Dr. Cristian Gragnaniello is a neurosurgeon and author with extensive surgical training across Europe, Australia, and North America, specializing in spine, neurosurgical oncology, pituitary and skull base surgery. He currently holds the position of Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He published 7 books that are now translated in 4 languages and authored about 100 book chapters in the field of neurosurgery with over 50 peer reviewed papers. Dr. Gragnaniello obtained a Ph.D. in Experimental Pathophysiology and Neuroscience and a Master of Surgery in Neurosurgery prior to successfully complete fellowships in Cerebrovascular, Neurosurgical Oncology, Pituitary and Skull Base Neurosurgery as well as Complex Spine Surgery. He is an active reviewer for several medical journals and received the Prose Award by the Association of American Publishers in 2015, the highest distinction for a textbook in clinical medicine.

Gabriel Tender graduated from Craiova Medical School in Craiova, Romania, in 1994. He completed his residency in neurosurgery at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. He is currently Professor of clinical neurosurgery and Program Director for neurosurgery at Louisiana State University. He serves as Director for the Neurotrauma program and the Minimally and Complex Spine program.

Ralph Mobbs is an Australian trained Neurosurgeon with a sub-speciality interest in complex spinal problems and Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

Dr. Remi Nader was co-awarded the Prose Award in 2015 by the Association of American Publishers for his textbook Neurosurgery: Tricks of the Trade, the highest distinction for a textbook in clinical medicine. He has authored nine major textbooks in the field of neurosurgery. He has published more than 100 articles and book chapters in neurosurgery As an affiliate and member of the Faculty of the University of Texas Medical Branch, Dr. Nader trains residents in neurosurgery. Dr. Nader is also a national science advisor for technology companies in spinal surgery and has been called upon as an expert consultant neurosurgeon for various media. Dr. Nader is a board-certified neurosurgeon and award-winning author. Dr. Nader completed his medical studies at McGill University in Montreal. He later followed a general surgery internship in Texas at the University of Texas Medical Branch where he obtained his residency in neurosurgery. He also completed a sub-specialization in skull base surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He also underwent 18 months of training in neurosurgical Oncology at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. During the past few years, he participated in many internships and courses in minimally invasive spinal surgery.

Introduction.- Anatomy, embryology, examination and imaging of the spine.- Surgical anatomy and techniques to the spine.- Instrumentation.- Bone biology and bone substitutes.- Intraoperative neuromonitoring.- Minimally invasive spine surgery.- Degenerative conditions of the spine.- Pediatric spine.- Tumors, infections, inflammatory and vascular lesions of the spine.- Complications of surgery of the spine.- Biomechanics of the spine.- Trauma of the spine. Chronic pain.