J. Abbott Byrd III, MD, is a spine surgeon practicing with Norfolk, Va.-based Atlantic Orthopaedic Specialists. He previously served as chief of spinal surgery in the department of orthopedic surgery at West Virginia University in Morgantown. He is an active member of the Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society.
Dr. Byrd's areas of expertise center on pediatric and adult patients with complex spinal problems, such as degenerative and herniated lumbar and cervical disc disease, scoliosis, kyphosis as well as tumors and trauma of the spine. He also treats patients who are experiencing pain following lumbar surgery. He has a professional interest in spinal instrumentation and holds a number of patents for implant devices. He helped lead the development team for the Synergy Spinal System, Polaris Spinal System, Solitaire anterior lumbar fusion device and Solitaire-C cervical fusion device, all of which are intended to help patients with complex spine conditions.
"The most satisfying aspect of being a spine surgeon is taking a patient who is debilitated by a spinal condition and returning them to a functional lifestyle," says Dr. Byrd. "The most important thing that spine surgeons need to consider is sagittal alignment. They need to formulate a surgical plan keeping that in mind and follow it through. There is a need to consider global balance while performing any spinal surgery, particularly on the lumbar spine."
Dr. Byrd earned his medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and also completed a spine surgery fellowship at Twin Cities Scoliosis Center in Minneapolis.
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