Peter B. Derman, MD

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Peter B. Derman, MD

Timely, high-quality, minimally invasive, compassionate spine care.

04/22/2026

Back in the lab! It was privilege to return as faculty for another incredible Ultra-Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Fellowship Forum and witness how quickly endoscopic techniques are gaining momentum.

Teaching the next generation of surgeons isn’t just about sharing a skill — it’s about changing the standard of care for patients everywhere. The future of spine surgery is here, and it’s better (and smaller) than ever!

04/15/2026

Expertise is built one case at a time. I took a trip down memory lane and shared my endoscopic spine surgery origin story with the wider medical community in a recent article.

A key takeaway? I’m never satisfied with the status quo and am proud to be part of a small group of spine nerds who are safely pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve with ultra-minimally invasive techniques. The results speak for themselves.

This approach is designed to shorten the gap between the operating room and the activities that define you. Less time spent “recovering” means more time as an athlete, a parent, or an explorer. 🏄🏻‍♂️

04/08/2026

I’m beyond thrilled to be recognized again by 𝘋 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘦 as a “Best Doctor” in Collin County. Several of my colleagues at Texas Back Institute and I are among a handful of spine surgeons in the region who have been selected for this designation. Personally, I am grateful for and motivated by this award. It reinforces my conviction that minimally invasive philosophies and techniques represent the future of spine surgery. I’ll continue treating every patient like a personal family member and look forward to many years of service to come!

04/01/2026

𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘆 🏖️

Treg’s journey is a testament to what is possible with endoscopic spine surgery. After 2.5 years of debilitating sciatica, he was back to normal 𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 following his endoscopic L5-S1 discectomy.

In Treg’s words:

“I was there for probably a total of 3 hours from prep to walking out the door after back surgery pain free… I walked in there with a pain level of about an 8, and when I woke up, I popped 1 Tylenol and walked right out that door with 0 pain! And no, I was not all drugged up... I never took another pain pill!”

Treg traveled back home to Oklahoma the day after surgery and then hopped on a plane to Florida the following morning… two days after surgery, he was celebrating on a family cruise to the Bahamas! ☀️

It’s an honor to help patients like Treg avoid long recoveries and get right back to enjoying life.

Fun fact: Treg is a member of the legendary Etbauer rodeo family. Yee-haw! 🤠

03/25/2026

Teaching takes many forms, and I’m committed to the full spectrum. This week, I hosted a spine surgeon from Chicago who traveled to Dallas to hone his endoscopic spine surgery skillset. We spent an evening in the lab refining his technical skills and then the next day in the OR, where he observed me in action performing live cases (with patient permission, of course). He returned home equipped with a refined toolkit and the “pearls” necessary to elevate his practice.

Training the next crop of endoscopic specialists isn’t just a side project; it’s how we move the field of spine surgery forward.

03/19/2026

Performing delicate spine surgery through a 7 mm endoscope requires precision and focus. But a week at the beach with family and friends provides perspective. 🌅

Whether it’s splashing in the surf or sunset strolls on the sand, these are the experiences that make life worth living.

As a physician, my goal is always the smallest intervention and fastest recovery — so that families like mine (and yours) don’t miss a moment.

Cheers from Cancun! ☀️ 🏖️

03/11/2026

Why trade Dallas sun for Fargo winter? 🥶

I spent two days in chilly North Dakota this week expanding access to endoscopic spine surgery. This technology is a game-changer, allowing surgeons to treat spinal issues through incisions no larger than a dime.

Adopting this ultra-minimally invasive technique requires deliberate training, which is why I’m committed to supporting my colleagues every step of the way. From leading a hands-on cadaveric lab on Sunday to proctoring one of the surgeons through his first live cases on Tuesday, it was rewarding to see these competencies take root in a new community. 🚀

By investing in the education of surgeons nationwide, we ensure that more patients reap the rewards of this advanced technique.

SURGEONS: Interested in adding endoscopy to your toolkit? Labs, observations, proctoring… I’m happy to help. 👊

PATIENTS: Don’t have an experienced endoscopic surgeon in your area? You could have surgery in Dallas and fly home the very next day! ✈️

Fun fact: Fargo, ND, was originally named Centralia before it was renamed after the founder of Wells Fargo.

03/04/2026

𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. ✨

The “domino effect” of spinal fusions is a real concern. That’s why I prefer endoscopic posterior cervical foraminotomy for alleviating pinched nerves in the neck without the need for fusion or implanted hardware.

If you’re dealing with neck pain with numbness, tingling, pain, and even weakness radiating into your arm, this ultra-minimally invasive technique is often a great way to get back to full activity — fast!

🌎 Patients travel from across the world for this advanced procedure… and then fly home the next day. Want to know if you’re a candidate?

𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀!👇

02/25/2026

😱 𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗥𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸? Read this first. ⬇️

If you see words like “degenerative,” “herniation,” or “severe,” it’s easy to spiral. But here is the truth: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗥𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻.

The data is eye-opening. In people with 𝗭𝗘𝗥𝗢 back pain:

• 64-80% have “abnormal” findings on their lumbar MRI

• Only 36% have completely normal discs

• By age 80, 96% show disc degeneration and 84% have bulging

• Even in healthy 18-22 year olds, 77% have MRI findings

If we treated everything on MRIs, we’d be operating on people who weren’t even hurting!

I don’t treat MRIs; I treat humans. By combining your imaging with a physical exam and your actual symptoms, we find the real culprit — not just the scariest-looking word on a page.

📊 MRIs are helpful. But context is key.

02/18/2026

𝗔𝗻 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀. ⛷️🤸‍♂️

Whether it’s a giant slalom or an endoscopic spine surgery, peak performance starts in the mind. I’ve been using visualization since my days as a Stanford gymnast, and it remains an important tool for my operating room today.

Big thanks to my sons, Noah (8) and Eli (5), for helping me explain the science behind this “pre-game” routine! 🎙️👦👦

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹? 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀! 👇

02/11/2026

🤪 Well, this is different!

Watching “spinal energetics” is certainly entertaining, but I’ll continue providing treatments that are rooted in science. Because your spine deserves more than a “vibe” check.

02/04/2026

Moments like these are exactly why I chose this profession. 😊

There is no greater reward than seeing a patient experience instant relief after surgery — often before they even leave the surgical center. Knowing I can play a part in helping someone reclaim their quality of life so quickly is what keeps me going as a spine surgeon.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁?

Endoscopic posterior cervical foraminotomy and discectomy is my “go to” option for disc herniations in the neck that are located off to the side and pinching the nerves as they exit the spine. In this ultra-minimally invasive procedure, a narrow camera is inserted through a dime-sized incision in the back of the neck and micro-instruments used to clean out bone spurs and/or disc herniations pressing on the nerves.

However, this patient’s more central disc herniation was pushing on his spinal cord too and could therefore not be safely accessed from the back of the neck. While anterior cervical discectomy and fusions (ACDFs) were traditionally employed in these situations, cervical disc replacement is a great motion-preserving option for patients like this.

Ultimately, the goal is always to choose the best treatment for each individual patient. By tailoring care, we can minimize surgery and maximize recovery.

So happy that this patient is already well on his way! 🙌

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Dallas, TX

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https://texasback.com/find-a-physician/name/peter-derman/#biography

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Less is More

“In spine surgery, less is generally more. I tailor my approach to each patient’s symptoms and goals, using the least invasive means to achieve the fastest and most reliable recovery possible.”

Dr. Peter Derman, a minimally invasive and endoscopic spine surgeon at the Texas Back Institute, graduated with honors from Stanford University, where he majored in Biological Sciences. He received his medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and concurrently obtained a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business. Dr. Derman completed his residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and underwent further fellowship training in spine surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Beyond helping patients, Dr. Derman conducts medical research to better medicine for future generations. He enjoys spending his personal time with his wife and son, staying fit, sailing, and brewing craft beer.

Call 972-608-5000 to make an appointment. More information is available at https://texasback.com/find-a-physician/name/peter-derman/.