Dr. Zeeshan Sardar, MD, MSc, F.R.C.S.C
Co-Chief of Spinal Deformity Surgery • Director, Quality & Patient Safety (QPS) • Medical Director, Spine Unit
Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University • New York, NY
Dr. Zeeshan Sardar is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon and Co-Chief of Spinal Deformity Surgery at the Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City. He serves as Director of Quality and Patient Safety and Medical Director of the Spine Unit at Och Spine Hospital. Dr. Sardar completed three separate spine fellowship training programs: combined orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgery at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center, artificial disc replacement at the Texas Back Institute, and complex spinal deformity under Dr. Lawrence Lenke at Columbia University — one of a small number of surgeons in the United States to hold all three. He specializes in adolescent and adult scoliosis, kyphosis, flatback deformity, revision spine surgery, Harrington rod revision, cervical myelopathy, cervical and lumbar disc replacement, minimally invasive spine surgery, and robotic-assisted spine surgery using the Mazor X Stealth Edition navigation system. He is an active member of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), the North American Spine Society (NASS), AO Spine, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS). Dr. Sardar is an active researcher and has published in international peer-reviewed journals and presented at the Scoliosis Research Society, NASS, and AO Spine Global Spine Congress. He sees patients age 10 and older from across the United States and internationally and offers telemedicine consultations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, California, and Texas.
Dr. Zeeshan Sardar is the Co-Chief of Spinal Deformity Surgery at the Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University — one of the foremost academic spine centers in the United States. He also serves as Director of Quality & Patient Safety and Medical Director of the Spine Unit at Och Spine Hospital, roles that reflect both his clinical leadership and his ongoing commitment to the highest standards of surgical care.
His practice covers the full spectrum of spinal conditions in adults and adolescents age 10 and older — from common cervical and lumbar disorders to the most complex spinal deformity, revision, and reconstruction cases that other surgeons refer out. He is among a small number of spine surgeons in the United States to have completed three separate spine fellowship training programs, giving him a technical range and depth of training that most spine surgeons do not have.
Patients travel to see Dr. Sardar from across the United States and internationally, many after being told their case is too complex, that nothing more can be done, or that surgery carries risks too high to justify. His honest assessment, evidence-based approach, and command of advanced surgical techniques — including robotic-assisted navigation, pedicle subtraction osteotomy, and vertebral column resection — consistently offer options that patients did not know were available to them.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS & TITLES
- Co-Chief, Spinal Deformity Surgery — NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University
- Director, Quality & Patient Safety (QPS) — Och Spine Hospital
- Medical Director, Spine Unit — Och Spine Hospital
- Attending Spine Surgeon — Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian / The Allen Hospital, New York, NY
- Robotic Spine Surgery Specialist — Mazor X Stealth Edition
- Cervical Spine Surgery Specialist — Anterior and Posterior Approaches
- Expert in Cervical and Lumbar Total Disc Replacement
THREE FELLOWSHIP TRAININGS
One of a small number of spine surgeons in the United States to have completed three separate fellowship programs — spanning orthopedic and neurosurgical spine, artificial disc replacement, and complex spinal deformity.
| Fellowship 1 Combined Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Spine Surgery Cedars-Sinai Spine Center, Los Angeles, CA |  |
| Fellowship 2 Artificial Disc Replacement & Motion-Preserving Spine Surgery Texas Back Institute, Plano, TX |  |
| Fellowship 3 Advanced Spinal Deformity Surgery Under the direction of Dr. Lawrence Lenke Columbia University & Och Spine Hospital at NewYork-Presbyterian, New York, NY |  |
AREAS OF CLINICAL EXPERTISE
Spinal Deformity
A complete list of conditions and procedures Dr. Sardar treats is available on the Conditions & Procedures page.
TECHNOLOGY & SURGICAL APPROACH
Dr. Sardar uses the most advanced surgical technology available as standard — not as an option. Every instrumented spinal procedure is performed with the Mazor X Stealth Edition robotic navigation system, with intraoperative CT (O-arm) confirming all implant positions before the case closes. All procedures involving neural structures are monitored with continuous intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM). Major reconstructive procedures use cell salvage to minimize donor blood transfusion.
- Robotic-Assisted Navigation — Mazor X Stealth Edition; preoperative 3D planning on each patient’s anatomy; intraoperative CT verification
- Motion-Preserving Surgery — cervical and lumbar disc replacement, laminoplasty; candidacy evaluated for every appropriate patient
- Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy (PSO) — 30–40 degree sagittal correction for rigid flatback deformity and sagittal imbalance
- Vertebral Column Resection (VCR) — for the most severe angular deformities requiring complete vertebral removal
- Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) — continuous real-time cord and nerve root monitoring throughout every relevant procedure
TRAINING & EDUCATION
| Residency — Orthopedic Surgery McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada Chief Resident |  |
| Doctor of Medicine & Master of Surgery (MD, CM) Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada |  |
| Master of Science — Computer Science McGill University, Montreal, Canada | |
| Bachelor of Engineering — Electrical Engineering McGill University, Montreal, Canada | |
BOARD CERTIFICATION & LICENSURE
| American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) Board Certified — Orthopaedic Surgery |  |
| Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Fellow — Orthopaedic Surgery (F.R.C.S.C) |  |
Licensed to practice in: New York • New Jersey • Connecticut • California • Florida • Missouri • Pennsylvania • Texas
RESEARCH & ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP
Dr. Sardar holds elected and appointed leadership positions across the major international spine societies. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), AO Spine, the North American Spine Society (NASS), the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), and the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS). He serves on the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Deformity Steering Committee and is an active contributor to research and educational programs across all five societies. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and regularly presents at national and international spine meetings. His research directly informs the surgical decisions he makes for his patients.
View research & publications →
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP
- Chair, IMAST Committee — Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) • Current
- Co-Chair, IMAST 2027 Annual Meeting — Copenhagen, Denmark • Appointed
- Co-Chair, SRS Annual Meeting 2029 — Scoliosis Research Society • Appointed
- Co-Chair, Deformity Section — North American Spine Society (NASS) • Current
- Steering Committee Member — AO Spine Knowledge Forum Deformity • Current
- Past Chair, Safety & Value Committee — Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
 Scoliosis Research Society |  North American Spine Society |  AO Spine |  AAOS |  ISASS |
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
Dr. Sardar sees patients from age 10 through adulthood for the full range of spinal conditions — from common cervical and lumbar disorders to the most complex deformity and revision cases. Telemedicine consultations are available in NY, NJ, CT, FL, PA, MO, CA, and TX. Second opinions are always welcome.
This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized medical advice. Please consult a qualified spine specialist to discuss your specific condition.
Last reviewed by Dr. Zeeshan Sardar, MD, MSc, F.R.C.S.C — August 2026.