Karen Acosta

• Provide surgical support for minimally invasive spine and interventional pain procedures in a high-volume outpatient surgery center.
• Prepare sterile instrumentation, implants, biologics, medications, and fluoroscopy equipment.
• Maintain sterile technique while assisting with patient positioning, draping, surgical counts, specimen handling, and operating room turnover.
• Anticipate surgeon needs and assist with advanced spine and pain management procedures.
• Collaborate with physicians, anesthesia providers, nurses, and radiology technologists to ensure safe, efficient patient care.

Procedures Assisted

• Neuromodulation: Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS), Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG), Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS)
• Minimally Invasive Spine: SI Joint Fusion, Kyphoplasty, MILD®, Vertiflex®
• Pain Management: Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), Medial Branch Blocks, SI Joint Injections, Cervical/Thoracic/Lumbar & Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections, Facet Joint Injections, Peripheral Nerve Blocks, Joint Injections, Trigger Point Injections
• Regenerative Medicine: Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

Provided intraoperative support in a high-volume acute care hospital, assisting surgeons across multiple specialties while maintaining strict sterile technique and ensuring efficient operating room workflow.

• Prepared operating rooms and surgical instrumentation, ensuring all instruments, implants, and supplies aligned with surgeon preference cards for optimal procedure readiness.
• Maintained sterile fields and performed surgical counts before, during, and after procedures.
• Prepared operating rooms, surgical instrumentation, implants, and supplies according to surgeon preference cards.
• Anticipated surgeon needs by readily providing instruments, sutures, implants, and specialized equipment, enhancing surgical efficiency.
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary surgical teams, contributing to safe, efficient patient care through effective communication and coordination.
• Spine Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Gynecology
• ENT
• Urology
• Breast Surgery
• Assisted surgeons in preparing and maintaining sterile environments during interventional spine procedures.

Delivered advanced surgical scrub support for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in private practice and hospital operating rooms, including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Dignity Health Northridge Hospital, enhancing surgical efficiency and patient outcomes.

• Assisted with complex oral and maxillofacial, orthognathic, trauma, reconstructive, and facial tumor procedures.
• Assembled specialized plating systems, fixation hardware, bone graft materials, drills, saws, and maxillofacial instrumentation, ensuring readiness for complex procedures.
• Maintained sterile technique throughout lengthy and technically complex procedures.
• Performed surgical counts, medication handling, and specimen management in accordance with hospital standards.
• Adapted to various hospital environments and collaborated with diverse surgical teams, contributing to seamless patient care and procedural success.