Qasim Zaidi, MD, FAAOS
Dr. Qasim Zaidi is a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive techniques and cervical spine care. He treats the full range of neck and back conditions, from disc herniation and spinal stenosis to cervical myelopathy and degenerative disease, and aims to get patients back to their lives with as little disruption as possible.
He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California, followed by a high-volume spine surgery fellowship at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, a hospital devoted to orthopedics and home to one of the busiest spine fellowships in the country. He is board certified in Orthopedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS).
A high-volume fellowship means seeing the same problems many times over, and learning which ones respond to which operation and which get better without one. Most patients he sees in clinic do not need surgery.
When surgery is needed, he recommends the smallest operation that will fix the problem.
Dr. Zaidi performs both minimally invasive and open procedures. Minimally invasive technique offers smaller incisions, less muscle disruption and often a faster early recovery, but it suits some problems better than others. Some anatomy, deformity and revision cases are handled more safely through a traditional open approach, and he will explain which approach suits your problem and why.
His cervical practice is the core of his work: anterior and posterior approaches for radiculopathy, myelopathy, and degenerative cervical disease. He also performs MIS TLIF, tubular discectomy and laminectomy, basivertebral nerve ablation for vertebrogenic low back pain, and image-guided injections, using O-Arm CT-guided navigation, Globus robotic assistance and the ultrasonic bone scalpel.
Training & credentials
- Degree
- MD
- Residency
- Orthopedic Surgery
Loma Linda University Medical Center - Fellowship
- Spine Surgery
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston - Board certification
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Membership
- Fellow, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (FAAOS)
- Teaching
- Helps train the next generation of spine surgeons
- Practice
- Texas Bone and Joint
Fort Worth · Keller · Lewisville
How he approaches a new patient
- Listen
Your history comes first
Where the pain travels, what makes it worse, what you have already tried and what you want to get back to doing. Your imaging is then read alongside that history.
- Confirm
Imaging has to match the symptoms
Nearly every adult spine MRI shows some abnormality, so a finding is treated only when it explains your symptoms. A disc bulge that does not match your pain is left alone.
- Escalate
Nonsurgical care first
Most patients start with physical therapy, activity changes and targeted injections. Surgery is considered when these have had a fair trial, or sooner when signs such as progressive weakness or myelopathy mean that waiting carries its own risk.
- Decide
You should understand your operation
What is being decompressed or fused, why at that level, what the alternatives are and what recovery is likely to look like. Dr. Zaidi goes through all of this with you before you agree to surgery.
Teaching the next generation of spine surgeons
Surgeons in training are expected to ask him to explain each decision, such as the choice of approach, which level to treat and where to stop. Being questioned regularly helps keep his technique sharp.
Dr. Zaidi performs your operation himself. He is present for the entire case and personally responsible for every part of it.
Areas of focus
What patients say
Dr. Zaidi was amazing and I love how he was straight and to the point. There was no messing around with my problem at hand and he was prepared with a game plan for future treatments. I felt heard and respected during our visit.Désirée O. · Google review
Very personable. Very matter of fact. Not aggressive with treatment plan; starts slow in order to try all options to avoid surgery.Kaye M. · Google review
I chose to walk away from a different surgeon and instead have Dr. Zaidi operate on my spine based off of recommendations from friends in the medical field. Every good thing you hear about him is absolutely true.Brent M. · Google review
Verbatim from public Google reviews, shown with first name and last initial. Read more patient reviews →