USF Health faculty share ongoing clinical research, patient outcomes, and the expanding role of non-surgical spinal decompression within academic medicine.

ORLANDO, FL, UNITED STATES, July 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Faculty from the University of South Florida (USF Health) Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine joined healthcare professionals from across the country at FCA National to present the latest clinical research, patient outcomes, and academic initiatives involving the DRX9000^® Lumbar and DRX9000C^® Cervical Spinal Decompression Systems, highlighting the growing collaboration between academic medicine, neurosurgery, chiropractic, rehabilitation science, and medical engineering.

The presentations featured Dr. Susan Welsh, Director of the Chiropractic Division within the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine at USF Health; Dr. Nathan Schilaty, Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine, Lincoln Endowed Chair in Chiropractic and Biomechanics Research, and Director of the Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Research; Dr. Harry van Loveren, Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Director of the USF Health Neuroscience Institute, and Genshaft-Greenbaum Endowed Chair; and Saleem Musallam, Founder and CEO of Excite Medical.

Together, the presenters shared new clinical findings, published outcomes, ongoing university research, and the expanding role of non-surgical spinal decompression within an integrated academic medical environment.

A Five-Year Partnership Transforming Spine Care: During his featured presentation, Dr. Harry van Loveren reviewed the five-year partnership between the Florida Chiropractic Association and the University of South Florida, describing the department's mission to determine and demonstrate the role of chiropractic treatment and research within an allopathic medical school and, specifically, within a department of neurosurgery.

Dr. van Loveren highlighted the success of integrating chiropractic physicians into the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine, including exceptional patient satisfaction, reduced wait times for neurosurgical consultation, improved operational efficiency, increased visibility of the program, and continued expansion of multidisciplinary research. He emphasized the department's commitment to a data-driven model of integrated spine care that brings together neurosurgeons, chiropractic physicians, rehabilitation specialists, researchers, and engineers.

A Unique Academic Model: While many universities conduct research involving conservative spine care, USF Health has developed a unique model that integrates both clinical patient care and university research within its Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine.
The DRX9000^® Lumbar and DRX9000C^® Cervical Spinal Decompression Systems play an important role in both.

Within the department's clinical practice, Dr. Susan Welsh utilizes both systems as part of comprehensive conservative treatment programs for appropriately selected patients suffering from lumbar and cervical spine disorders. Many of these patients have previously exhausted traditional conservative treatment options and may otherwise have been referred for surgical consultation.

At the same time, USF Health owns and operates multiple DRX9000 lumbar and cervical systems that support both patient care and one of the nation's most comprehensive university-based research programs investigating non-surgical spinal decompression.

This integration of patient care and scientific investigation provides a unique opportunity to evaluate objective clinical outcomes while continuing to expand the scientific understanding of conservative spine care.

Continuing to Advance the Science: Dr. Nathan Schilaty and the Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Research continue to lead multiple investigations evaluating non-surgical spinal decompression using objective outcome measures rarely incorporated into conservative spine research.
Current research includes:

-Advanced MRI imaging
-Functional MRI analysis
-Artificial intelligence-assisted image analysis
-Biomechanical evaluation
-H-reflex neurological testing
-Markerless motion capture
-Muscle morphology analysis
-Patient-reported outcome measures
-Functional recovery assessments

Among the department's ongoing investigations is the RESTORE Trial (Research on Effectiveness of Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy and Outcomes with Radiographic Evaluation), a prospective, randomized clinical trial utilizing the DRX9000 systems to better understand which patients may benefit from non-surgical spinal decompression.

Researchers are evaluating not only pain reduction, but also objective physiological changes using advanced imaging, biomechanics, neurological testing, functional movement analysis, and artificial intelligence-assisted MRI analysis.

The research program also includes Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, Florida High Tech Corridor, and industry-supported projects spanning lumbar spinal decompression, cervical decompression, biomechanics, and imaging science.

Recognizing Excellence in Patient Care: In addition to her clinical leadership, Dr. Susan Welsh continues to receive national recognition for excellence in patient care and chiropractic leadership.

She has earned the Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Award for 32 consecutive quarters, representing eight consecutive years of exceptional patient satisfaction. She has also been recognized as Florida Chiropractic Association Chiropractor of the Year and Palmer College Woman Chiropractor of the Year, honors recognizing her longstanding contributions to chiropractic education, clinical excellence, and patient care.

Her leadership has helped establish a nationally recognized collaborative model in which chiropractic physicians work alongside neurosurgeons, researchers, rehabilitation specialists, and engineers to provide comprehensive, evidence-informed spine care.

Collaboration Driving Innovation: According to Saleem Musallam, a Johns Hopkins-trained biomedical systems engineer, partnerships between academia and industry remain essential for advancing patient care.

"Meaningful innovation happens when clinicians, researchers, engineers, and industry work together to answer important clinical questions. Seeing the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine at USF Health utilize both the DRX9000 Lumbar and DRX9000C Cervical Systems for patient care and university research is incredibly rewarding because it helps generate the scientific evidence needed to advance conservative spine care."

As an industry research partner with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Excite Medical collaborates with faculty investigators to support ongoing research into non-surgical spinal decompression while maintaining the complete independence of university researchers to design, conduct, analyze, and publish their findings. USF Health has publicly recognized Excite Medical as an industry partner supporting the expansion of patient care and research through the donation and use of the DRX9000 and DRX9000C systems.

Looking Forward: As demand continues to grow for evidence-informed conservative treatment options, the presentations delivered at FCA National demonstrated the expanding collaboration between neurosurgery, chiropractic, rehabilitation science, biomechanics, medical engineering, and academic research.

By combining clinical care with rigorous scientific investigation, the USF Health Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine continues to advance the understanding of non-surgical spinal decompression while establishing a model of integrated spine care that is attracting national attention. Dr. van Loveren's presentation also highlighted growing interest from other academic medical centers in studying and adapting elements of USF's collaborative model.

About the USF Health Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine:
The USF Health Department of Neurosurgery, Brain and Spine is a nationally recognized academic department within the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine dedicated to advancing patient care, education, and research in disorders of the brain and spine. Through collaboration among neurosurgeons, chiropractic physicians, rehabilitation specialists, engineers, and researchers, the department continues developing innovative approaches that improve outcomes for patients with complex spinal disorders.

About Excite Medical:
Excite Medical is a leading developer of non-surgical spinal decompression technologies used by healthcare providers throughout the United States and in more than 60 countries worldwide. The company serves as an industry research partner with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, supporting collaborative research that advances the scientific understanding of conservative spine care while respecting the independence of university investigators. Its DRX9000^® Lumbar and DRX9000C^® Cervical Spinal Decompression Systems are utilized in private practices, hospitals, and university research programs and continue to support ongoing clinical investigations into non-surgical spinal decompression.

Abby Pichman
Excite Medical
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