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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


Effect of a Digital Health Exercise Program on the Intention for Spinal Surgery in Adult Spinal Deformity: Exploratory Cross-Sectional Survey.

Journal Article JMIR Form Res · April 29, 2025 BACKGROUND: Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a prevalent condition estimated at 38%. Symptomatic ASD is associated with substantial health care costs. The role of nonoperative interventions in the management of ASD remains elusive. The National Scoliosis Cl ... Full text Link to item Cite

Opioid Use Prior to Adult Spine Deformity Correction Surgery is Associated With Worse Pre- and Postoperative Back Pain and Prolonged Opioid Demands.

Journal Article Global Spine J · April 2025 Study DesignProspective multicenter database post-hoc analysis.ObjectivesOpioids are frequently prescribed for painful spinal conditions to provide pain relief and to allow for functional improvement, both before and after spine surgery. Amidst a current o ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

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
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Recent Grants


AO Spine NA Grant Application AY 25-26

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by AO North America · 2025 - 2026

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

Clinical TrialInvestigator · Awarded by Columbia University · 2023 - 2026

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

View All Grants

Education, Training & Certifications


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