The Spine Division combines the expertise of the Department of Neurosurgery and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. 

Duke Spine is a high-volume, comprehensive, interdisciplinary care center for people with complex disorders of the spine, including pain, deformity, spine trauma, disc disease, and benign or malignant tumor.

Duke neurosurgeons are innovators in spine surgery, specializing in advanced and emerging techniques including minimally invasive and robotic procedures, motion preserving surgery, predictive technology, and awake spinal fusion surgery.

Duke Spine is led by Christopher Shaffrey, MD, division chief.

Dr. Goodwin with a patient in clinic

 

Read the latest updates about spine research and patient care in the Duke Neurosurgery Annual Report: Spine Disorders

Patient Care

Duke Spine specialists offer comprehensive therapy options and advanced surgeries, medications and injections, physical therapy, and pain management in both Durham and Wake counties.

Patient Appointments
Referrals

Or call 919-684-7777

Research

Duke’s board-certified spine specialists are innovators who are on the leading edge of research. Current research projects include:

  • Machine learning to determine if a patient is a good candidate for surgery
  • Advanced preoperative/intraoperative planning, including the use of augmented reality, nerve segmentation
  • Robotics
  • Genetic predictors and cellular mechanisms of metastatic progression to the spine
  • Investigation of predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and clinical outcomes in patients with spinal tumors
  • Creating and managing Duke and national registries for neurosurgery and spine surgery, including patient-reported outcomes
  • Assessing contributors to long term success of spine surgery, including impact of social risks and social determinants of health

Faculty

Department of Neurosurgery

Muhammad Abd-El-Barr, MD, PhD

John Barr, MD

Deb Bhowmick, MD

Zachary Carter, MDCM

Steven Cook, MD

Clifford Crutcher, MD

Paras Fatemi, MD

Rory Goodwin, MD, PhD

Oren Gottfried, MD

Peter Grossi, MD

Michael Haglund, MD, PhD

Kristen Jones, MD

Carolyn Keeler, DO

Gloria G. Liu, MD, MS

Rowena Mariano, MD

Anthony Rivera, MD

Gabriel Smith, MD 

Khoi Than, MD

Dennis Turner, MD

Mazen Zein, DO

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Michael O. Boyd, MD 

Christopher R. Brown, MD

Olumide Danisa, MD 

Melissa Erickson, MD 

H. Michael Guo, MD, PhD 

Eugene Lewis, DC, MPH 

Joe T. Minchew, MD

Douglas G. Orndorff, MD

Peter Passias, MD

Scot E. Reeg, MD 

William J. Richardson, MD 

Brett Rocos, MD