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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


Using the Quality Outcomes Database to Identify Minimum Clinically Important Differences for Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Journal Article Neurosurgery · January 9, 2026 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Minimum clinically important differences (MCIDs) for patient-reported outcome metrics (PROMs) in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) lack consensus on the most appropriate calculation method. This retrospective st ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

The contribution of lower limbs to Pelvic Tilt: A baseline and postoperative full-body analysis.

Journal Article Gait Posture · January 2026 BACKGROUND: Pelvic tilt (PT) has been a parameter of interest in biomechanics of spinal deformity for decades. It remains unclear how patients achieve different values of PT pre- and postoperatively. RESEARCH QUESTION: This study aimed at assessing the rel ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Is more better? Multicenter analysis of the incidence and mechanisms of multiple pelvic fixation failure in adult spinal deformity surgery.

Journal Article Spine J · December 31, 2025 BACKGROUND CONTEXT: High mechanical stress at the lumbosacral junction (LSJ) contributes to elevated failure rates in long-segment adult spinal deformity (ASD) fusions. To enhance fusion across the LSJ and preserve correction after ASD surgery, pelvic fixa ... 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.