By Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, MD
Board-Certified Neurosurgeon, Deuk Spine Institute
Medically reviewed on March 11, 2026
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Individual results may vary. Always consult with your healthcare provider about your specific condition and treatment options.
Key Points
✓ Laser Spine Institute closed abruptly in March 2019, leaving 1,500 patients without care and more than 500 employees without jobs.
✓ Over its 14-year run, the company paid out nearly half a billion dollars in lawsuit settlements related to surgical failures and corporate misconduct.
✓ Not all spine surgery marketed as "laser" actually uses a laser. Patients must ask detailed questions before choosing a provider.
✓ Minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery, when performed by a qualified and experienced surgeon, delivers strong clinical outcomes with low complication rates.
✓ Deuk Spine Institute is the global leader in true laser spine surgery and offers a free MRI review for patients seeking relief from chronic back or neck pain.
✓ Recent peer-reviewed research confirms that endoscopic spine surgery results in fewer complications, faster recovery, and less tissue damage compared to open surgery.
Laser Spine Institute Is Now Closed. Here's Where to Go Instead
In March 2019, Laser Spine Institute made a sudden and shocking announcement: it was closing all of its facilities immediately, effective that same day. For the 1,500 patients currently under its care and the more than 500 employees who showed up for work that morning, the news was devastating. No warning. No transition plan. Just locked doors and a brief statement from the CEO.
If you were a patient of Laser Spine Institute, or if you are currently searching for a minimally invasive spine surgery center and wondering what happened to one of the most well-known names in the industry, this article is for you. We will walk through the rise and fall of Laser Spine Institute, explain the legal issues that led to its closure, address what real laser spine surgery looks like today, and introduce you to the global leader in minimally invasive spine care: Deuk Spine Institute.
What Was Laser Spine Institute?
Laser Spine Institute was founded in 2005 in Tampa, Florida, with an ambitious mission: to offer patients suffering from neck and back pain a minimally invasive alternative to traditional spine surgery. The company launched with three surgeons, nine surgical assistants, and a single operating room, and it quickly attracted significant public attention by marketing itself as a pioneer in laser-assisted spinal procedures.
Within two years, the company had expanded to multiple states, opening facilities in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma. By 2017, Laser Spine Institute was generating approximately $220 million in annual revenue and had treated tens of thousands of patients. Its aggressive advertising campaigns featured glowing patient testimonials and promised fast recoveries with minimal risk, drawing patients from across the country who were desperate to avoid traditional open spine surgery.
On the surface, Laser Spine Institute appeared to represent the future of spine care. Beneath it, however, a pattern of surgical failures, corporate misconduct, and legal liability was quietly building to a breaking point.
Why Did Laser Spine Institute Close? A Timeline of Legal Failures
The collapse of Laser Spine Institute did not happen overnight. It was the product of years of mounting legal problems, questionable business practices, and outcomes that failed to live up to the company's marketing claims.
2013: The Hulk Hogan Lawsuit
One of the most high-profile early warning signs came in 2013, when professional wrestling legend Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, filed a lawsuit against Laser Spine Institute. Hogan alleged that a series of failed spinal surgeries performed at the clinic left him in significantly worse condition than before and cost him $50 million in medical expenses and missed professional engagements. The case drew national media attention and placed the company's surgical outcomes under scrutiny for the first time.
2018: A Wave of Landmark Judgments
In 2018, Laser Spine Institute faced a devastating series of legal rulings. A Florida court issued a $264 million judgment against the company for breach of fiduciary responsibility, conspiracy, defamation, slander, tortious interference, and violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. In a separate case, a Pennsylvania judge ordered the clinic to pay $20 million to the estate of an Ohio patient who had died following a procedure at one of its facilities. The family had filed the lawsuit in 2014, and the court's ruling five years later reflected the severity of the failures involved.
2019: Abrupt Closure
By 2019, the financial math had become unsustainable. Over its 14-year history, Laser Spine Institute had paid out nearly half a billion dollars in legal settlements and judgments, while revenue in its peak year was only around $220 million. On March 6, 2019, CEO Jake Brace released a statement announcing the immediate and permanent closure of all Laser Spine Institute facilities. The announcement sent shockwaves through the spine care community and left thousands of patients scrambling for alternative care.
What Happened to Laser Spine Institute Patients After Closure?
For patients who had already undergone procedures at Laser Spine Institute and were awaiting follow-up care, the sudden closure was not just a logistical inconvenience. It was a medical emergency. Many had received incomplete treatment, were dealing with post-surgical complications, or needed ongoing monitoring that was abruptly cut off.
Patients who had prepaid for upcoming surgeries or consultations found themselves in a difficult position, as the company filed for bankruptcy protection and refunds were uncertain. Former patients were left to find new physicians willing to review their case history and continue their care, often from scratch.
If you are a former Laser Spine Institute patient, the most important step you can take is to seek an evaluation from a qualified, board-certified spine surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive techniques. Deuk Spine Institute has helped many former Laser Spine Institute patients find the relief they were originally seeking, and the team welcomes individuals who need a second opinion or a fresh start with their spine care journey.
The Truth About "Laser" Spine Surgery Marketing
One of the most important lessons from the Laser Spine Institute story is that the word "laser" in a clinic's name or procedure description does not guarantee that a laser is actually being used. In fact, many spine surgery centers that market themselves as laser specialists use conventional surgical tools while borrowing the language of laser therapy for marketing purposes.
This deceptive practice has caused real harm to patients, who may choose a provider based on the promise of cutting-edge laser technology only to receive a conventional procedure at a premium price, without fully informed consent.
Authentic laser spine surgery, such as Deuk Laser Disc Repair®, uses a medical-grade laser in direct combination with endoscopic visualization. This means the surgeon can see exactly what is happening inside the spinal canal while applying precise laser energy to remove herniated material and debride the painful annular tear. This is a fundamentally different and more advanced procedure than what many spine centers deliver under the laser label.
Before agreeing to any procedure marketed as laser spine surgery, patients should ask the following questions: Does this procedure actually use a laser? Is it performed endoscopically? What are the published outcomes for this specific technique? What is the surgeon's complication rate? These are not unreasonable questions. They are essential ones. A transparent surgeon, like Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, will welcome them.
What Current Research Says About Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
The scientific community has continued to study and validate endoscopic and minimally invasive spine surgery techniques. A 2024 review published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine by Burkett and Brooks at the University of Wisconsin concluded that endoscopic spine surgery has robust clinical trial support, can be applied at all levels of the spine, and offers positive societal impact through cost effectiveness over the long term. 1
A 2025 systematic review published in Current Trends and Future Directions in Lumbar Spine Surgery found that minimally invasive surgical approaches yielded significantly lower surgical site infection rates compared to open surgery, with one large analysis of 1,442 patients reporting infection rates of 0.5% in the minimally invasive group versus 3.3% in the open surgery group, a statistically significant difference. 2
A study cited in Becker's Spine Review's roundup of key 2024 spine research found that while endoscopic spine surgery carries higher upfront supply costs for hospitals, it is associated with fewer patient complications compared to open decompression surgery, based on data from 633 open and 195 endoscopic lumbar procedures performed between 2016 and 2022. 3
These findings reinforce what experienced minimally invasive surgeons have long observed in their patients: smaller incisions, less tissue disruption, and targeted laser energy produce better short-term outcomes and lower long-term complication rates than conventional open approaches.
The Benefits of True Laser Spine Surgery
When performed by an experienced and appropriately credentialed surgeon using authentic endoscopic laser techniques, minimally invasive spine surgery offers a substantial list of advantages over traditional open surgery. These include:
- Outpatient procedure with no hospital stay required
- Performed under twilight sedation rather than general anesthesia in most cases
- Incision of less than one quarter of an inch, reducing scarring and infection risk
- Minimal blood loss during the procedure
- Preservation of surrounding bone, muscle, and healthy tissue
- Faster return to daily activities, often within days rather than weeks
- Significantly lower rates of post-surgical complications
- No hardware such as cages, screws, or rods inserted along the spine
- The disc is not removed; instead, it is allowed to heal naturally after the annular tear is debrided
At Deuk Spine Institute, Deuk Laser Disc Repair® has been performed in over 2,700 procedures with a 0.01% complication rate and published outcomes showing 99% pain elimination in properly diagnosed patients at 13-month follow-up. These are not marketing claims. They are documented results available in peer-reviewed abstracts. Hear from one of our patients.
Common Spine Conditions Treated by Laser Spine Surgery
Laser spine surgery is not appropriate for every spine condition, which is why accurate diagnosis is so critical. At Deuk Spine Institute, the evaluation process is designed to identify the precise source of a patient's pain before any surgical recommendation is made. The following are the most common conditions that respond well to minimally invasive laser spine surgery:
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc occurs when the nucleus pulposus, the gel-like inner core of an intervertebral disc, pushes through a tear in the outer wall of the disc called the annulus fibrosus and into the spinal canal. This material can press on surrounding nerve roots and cause significant pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the back, neck, arms, or legs. Herniated discs are the most common cause of discogenic pain and the primary condition treated by Deuk Laser Disc Repair®. The laser removes the herniated material and debrides the painful annular tear, allowing the disc to begin healing naturally. This article goes over the effectiveness endoscopic lumbar spine surgery. 4
Bulging or Slipped Disc
A bulging disc occurs when the outer wall of the disc extends beyond its normal boundary without fully rupturing. While it may not involve as much displaced material as a herniated disc, a bulging disc can still cause significant nerve compression and pain. Symptoms typically include back or neck pain, numbness, tingling, and referred pain in the limbs. In extreme cases, bladder function may be affected. Laser spine surgery can address the underlying disc pathology that is causing these symptoms.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Despite its name, degenerative disc disease is not a disease in the traditional sense but rather a progressive structural breakdown of the intervertebral disc that can occur as part of the natural aging process or following a spinal injury. As the disc loses its structural integrity, annular tears can develop, and nearby nerve fibers become irritated and inflamed. This produces chronic back pain or neck pain (discogenic pain), sciatica, and radiculopathy. Laser spine surgery targets the inflamed annular tear, reducing inflammation and addressing the root cause of the pain.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal canal or neural foramen narrows and places pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This narrowing can happen in any region of the spine. Cervical stenosis affects the neck area; thoracic stenosis affects the mid-back; and lumbar stenosis occurs in the lower back. Common causes include herniated discs, thickened ligaments, and bone overgrowth. Symptoms vary based on location but typically include numbness or tingling, weakness, radicular pain, difficulty walking, and balance problems. In severe cases, bowel or bladder control may be affected. Laser spine surgery can decompress the affected area without the destabilizing effects of open procedures.
Annular Tears and Sciatica
Annular tears form in the outer wall of the intervertebral disc, often as a result of sudden trauma or repetitive stress. These tears allow inflammatory proteins to leak out and irritate nearby nerve roots, causing both local and referred pain. Sciatica, a condition marked by pain that radiates from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg, is frequently caused by nerve irritation from disc herniation or annular tears. Deuk Laser Disc Repair® specifically targets and debrides the annular tear, removing the source of inflammation and allowing the surrounding nerve tissue to recover.
Deuk Spine Institute: The Best Alternative to Laser Spine Institute
When Laser Spine Institute closed its doors in 2019, it left a large gap in the market for patients who needed truly minimally invasive spine care. Deuk Spine Institute, based in Melbourne, Florida, has emerged as the clear global leader in laser spine surgery. Founded by Dr. Ara Deukmedjian, a board-certified neurosurgeon with specialized training in minimally invasive and endoscopic spine procedures, Deuk Spine Institute is the only clinic in the world that performs Deuk Laser Disc Repair.
Unlike many spine surgery centers that use the word laser for marketing purposes, Deuk Spine Institute uses a medical-grade laser in combination with endoscopic visualization in every applicable procedure. This is not cosmetic branding. It is a technical distinction that directly affects patient outcomes.
Dr. Deukmedjian developed the Deuk Laser Disc Repair technique through years of endoscopic surgery, during which he discovered that debriding the posterior annular tear with a laser produced dramatically better pain elimination than techniques that simply removed disc material without addressing the tear. No other spine surgeon performs this specific technique, which is why patients treated at other facilities often continue to experience pain long after their surgery has healed.
What Makes Deuk Spine Institute Different
- Published outcomes: Peer-reviewed data showing 99% pain elimination at 13-month follow-up
- Extremely low complication rate: 0.01% across more than 2,700 documented procedures
- No fusion hardware: No cages, screws, or rods; the spine's natural structure is preserved
- Transparent: Procedures are videotaped and available for patients to review
- Outpatient: Patients walk out the same day, often within an hour of completing the procedure
- Free MRI review: Any patient with an MRI can submit it for a complimentary review by the clinical team
Deuk Spine Institute treats patients from across the United States and internationally. If you are suffering from chronic back or neck pain and have been told that traditional fusion surgery is your only option, it is worth getting a second opinion. Many patients who were scheduled for spinal fusion have gone on to achieve complete pain elimination through Deuk Laser Disc Repair instead.
Get a Free MRI Review from Deuk Spine Institute
You should not have to live with chronic back or neck pain. And you should not have to risk the long-term consequences of traditional open spine surgery if a minimally invasive option exists for your condition. Deuk Spine Institute offers every potential patient a free MRI review performed by the clinical team, so you can understand exactly what is causing your pain and what options are available to you before making any decisions.
To get started, submit your MRI scan online. You can also schedule an in-person appointment at our state-of-the-art facility in Melbourne, Florida. Relief is possible. Let us help you find it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused Laser Spine Institute to close?
Laser Spine Institute closed in March 2019 primarily due to financial insolvency caused by nearly half a billion dollars in lawsuit settlements and legal judgments. These included a $264 million judgment for corporate misconduct and a $20 million ruling in a wrongful death case. With annual revenue of approximately $220 million, the company could not sustain the mounting legal costs and abruptly shut all facilities on March 6, 2019.
Is laser spine surgery safe and effective?
When performed by an experienced, board-certified surgeon using a true endoscopic laser technique, minimally invasive laser spine surgery is both safe and effective. Multiple peer-reviewed studies, including a 2024 review in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, support endoscopic spine surgery's clinical outcomes. At Deuk Spine Institute, Deuk Laser Disc Repair® has a 0.01% complication rate and published outcomes showing 99% pain elimination in properly selected patients. The key is accurate diagnosis, surgeon experience, and use of genuine laser and endoscopic technology.
How is Deuk Laser Disc Repair different from what Laser Spine Institute offered?
Deuk Laser Disc Repair® is the only surgery of its kind in the world. Unlike many procedures marketed as laser spine surgery, it uses an actual medical-grade laser in direct combination with endoscopic visualization to treat the specific source of disc pain: the inflamed posterior annular tear. This technique was developed and is performed exclusively by Dr. Ara Deukmedjian at Deuk Spine Institute. The procedure has been peer-reviewed and published, with outcomes documented across more than 2,700 procedures. Laser Spine Institute, by contrast, faced consistent criticism that its marketed laser techniques did not always reflect what was being performed in the operating room.
Can I still find care if I was a former Laser Spine Institute patient?
Yes. If you were treated at Laser Spine Institute and need ongoing care, a second opinion, or evaluation of a prior surgery's outcome, Deuk Spine Institute can help. The clinical team regularly works with patients who have been treated elsewhere and are still experiencing pain. Submit your MRI for a free review today.
Sources
- Burkett D, Brooks N. Advances and Challenges of Endoscopic Spine Surgery. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024;13(5):1439. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13051439
- Current Trends and Future Directions in Lumbar Spine Surgery. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025;14(10):3390. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/14/10/3390
- 15 Spine Studies to Know in 2024. Becker's Spine Review. 2024. https://www.beckersspine.com/spine/endoscopic-spine-surgery-is-more-expensive-for-hospitals-than-open-procedures-study-shows/
- Advances in Endoscopic Lumbar Spine Surgery. World Neurosurgery. 2025;201:124286. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S152994302500302X