Scott Blumenthal, MD, Texas Back Institute (Plano, Texas). Dr. Blumenthal was one of the first surgeon in the country to perform disc replacement surgery and he is one of the few surgeons in the country to devote a practice solely to the research and application of artificial disc replacement. He co-founded the Center for Disc Replacement at Texas Back Institute, serves as a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, and currently serves as spine consultant for the Dallas Mavericks. After earning his medical degree from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago, Dr. Blumenthal completed his internship and residency in surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Dallas. Of the two fellowships he completed, one was at Northwestern Memorial Hospital for spinal trauma surgery.
Robert St. Bray, Jr., MD (Diagnostic and Interventional Spinal Care, Marina del Rey, Calif.). Dr. Bray is the founding director and CEO of the D.I.S.C. Previously, he was chief of neurosurgery for the U.S. Air Force at David Grant Medical Center in 1989. He was the founding director of the Institute for Spinal Disorders at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and has authored more than 20 publications and contributed to more than 20 patents, copyrights and developments of implants and spinal apparatus. Dr. Bray has served as spine consultant for the U.S. men’s volleyball team and the Oakland Raiders, among other professional athletic organizations. After he received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Dr. Bray completed his residency at Baylor Affiliated Hospitals, also in Houston.
Ziya Gokaslan, MD (Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore). Dr. Gokaslan is the director of the Spine Center and a professor of neurosurgery of Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Gokaslan is known for his refined expertise in spinal tumors and was previously an assistant professor at University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he specialized in the surgical treatment of spinal neoplasms and published extensively on the topic. Currently, his research focuses on chemotherapeutic delivery systems for primary and metastatic spinal tumors. He received his medical degree from the University of Istanbul in Turkey and completed an internship, fellowship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He also completed a fellowship in clinical spinal surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.
Andrew C. Hecht, MD (Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City). Dr. Hecht is the co-director of spine surgery at Mount Sinai and spine surgical consultant to the New York Jets, National Hockey League’s New York Islanders as well as arena football and collegiate teams in the New York City area. His work also extends off the field, as he is the director of the NFL’s Spine Care Program for retired players. At Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Dr. Hecht founded the Newton-Wellesley Spine Center and is currently the director of MGH’s spine surgery fellowship. He received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston, completed his residency with the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Program, completed an internship with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, and received fellowship training at Emory Spine Center in Atlanta.
Choll Kim, MD, PhD (Spine Institute of San Diego). Dr. Kim is the founder of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, and the author of approximately 200 publications and presentations. He is the director of the Minimally Invasive Spine Center at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego and a past voting member of the FDA Orthopedic Devices Panel, which reviews new spinal technology. He earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in Boston, completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of California in San Diego and completed a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He earned his doctorate degree in molecular biology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Carl Lauryssen, MD (Olympia Medical Center, Los Angeles). Before holding his current position as director of research and education at Olympia, Dr. Lauryssen was the director of research and education for Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders in Los Angeles. Currently, he is on the editorial boards or a guest reviewer for four professional publications, including the Journal of Spine Disorders and Journal of Neurosurgery. In May 2000, he traveled to Kenya and participated in neurosurgical medical mission. He is currently a consultant neurosurgeon for the St. Louis Rams and ABC News editorial staff. After Dr. Lauryssen received his medical degree from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, he completed an internship at Groote Shuur Hospital in Cape Town along with residencies in general surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada, and University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, respectively.
John H. Peloza, MD (The Center for Spine Care, Dallas). Dr. Peloza is the director of the Center for Spine Care in Dallas and a leader in minimal access spinal technology. He helped launch several minimally invasive treatments such as MAVERICK total disc replacement and was one of the few physicians involved in the introduction of INFUSE, a new FDA approved bone morphogenic protein. He is an associate with The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo., a spine consultant to the U.S. Ski Team, and a member of numerous national and international medical organizations. Dr. Peloza received his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He completed his residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Mick Perez-Cruet, MD (Michigan Head & Spine Institute at the Providence Medical Center, Southfield, Mich.). Dr. Perez-Cruet is currently the director of minimally invasive spine surgery at Michigan Head & Spine Institute. He has held academic appointments with numerous institutions, including Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago and the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, and authored the textbook Outpatient Spinal Surgery. Along with his clinical work, Dr. Perez-Cruet served in the U.S. Air Force for 14 years and has instructed trauma courses for military surgeons. After he earned his medical degree from Tufts University in Boston, he completed a fellowship in minimally invasive spine surgery under Dr. Richard G. Fessler at Rush University in Chicago and also completed fellowships at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Read more about spine programs and surgeons:
– 40 Great Orthopedic and Spine Programs in Hospitals
– 8 Great Spine Surgeons to Know
– 10 Biggest Concerns Facing Spine Surgeons From Healthcare Reform
