Ryan Sauber, MD · Pittsburgh
Endoscopic spine surgery in Pittsburgh
Careful evaluation, evidence-based options, and the least invasive approach that actually fits the problem.
An approach focused on what actually helps
Most spine conditions improve without surgery. When surgery is the right answer, the choice of how it's done makes a substantial difference — in recovery, in what's preserved, and in the years afterward.
The focus of my practice is matching each patient to the least invasive approach that actually fits their specific problem — including endoscopic techniques that aren't yet widely performed in the region. For appropriate cases, that often means smaller incisions, no muscle stripping, no fusion, and same-day discharge.
This site exists to support the conversation. Each condition page covers what's happening anatomically, what to expect from conservative care, when surgery is worth considering, and what the surgical options actually look like. The same diagnosis on imaging can have a different right answer for two different people, and a good evaluation starts with sorting out which kind of patient you are.
Conditions I treat
Each page walks through the condition, conservative care, and the full range of surgical options, including the endoscopic alternatives where they apply.
Lumbar disc herniation
Endoscopic discectomy and the natural history of the most common cause of sciatica.
Cervical radiculopathy
Pinched nerve in the neck. Motion-preserving alternatives to fusion.
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Leg pain with walking. Endoscopic decompression, usually without fusion.
Foraminal stenosis
Narrowing where a nerve exits the spine. Often confused with central stenosis.
Sciatica
A symptom, not a diagnosis. How to sort out what's actually causing it.
Recurrent disc herniation
Revision through virgin tissue, avoiding scar from the prior surgery.
Lumbar facet cyst
When injections don't last. Endoscopic resection, typically without fusion.
Far lateral disc herniation
Herniations outside the spinal canal, naturally suited to a lateral approach.
Thoracic disc herniation
A far less invasive alternative to traditional open thoracic surgery.
Spondylolisthesis
When fusion is the right answer, when decompression alone is enough.
What to expect
The same principles run through every evaluation, regardless of the condition.
A clear explanation
What's actually happening in your spine, in plain language, with the imaging in front of us.
Non-surgical care first
When time and structured conservative treatment are the right answer, that's the starting point.
The least invasive approach
When surgery is appropriate, the approach is matched to the problem, including endoscopic options when they fit.
Honest about limits
What's likely to help, what isn't, and what the trade-offs look like over the years ahead.
Office locations
Wexford Health and Wellness Pavilion
12311 Perry Hwy
Wexford, PA 15090
Tuesday, Thursday · 8am–4pm
Montour Sports Complex
12419 State Ave Suite 200
Coraopolis, PA 15108
Friday · 8am–4pm
Ready to talk it through?
Whether you're early in symptoms and trying to figure out next steps, or you've been working through something for a while and want a thoughtful read on your options — that's the conversation an evaluation starts.