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Brett Rocos

Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
Box 3077, Durham, NC 27710
200 Trent Drive 5th Floor, Orange Zone Room 5316, Durham, NC 27710
Office hours 0900- 1700 Monday- Friday  

Overview


I joined the team at Duke University Health from London, UK, where I was a Consultant Adult and Paediatric Spine Surgeon at Barts Health NHS Trust and Honorary Consultant Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. I completed my surgical training in in the South West of the UK and at the University of Toronto, and am fellowship trained in adult spine surgery, paediatric spine surgery, orthopaedic trauma surgery, research and healthcare management.

I am driven to support patients at every stage of their care, from clinic assessment, through surgery to discharge. Making sure that every person, adult, child, family or friend understands what’s wrong, helping them to choose the right treatment for them, and what the recovery will be like is an important priority.

My research activity focusses on finding effective new treatments for spinal disorders and bringing them to patients. Focusing on spinal deformity, I have led investigations in the UK, Canada and the USA, and I sit on the Global AO Knowledge Forum for Deformity and the Research Grants Committee at the Scoliosis Research Society. I have lectured in North America and Europe about the treatment of spine disorders for the Scoliosis Research Society, Global Spine Congress, AO Spine and Eurospine, and I have worked hard to produce research that improves the care for spine patients wherever they live. Lastly, I review for several orthopaedic journals and I am Deputy Editor of the Bone and Joint 360, a leading publication with a global readership.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery · 2022 - Present Orthopaedic Surgery, Clinical Science Departments
Assistant Professor in Neurosurgery · 2023 - Present Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery

Recent Publications


Antibiotic Use in Adult Spine Deformity Surgery: Results From the AO Spine Surveillance of the Management of Patients With Adult Spine Deformity.

Journal Article Global Spine J · March 2025 STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional international survey with literature review. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the evidence for these strategies and to understand the current trends in prophylactic antibiotic use during ASD surgery through an international survey. MET ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

The Change of Asymptomatic Atlantoaxial Instability With Down Syndrome From Infant to Adolescent in Japanese Population: Minimum 10 Years Follow-Up.

Journal Article J Pediatr Orthop · March 1, 2025 BACKGROUND: Although 10% to 60% of patients with Down syndrome (DS) develop atlantoaxial instability (AAI), clarifying the course of asymptomatic AAI may prevent unnecessary clinical interactions and investigations. This study investigates the radiographic ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

The Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Spinal Trauma: A Review of Techniques, Outcomes, and Limitations.

Journal Article Neurosurgery · March 1, 2025 Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has significantly revolutionized spine surgery by reducing morbidity, minimizing tissue damage, and improving postoperative outcomes compared with traditional open surgeries. Although MIS is well-documented for degenerative ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Feasibility Pilot Trial of Mindfulness in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery (M-PASS) Using a Mobile Health Application

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health · 2023 - 2025

Topical application of tranexamic acid (CYKLOKAPRON) to reduce blood loss during spine surgery

Clinical TrialInvestigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2023 - 2025

Fresh Tissue Lab Agreement

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Silony Medical Corp. · 2023 - 2023

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Bristol (United Kingdom) · 2006 B.M.