Overview
I have over 15 years of experience in private practice spine care, primarily in a small rural town serving a large geographical area. Being one of the few spine surgeons for such a large area allowed me to become adept at recognizing and treating virtually all adult spinal conditions. My goal is to maximize non-surgical options first, with the goal of getting my patients back to the activities they love as fully as possible. I have partnered with top spine companies in the field to develop multiple cutting edge products that are now being used in spine surgeries worldwide. I am particularly interested in motion preservation surgery, improving fusion outcomes, and spine navigation. My treatment philosophy is to engage patients in their own spine health care, working together to tailor the best possible course of action for their individual needs and lifestyle.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Instructor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
·
2024 - Present
Orthopaedic Surgery,
Clinical Science Departments
Recent Publications
Preliminary experience with a novel facet-based lateral mass drill guide for the placement of lateral mass screws compared to freehand technique: a cadaveric study.
Journal Article Spine J · June 2023 BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Lateral mass screw fixation is the standard for posterior subaxial cervical fixation. Several freehand surgical techniques for placing lateral mass screws have been described which rely on anatomical landmarks and surgeon mastery of the ... Full text Open Access Link to item CiteIntrawound Vancomycin Decreases the Risk of Surgical Site Infection After Posterior Spine Surgery: A Multicenter Analysis.
Journal Article Spine (Phila Pa 1976) · January 1, 2018 STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from a prospective multicenter observational study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with and without intrawound vancomycin application con ... Full text Open Access Link to item CiteInterspinous Process Decompression Improves Quality of Life in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.
Journal Article Minim Invasive Surg · 2018 Lumbar spinal stenosis has been shown to negatively impact health-related quality of life. Interspinous process decompression (IPD) is a minimally invasive procedure that utilizes a stand-alone spacer to serve as a joint extension blocker to relieve neural ... Full text Open Access Link to item CiteEducation, Training & Certifications
University of Colorado, Denver ·
2003
M.D.
University of Denver ·
1996
B.A.