Dr. Puneet Girdhar

Medical Degrees

• MBBS — Punjab University, Chandigarh · 1998
• MS (Orthopaedics) — Baba Farid University of Health Sciences · 2003
• MCh (Orthopaedics) — Post-MS super-speciality training

Fellowships & Special Training

• Spine Fellowship — Mr. Sashin Ahuja, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom
• Clinical & Bioskills Training — MITLIF (Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion) with Dr. Mun Wai Yue, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
• Articular Surface Arthroplasty Fellowship — Dr. Thomas Seibel, Knappschafts Krankenhaus, Puttlingen, Germany
• AO Trauma Fellowship — Dr. Wade Smith, Denver Health, Colorado, USA

Certifications & Accreditations

• AO Alumni — Switzerland
• Member — AO Spine International
• Member — Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI)
• Member — Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOA)
• Pioneer — Integrated Advanced Robotic Navigation Assisted Precision Spine Surgery (India)

Major Conditions Treated

• Disc Herniation — Cervical and lumbar (endoscopic and microscopic keyhole surgeries)
• Spinal Stenosis — Cervical and lumbar (decompression with minimally invasive approaches)
• Spondylolisthesis — Degenerative and isthmic
• Spinal Deformities — Scoliosis and kyphosis correction with multimodal neuro-monitoring
• Spinal Fractures — Minimally invasive kyphoplasty and keyhole stabilisation
• Spinal Tumours — Multidisciplinary management
• Failed Back Surgery Syndrome — Complex revision procedures
• Spinal Infections — Tuberculosis of the spine, pyogenic discitis

Sub-Specialties

• Robotic Navigation Spine Surgery: Pioneer of Integrated Advanced Robotic Navigation Assisted Precision Spine Surgery in India — has performed over 400 robotic spine surgeries for enhanced screw placement accuracy and deformity correction.
• Minimal Invasive Cervical Spine Surgery: Expert in endoscopic and microscopic keyhole approaches for cervical disc herniation and stenosis — reducing post-operative pain and enabling faster recovery.
• Spinal Deformity Correction with Neuro-monitoring: Uses multimodal intraoperative neuro-monitoring for all deformity correction surgeries to protect the spinal cord in real time.
• Pain Management Procedures: Expert in nerve root blocks, facet injections, and radiofrequency ablation for patients who are candidates for non-surgical spine pain management.

Advanced Procedures & Treatments

• Robotic Navigation Guided Precision Spine Surgery
• Endoscopic and microscopic spine surgery (keyhole techniques)
• Cervical and lumbar disc replacement
• Minimal invasive spinal fusion (MITLIF, MIDLIF)
• Spinal deformity correction with multimodal neuro-monitoring
• Kyphoplasty for spinal fractures
• Microdiscectomy (cervical and lumbar)
• Anterior and posterior cervical decompression and instrumentation
• Multidisciplinary management of spinal tumours
• Nerve root blocks, facet injections, radiofrequency ablation

Current Affiliation

Principal Director & Chief — Robotic and Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery, BLK-Max Institute for Bone, Joint Replacement, Orthopaedics Spine & Sports Medicine | BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi | Current

Past Experience

• Director — Centre for Orthopaedics Spine Surgery, Institute for Bone, Joint Replacement, Orthopaedics Spine & Sports Medicine | BLK Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi | Earlier tenure

Academic & Research Roles

• Faculty — Minimal Invasive Spinal Surgery Workshops and Cadaveric training programmes in India and abroad
• Invited speaker — State, National, and International Spine Conferences and CME programmes
• AO Spine International — Active member; participates in education and training initiatives
• Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI) — Active member

Key Achievements

• Pioneer of Integrated Advanced Robotic Navigation Assisted Precision Spine Surgery in India
• Over 15,000 successful spinal surgeries across 25+ years of practice
• 400+ robotic spine surgeries performed
• Fellowships in the UK, Singapore, Germany, and USA — comprehensive international training
• Active faculty at national and international minimal invasive spine surgery workshops
• MCh (Orthopaedics) — super-speciality qualification in orthopaedic surgery

National & International Awards

• Multiple awards during training programmes in India and abroad (specific details not publicly listed)
• Recognised as one of India's top 10 robotic spine surgeons by multiple medical platforms

Professional Memberships

• AO Spine International
• AO Alumni — Switzerland
• Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI)
• Indian Orthopaedic Association (IOA)

Published Papers (Selected)

Dr. Girdhar has contributed to spine surgery literature through his participation in clinical research and his active role as faculty at national and international workshops. Specific indexed publications available through institutional records. Full details available on request through Cancer Rounds.

Ongoing Research & Clinical Interests

• Robotic spine surgery outcomes — accuracy and clinical benefit over conventional fluoroscopy-guided surgery
• Minimal invasive spine surgery outcomes in degenerative lumbar disease
• Multimodal neuro-monitoring in spinal deformity correction
• Pain management — radiofrequency ablation for chronic axial back pain

Case 01 — Robotic Navigation Spine Surgery for Complex Multi-Level Spondylolisthesis: A patient with multi-level spondylolisthesis requiring posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation underwent robotic navigation-guided surgery at BLK-Max New Delhi. Robotic guidance achieved sub-millimetre accuracy in pedicle screw placement across all levels — reducing radiation exposure, improving accuracy, and enabling faster post-operative mobilisation compared to conventional fluoroscopy-guided approaches.

Case 02 — Endoscopic Cervical Keyhole Surgery for Disc Herniation: A patient with cervical disc herniation causing severe radiculopathy and myelopathy — who had been declined surgery at another centre due to the risk profile of open surgery — underwent endoscopic minimally invasive keyhole cervical discectomy at BLK-Max under Dr. Girdhar. The patient experienced complete symptom resolution within weeks, with a shorter hospital stay and faster return to work than conventional open cervical surgery.

• Pioneer's Expertise: Patients value Dr. Girdhar's position as India's pioneer in integrated robotic navigation spine surgery — a distinction that gives confidence in complex and high-risk cases.
• International Training: Fellowships in the UK, Singapore, Germany, and USA are cited by patients as evidence of training at the highest international standards.
• Minimally Invasive First: Praised for choosing the least invasive approach appropriate for each case — avoiding major open surgery wherever minimally invasive options are feasible.
• Versatile & Patient-Centric: Described as versatile in managing both surgical and non-surgical spine conditions — offering pain management procedures as alternatives to surgery for appropriate patients.

Patient-Centred Care

Dr. Girdhar's approach is built on a commitment to choosing the most appropriate treatment for each patient — surgical or non-surgical — rather than defaulting to surgery. He is well-versed in pain management techniques (nerve root blocks, facet injections, radiofrequency ablation) for patients who may benefit from non-surgical intervention, and reserves surgery for those who genuinely need it. He conducts thorough pre-operative counselling, explaining surgical options, expected outcomes, and recovery timelines in clear, accessible language before any procedure.

Technology & Innovation

Dr. Girdhar is India's pioneer of Integrated Advanced Robotic Navigation Assisted Precision Spine Surgery — having performed over 400 robotic spine surgeries with navigation systems that provide real-time confirmation of screw trajectory accuracy to within fractions of a millimetre. He performs endoscopic and microscopic keyhole surgeries for cervical and lumbar spine conditions, significantly reducing post-operative pain, blood loss, and hospital stay. Multimodal intraoperative neuro-monitoring is used for all deformity correction surgeries to protect the spinal cord throughout the procedure.

* Indicative estimates only. Actual costs subject to hospital pricing and case complexity. Contact Cancer Rounds for a personalised quote.

Language Support

Dr. Girdhar is fluent in English and Hindi. Cancer Rounds provides professional medical interpretation in Arabic, French, Russian, and other languages on request.

Visa & Travel Assistance

Cancer Rounds provides medical visa invitation letters, airport transfers, and local accommodation coordination for international patients seeking treatment from Dr. Puneet Girdhar at BLK-Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi.

Virtual Consultations

Virtual pre-travel consultations are available through Cancer Rounds for review of MRI/CT imaging and clinical records before arrival in New Delhi for minimally invasive or robotic spine surgery evaluation.

1. Q: What advanced technologies does Dr. Puneet Girdhar use in spine surgery?

   A: Dr. Girdhar uses Integrated Advanced Robotic Navigation Assisted Precision Spine Surgery (400+ procedures), endoscopic and microscopic keyhole techniques for cervical and lumbar spine conditions, multimodal intraoperative neuro-monitoring for deformity correction, kyphoplasty for spinal fractures, and nerve root blocks, facet injections, and radiofrequency ablation for non-surgical pain management.

2. Q: What conditions does Dr. Puneet Girdhar specialise in treating?

   A: Dr. Girdhar specialises in cervical and lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, spinal deformities, spinal fractures, spinal tumours, failed back surgery syndrome, and spinal infections. He treats both surgical and non-surgical spine conditions.

3. Q: How do I book an appointment with Dr. Puneet Girdhar?

   A: Appointments can be booked directly through the Cancer Rounds website or by contacting their international patient department for priority scheduling.

4. Q: Can international patients receive treatment from Dr. Puneet Girdhar?

   A: Yes. Cancer Rounds provides full assistance for international patients seeking treatment from Dr. Puneet Girdhar, including medical visa invitation letters, airport transfers, and local accommodation coordination in New Delhi.

5. Q: What support is available for international patients?

   A: International patients benefit from a dedicated concierge service provided by Cancer Rounds, including language interpretation, financial counselling, and pre-travel virtual consultations to review medical records before arrival.

6. Q: Does Dr. Puneet Girdhar offer second opinions for spine surgery cases?

   A: Yes. Virtual second opinion consultations can be arranged via Cancer Rounds — particularly for patients with disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or deformity who want to explore minimally invasive or robotic surgery options before committing to open surgery.