Advancing Spine Surgery Through Evidence-Based Research
Dr. Basques has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds NIH funding. His research focuses on improving spine surgery outcomes through minimally invasive techniques, robotic technology, and motion-preserving approaches.
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Peer-Reviewed Publications
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Research Funding
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Active Research Areas
Research Interests
Dr. Basques' research program spans six core areas, each aimed at making spine surgery safer, less invasive, and more effective for patients across New England.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Outcomes
Investigating patient-reported outcomes, return-to-work timelines, and complication rates comparing MIS techniques to traditional open approaches. Current projects include a multi-center registry tracking endoscopic microdiscectomy outcomes across New England centers and a prospective study on MIS TLIF versus open TLIF for degenerative spondylolisthesis.
Robotic-Assisted Spine Surgery
Evaluating the accuracy, efficiency, and clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted pedicle screw placement using the Mazor X system. Research includes radiation exposure comparisons, learning curve analysis for surgical trainees, and cost-effectiveness modeling for robotic versus freehand techniques in lumbar fusion procedures.
Motion Preservation & Disc Replacement
Long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of cervical and lumbar disc replacement compared to fusion. Studies examine adjacent segment degeneration rates, re-operation risk, range of motion preservation, and patient satisfaction metrics at 5-year and 10-year follow-up intervals. Active enrollment in FDA investigational device exemption trials for next-generation disc replacement implants.
Healthcare Disparities in Spine Surgery
NIH-funded research examining socioeconomic, racial, and geographic disparities in access to spine surgery. Projects analyze national administrative databases to identify barriers to care for underserved populations and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing time-to-surgery for patients from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Big Data & Administrative Database Analysis
Leveraging large-scale databases including the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), National Inpatient Sample (NIS), and PearlDiver to answer clinically meaningful questions about spine surgery safety, trends, and outcomes at the population level. Current work focuses on venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, surgical site infection risk factors, and same-day discharge feasibility.
Spine Surgical Education & Simulation
Developing and validating simulation-based training curricula for orthopaedic surgery residents and spine fellows at Brown University. Research evaluates the transferability of simulated endoscopic and robotic surgical skills to the operating room and establishes competency benchmarks for advanced MIS techniques.
Selected Publications
Representative peer-reviewed articles. Full publication list available on PubMed and Google Scholar.
Endoscopic Versus Open Lumbar Microdiscectomy: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of Early Outcomes
Basques BA, et al. — The Spine Journal, 2024
Demonstrated equivalent outcomes with reduced length of stay and less post-operative narcotic use for endoscopic approach.
Robotic-Assisted Versus Freehand Pedicle Screw Placement in Lumbar Fusion: Accuracy and Radiation Exposure
Basques BA, et al. — Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), 2024
Found significantly higher screw accuracy (98.2% vs 91.7%) and 78% reduction in intraoperative radiation with robotic assistance.
Cervical Disc Replacement Versus ACDF: Five-Year Reoperation Rates in a Large National Database
Basques BA, et al. — Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR), 2023
CDR associated with 44% lower 5-year reoperation rate compared to ACDF for single-level cervical radiculopathy.
Racial Disparities in Time to Surgery for Patients with Degenerative Lumbar Conditions: A NSQIP Analysis
Basques BA, et al. — Spine, 2023
Identified significant delays in surgical care for Black and Hispanic patients, informing targeted interventions at Brown-affiliated hospitals.
MIS TLIF Versus Open TLIF for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Basques BA, et al. — Neurosurgery, 2023
Meta-analysis of 24 studies confirmed MIS TLIF reduces blood loss by 45%, hospital stay by 1.8 days, and wound complications by 62%.
Learning Curve for Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: Analysis of First 100 Cases at an Academic Center
Basques BA, et al. — European Spine Journal, 2022
Established that surgical proficiency plateaus after approximately 25-30 cases, with complication rates comparable to open surgery throughout.
Same-Day Discharge After One- and Two-Level Lumbar Fusion: Analysis of NSQIP 2015-2021
Basques BA, et al. — Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, 2022
Found no increase in 30-day complications for same-day discharge patients after careful patient selection, supporting outpatient fusion feasibility.
Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Spine Surgery: Current Evidence and Practice Patterns
Basques BA, et al. — Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), 2021
Comprehensive review establishing evidence-based VTE prophylaxis protocols adopted at University Orthopedics.
Grants & Funding
Competitive research funding from national organizations to advance spine surgery science.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
R01 Research Project Grant
Healthcare disparities in access to elective spine surgery among underserved populations in New England
North American Spine Society (NASS)
Young Investigator Research Grant
Prospective randomized trial comparing endoscopic versus open microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF)
Career Development Grant
Robotic-assisted spine surgery outcomes and cost-effectiveness analysis across multiple academic centers
Brown University
Institutional Seed Grant
Simulation-based training curriculum for MIS spine surgery residents and fellows
National Committee Leadership
Dr. Basques contributes to shaping spine surgery standards and research direction at the national level.
NASS Clinical Practice Guideline Committee
Develops evidence-based clinical practice guidelines used by spine surgeons across North America to standardize and improve patient care.
NASS Research Funding Committee
Reviews and selects research proposals for NASS grant funding, helping direct resources toward the most impactful spine surgery investigations.
NASS Annual Meeting Program Committee
Evaluates and selects scientific abstracts for presentation at the NASS Annual Meeting, the largest spine conference in the world.
Interested in Clinical Trials?
Dr. Basques is actively enrolling patients in several clinical trials investigating next-generation spine surgery technologies, including FDA IDE trials for cervical and lumbar disc replacement devices. To learn more about current enrollment opportunities, please contact our research team.