Spine surgeon, Donald Hales, MD, retired as the longest practicing surgeon at Flagstaff, Ariz.-based Northern Arizona Orthopaedics, according to the Flagstaff Business News.
Here are five things to know:
1. Dr. Hales joined Northern Arizona Orthopaedics when the practice needed a spine surgeon in 1988 and retired in December after a 28-year career with the practice.
2. Known as a terrific teacher and mentor, Dr. Hales traveled around the world to train other spine surgeons.
3. Dr. Hales performed the first successful total disc replacement of minimally invasive spinal fusion using a cortical trajectory pedicle screw with Steve Ritland, MD.
4. An early believer in the coflex implant that decreases long-term complications related to solid fusion of the spine, Dr. Hales remained involved in a nationwide study of the implant's surgical outcomes.
5. Dr. Hales plans to perform spine surgeries two days a week at Phoenix's VA Medical Center.
More spine-related articles:
Outpatient anterior cervical discectomy and fusion complication rates; top ASC liquidity analysis & more — 7 outpatient spine stories
Drs. S. Raymond Golish, Richard Francis & more: 6 spine surgeons & neurosurgeons recently receiving honors — Feb. 7, 2017
Does race impact surgical approach to spinal fusion for cervical spondylotic myelopathy? 5 key notes