I’m Urvi Raj, medical journalist. Recently, I visited Synapse Spine Surgeons—a prominent spine-care network in Mumbai—seeking to understand why it is often cited among the Best Spine Surgeons in Mumbai. My mission: to talk to their leading doctors, explore the facility, and compare their approach with peers in India and abroad. What follows is a detailed, balanced view of what patients might expect when considering spine surgery here.
Walking into Synapse Spine’s Vile Parle clinic, I was introduced first to Dr. Nandan Marathe, one of the co-founders and consultant spine surgeons. He described his training across India and abroad, including fellowships in minimally invasive spine surgery. (He features in a “Meet Dr. Nandan Marathe” video about his 12+ years in spine care)
Also present were Dr. Anuj Bhide and Dr. Ajit Mishra, both neurospine surgeons listed among the Synapse roster. These surgeons, I was told, carry out both degenerative and complex spinal surgeries, including disc interventions, fusion, and endoscopic spine procedures.
Their credentials include degrees in orthopaedics or neurosurgery, supplemented by advanced spine fellowships and training in minimally invasive spinal techniques.
Synapse Spine functions across several clinics in Mumbai—Vile Parle (their main centre) as well as branches in Bandra, Borivali, and Virar. Their infrastructure combines outpatient consultation rooms, advanced imaging (MRI/CT), procedural rooms, and access to operating theatres in partner hospitals.
I was taken through their operating support systems: sterile instrument processing, dedicated scrub zones, and high-definition surgical towers for minimally invasive and endoscopic spine approaches. In conversation, the team emphasized their philosophy: manage as many cases nonoperatively as possible, and reserve surgery for patients who truly need it.
The clinic also handles logistical support for outstation patients—coordinating testing, travel, and stay.
One comparable name is Dr. Arvind Kulkarni, a spine surgeon known for minimally invasive and complex spine surgeries in India, his work draws patients nationally. His experience in advanced spinal fusions and deformity surgeries offers a useful point of reference in technique, patient outcomes, and costs.
Internationally, surgeons like Dr. Michael Wang is known for combining robotic spine assistance, navigation systems, and enhanced recovery protocols. Their access to advanced instrumentation, multi-disciplinary teams, and extensive support services (rehab, pain management, imaging) represents what top global centers offer. Comparing such international practices with Synapse helps one appreciate differences in infrastructure, cost, and perioperative support—not necessarily differences in principle, but in scale and resource depth.