creation of the national ADR Top Doctors in Arthroplasty program reflects his mission to elevate surgical standards.

What sets Dr. Lanman apart is his personal understanding of spine surgery, having undergone eleven procedures with four artificial discs himself. This unique perspective, combined with 25+ years of treating A-list talent and top executives, drives his 4D Health™ philosophy of preserving active lifestyles rather than simply managing pain.

He serves patients in the Los Angeles area at his Beverly Hills practice.

03/27/2026

A 47-year-old woman from Nashville had a freak accident with a Murphy bed that caused a small neck fracture.

Surgeons fixed five levels of her cervical spine—C4 through T2, fusing three levels. She left the hospital unable to turn her head, living with chronic pain and constant headaches.

Eight weeks later, she reached out asking one question: "Can this be reversed?"

The answer was yes-but only because we caught it early. The bone graft hadn't solidified yet, and her facet joints were still healthy.

What we did: Removed the fusion hardware from the back, placed artificial discs at two levels, and fused only the one level that actually required it.

The result: Motion and function restored in the neck.
Pain eliminated.

Not every fusion can be reversed-but when the window exists, motion preservation changes lives.

03/19/2026

The recent FDA approval of the Synergy Disc® for single-level cervical disc replacement represents a meaningful advancement in motion-preserving spine surgery.

Dr. Lanman served as a principal investigator in the U.S. IDE trial supporting this approval and will be presenting the clinical outcomes at ISASS 2026 in Miami.

Further data and insights from this study will continue to inform the evolving role of cervical disc arthroplasty in appropriately selected patients.

Read the full announcement: https://synergyspinesolutions.com/synergy-spine-solutions-receives-fda-approval-for-its-synergy-disc-expanding-cervical-disc-replacement-options-for-u-s-patients/

03/04/2026

When tingling turned into weakness throughout his left arm and shoulder, actor David Fumero knew he needed answers.

Dr. Lanman identified David as the perfect ADR candidate. Degenerative disc disease with healthy spinal joints meant motion-preserving surgery could restore his strength while keeping him active.

ADR kept David working, active, and living his life without missing a beat.

02/26/2026

Dr. Lanman has some opinions about lumbar spinal stenosis. This narrowing of the spinal canal, caused by age, ligament thickening, or the development of bone spurs, can be treated in several ways. Conservative treatments include physical therapy and epidural spinal injections to help decompress the spine and relieve pain. Still, for severe cases, Dr. Lanman believes that surgery early on may be the best choice.

Undergoing surgery before you’re in unbearable pain allows you to stay functional. Don’t give it time to get worse. It’s a safe, “mini” open surgery performed in an outpatient setting that relieves the stenosis and gives your nerves the space they need. For the right patients, it can eliminate the frustrations caused by failed conservative options and provide lasting relief.

02/14/2026

Scoliosis and Bone-on-Bone Collapse Don't Always Mean Fusion

A 57-year-old woman flew from Florida to Beverly Hills with severe back pain radiating into both legs. Three collapsed discs. 17° scoliosis. Bone-on-bone contact.

Other surgeons told her: "You need fusion."

But scoliosis under 20° and collapsed discs aren't contraindications for artificial disc replacement—they're barriers built from outdated thinking.

What we did: Three-level artificial disc replacement (ADR) at L2-3, L3-4, L4-5

The results: Curve corrected to 10°. Lordosis restored. Zero pain.

A few weeks after surgery, the woman called me in tears—not from pain, but from gratitude. She was back to her active life, moving without limitation.

Motion preservation doesn't need perfect alignment. As the imaging shows, carefully planned ADR can correct curvature, restore disc height, and give patients their lives back.

01/22/2026

12 hours. 10 discs. 3 patients. 1 extraordinary day.

Yesterday, Drs. Todd H. Lanman and Joel Beckett demonstrated what’s possible when experience, precision, and motion-preserving spine surgery align.

Behind the numbers are real people and real outcomes.

A 39-year-old trial attorney who had exhausted physical therapy, injections, pain management, massage, and acupuncture found relief through a three-level lumbar disc replacement—restoring motion and relieving back and leg pain.

A 67-year-old physician living with persistent neck and arm pain underwent four cervical disc replacements, addressing her symptoms while preserving flexibility in her neck.

The most complex case involved a 66-year-old woman with prior spine surgery and years of severe back and leg pain. A hybrid procedure—fusion at L5–S1 with disc replacements from L2–L5—was performed to correct her spine and help her reclaim her life.

This was not about numbers alone. It was about careful patient selection, disciplined technique, and respect for motion at every spinal level.

Three lives improved. One remarkable day.

01/19/2026

01/19/2026

Rooting for the Hoosiers all the way! So grateful to a patient from my home state of Indiana for this thoughtful gift.

01/06/2026

01/06/2026