SAN FRANCISCO – Sutter Health is reshaping how complex spine care is delivered in Northern California by bringing together nationally recognized surgeons, advanced technology and a coordinated multidisciplinary approach. 

Drs. Sigurd Berven, Shane Burch, Aaron Clark and Alekos Theologis, four highly regarded spine surgeons most recently with UCSF, have joined Sutter West Bay Medical Group, part of Sutter Health, to establish the Sutter Advanced Neuroscience & Spine Institute at Sutter’s CPMC in San Francisco. Together, they bring deep expertise in complex spine surgery, adult spinal deformity, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, research, education and quality improvement. 

“We’re very glad to welcome these physicians to Sutter,” said Meredith Hileman, chief executive officer of Sutter West Bay Medical Group. “They bring exceptional expertise, and just as important, they share our vision for building something that can serve patients with the most complex spine conditions. This is about bringing the right people and capabilities together so patients have access to advanced care in one place.” 

Dr. Aaron Clark at Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal Campus hospital trains on the Medtronic Stealth AXiS™ with Autopilot, an FDA-cleared, AI-powered surgical robotic platform that combines pre-surgical planning, 360° optical/EM navigation, and a floor-mounted robotic arm for spine, cranial, and ENT procedures.

The newly formed Institute is being developed to care for patients with complex spinal and neurological conditions. The program will integrate spine surgery with neurosurgery, orthopedics, neurology, rehabilitation and other specialties, creating a coordinated model for patients whose care often crosses multiple areas of medicine. The team will also work alongside Sutter’s existing neuroscience and orthopedic service lines while establishing a dedicated home for advanced spine care. 

“Complex spine care is rarely about one procedure or one specialty,” said Dr. Shane Burch, who will serve as chief of spine surgery at the Institute. “It takes a team with the right blend of expertise working together around the patient and that’s what we’re building at Sutter. We have the opportunity to create a truly innovative program where clinical care, research, education and technology are all connected and inform one another. That’s how breakthrough care happens. It’s what will make this a program a place patients turn to when they need complex spine expertise and treatment they can’t find anywhere else.”  

Together, the physicians bring expertise that spans the full spectrum of complex spine care: 

• Dr. Berven specializes in complex spinal surgery and will help lead work in quality, research and physician education.

• Dr. Burch specializes in spinal deformity, complex cervical spine surgery and will lead the program as its chief of spine surgery.

• Dr. Clark specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery, including advanced robotic and image-guided techniques.

• Dr. Theologis specializes in adult spinal deformity and complex reconstructive spine surgery.

The team is currently caring for patients at Sutter’s Mission Bernal Care Center at 1580 Valencia St., 7th Floor, in San Francisco. Patients will benefit from a coordinated approach that spans diagnosis, treatment planning, surgery, rehabilitation and follow-up care. The program will also create opportunities for physicians and researchers to collaborate across specialties, advance spine research and train the next generation of surgeons. 

The Sutter Advanced Neuroscience & Spine Care Complex at Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal Campus in San Francisco. The complex is slated to open in 2028.

Looking ahead, the program’s long-term home will be Sutter’s state-of-the-art Advanced Neuroscience & Spine Care Complex at Sutter’s CPMC Mission Bernal Campus, a 129,000-square-foot facility scheduled to open in 2028. The nearly $500 million project will bring advanced neuroscience and spine services together under one roof, creating a dedicated hub for patient care, surgery, research, education and innovation. 

“This is the beginning of something we believe can have a much broader impact on spine care and how it’s delivered,” said Dr. Rob Nordgren, chief medical officer for Sutter’s Greater San Francisco and East Bay Division. “We’re excited to welcome these surgeons and create a destination where patients with the most complex spinal conditions can access the specialized care they need.”

Learn more about Sutter’s advanced spine services.