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Christopher Ignatius Shaffrey

Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
DUMC Box 3077, Durham, NC 27710
DUMC Box 3077, Durham, NC 27710

Overview


I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery · 2019 - Present Orthopaedic Surgery, Clinical Science Departments
Professor of Neurosurgery · 2019 - Present Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery

Recent Publications


Predictors of Delayed Clinical Benefit Following Surgical Treatment for Low-grade Spondylolisthesis.

Journal Article Spine (Phila Pa 1976) · June 1, 2025 STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate what factors predict delayed improvement after surgical treatment of low-grade spondylolisthesis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lumbar sur ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Cause and effect of revisions in adult spinal deformity surgery: a multicenter study on outcomes based on etiology.

Journal Article Spine J · June 2025 BACKGROUND CONTEXT: While the treatment of adult spinal deformity (ASD) has increasingly favored surgical correction, the incidence of revision surgery remains high. Yet, little has been explored on the association between the etiology of reoperation and p ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Impact of the day of the week on clinical outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery.

Journal Article J Neurosurg Spine · June 1, 2025 OBJECTIVE: Previous research suggests elective surgical procedures performed later in the week have worse outcomes. This study investigated whether the day of the week on which elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery was performed i ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Multicenter Prospective Evaluation of Complex Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery (CADS)

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by International Spine Study Group Foundation · 2019 - 2030

PCD2: Prospective Radiographic and Clinical Evaluation of Surgical Treatment for Cervical Deformity: A Multi-Center Study 2.0

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by International Spine Study Group Foundation · 2019 - 2029

2025 NACTN Registry

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation · 2024 - 2026

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Virginia, School of Medicine · 1986 M.D.