About Me
I chose the specialty of orthopedic surgery after being diagnosed with a herniated disc as a first-year medical student. For the next four years, I was tasked with managing my condition, for which I had two surgeries, while also training as a doctor. My personal experiences made me realize the importance of proper treatment for spine conditions, which led me to specialize in spine surgery.
At NYU Langone’s Spine Center, I treat people who have degenerative conditions of the spine, including age-related wear-and-tear injuries that are a normal part of the aging process. Our team of orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons at the Spine Center brings a terrific depth and breadth of experience and expertise to patient care. Because of this, there is no spine condition that our team hasn’t treated.
In addition to my clinical work, I am involved in clinical research and have published in many prestigious journals and textbooks. Examples of my work include analyzing long-term outcomes of surgical fusion and disc replacement surgeries. I have been included in Castle Connolly’s “Top Doctors” list for the New York metro area since 2015.
Conditions and Treatments
Conditions
- cervical spine fracture
- neck pain
- lumbar radiculopathy
- degenerative disc disease
- lumbar spinal stenosis
- lumbar disc disease
- spinal compression fracture
- scoliosis
- spinal deformity
- thoracic disc prolapse
- spinal cord compression
- kyphosis with lordosis
- spinal narrowing
- foot drop
- spondylolisthesis
- lower back pain
- spinal osteoarthritis
- ankylosing spondylitis
- lumbar spine disc herniation
- spondyloarthropathy
- herniated disk
- kyphosis
- spinal arthritis
- spondylolysis
Treatments
- spinal cord procedures
- minimally invasive surgery
- laminotomy
- spint fixation
- nerve decompression
- laminectomy
- spinal fusion
Learn more about conditions we treat at NYU Langone:
Nonhealing Fractures in Adults, Neck Pain in Adults, Degenerative Disc Disease in Adults, Spinal Stenosis in Adults, Spine Compression Fractures in Adults, Scoliosis & Kyphosis in Adults, Osteoarthritis of the Spine, Spondylolisthesis in Adults, Spondylolysis in Adults, Herniated Disc in AdultsCredentials
Positions
- Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine
- Director, Degenerative Spine Service, Division of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Board Certifications
- American Board of Orthopedic Surgery - Orthopedic Surgery, 2001
Education and Training
- Fellowship, Texas Back Institute, Spine Surgery, 1999
- Residency, Hospital For Joint Diseases, Orthopedic Surgery, 1998
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Edit profileInsurance Plans Accepted
This provider accepts the following insurance plans.
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Aetna
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Indemnity
- Aetna International
- Aetna Medicare Managed Care
- Aetna Meritain Health
- Aetna Open Access EPO
- Aetna Open Access HMO
- Aetna POS
- Aetna POS (American Express Employer)
- Aetna PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrators PPO
- Aetna Student Plan
- Allied
- Chesterfield Resources Inc
- Christian Brothers Services
- CoreSource
- Healthscope
- Nippon Life of America-Aetna
- Nippon Life-Aetna
- Starmark
- WellNet
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Agewell
- Agewell Managed Medicaid
- Agewell Medicare
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Amida Care
- Amida Care Medicaid
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Blue Cross Blue Shield
- BCBS Blue Access EPO Large Group
- BCBS Blue Access EPO Small Group
- BCBS Blue Access GEPO Large Group
- BCBS Blue Access GEPO Small Group
- BCBS Blue Access HMO Small Group
- BCBS Blue Access PPO Large Group
- BCBS EPO
- BCBS EPO (BlackRock Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (NYU Langone Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (NYU Langone Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
- BCBS Federal Program
- BCBS Florida Blue Care HMO
- BCBS Florida Blue Medicare PPO
- BCBS Florida Blue Options PPO
- BCBS Florida Blue Select
- BCBS Florida MyBlue HMO
- BCBS Florida Simply Blue
- BCBS Florida Traditional PPC
- BCBS HMO
- BCBS Indemnity
- BCBS Local 32BJ Employees
- BCBS Mediblue Medicare HMO
- BCBS Mediblue Medicare PPO
- BCBS POS
- BCBS PPO
- BCBS PPO (BlackRock Employees)
- BCBS PPO - Empire PPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
- BCBS PPO/EPO Small Group
- New York Hotel Trades
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Centerlight Healthcare
- CenterLight Healthcare DIRECT
- CenterLight Healthcare PACE
- CenterLight Healthcare Select
- Centerlight Pace Medicare HMO
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Centers Plan For Healthy Living
- Centers Plan For Healthy Living
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Cigna
- Apwu Health Plan
- Cigna Great West PPO
- Cigna HMO
- Cigna Indemnity
- Cigna Managed Care/POS
- Cigna NALC
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access PPO
- Cigna PPO
- Cigna Premier Plus
- Great West HMO
- MVP-Cigna Network
- Wellfleet-NYU Student
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Connecticare
- Connecticare Commercial
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Elderplan
- Elderplan
- Elderplan FIDA
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Emblem
- Emblem Select Care Basic Exchange
- Emblem Select Care Bronze Exchange
- Emblem Select Care Bronze Small Group
- Emblem Select Care Catastropic Exchange
- Emblem Select Care EPO
- Emblem Select Care Gold Exchange
- Emblem Select Care Gold Small Group
- Emblem Select Care HMO
- Emblem Select Care PPO
- Emblem Select Care Platinum Exchange
- Emblem Select Care Platinum Small Group
- Emblem Select Care Silver Exchange
- Emblem Select Care Silver Small Group
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GHI
- American Plan Administrators
- GHI CBP (City of New York Employees)
- GHI Emblem Health EPO
- GHI Emblem Health PPO
- GHI HMO Medicare
- GHI Medicare PPO
- GHI Medicare Supplement
- GHI Network Access - Benefit Services of PA
- GHI Network Access - Total Plan Concepts
- IUOE Local 14-14B
- Wlny-TV Inc.
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HIP
- Emblem Essential Plan 1
- Emblem Essential Plan 2
- Emblem Essential Plan 3
- Emblem Essential Plan 4
- HIP Access I
- HIP Access II
- HIP Bridge
- HIP Child Health Plus
- HIP EPO
- HIP HMO
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced - Child Health Plus (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced - NY MCD (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced - SNP Harp (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced Care
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced Essential 1 (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced Essential 2 (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced Essential 3 (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced Essential 4 (SOMOS)
- HIP Medicare Supplement
- HIP POS
- HIP PPO
- HIP Prime Bronze
- HIP Prime Gold
- HIP Prime Platinum
- HIP Prime Silver
- HIP VIP Medicare Bold
- HIP VIP Medicare Prime
- HIP VIP Medicare Reserve
- Vytra HMO
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Healthfirst
- Health And Recovery Plan (Harp)
- Healthfirst Bronze Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Bronze Total, Pro, Plus EPO
- Healthfirst Child Health Plus
- Healthfirst Essential Plan 1 & 2
- Healthfirst Essential Plan 3 & 4
- Healthfirst Gold Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Gold Total, Pro, Plus EPO
- Healthfirst Green Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Medicaid
- Healthfirst Medicare
- Healthfirst Medicare/NYU Risk
- Healthfirst Personal Wellness Plan
- Healthfirst Platinum Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Platinum Total, Pro, Plus EPO
- Healthfirst Senior Health Partners
- Healthfirst Silver Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Silver Total, Pro, Plus EPO
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Humana
- Humana Medicare Advantage
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Local 1199
- Local 1199 - NYU Hospital Member Choice
- Local 1199 PPO
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Magnacare
- Magnacare PPO
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Medicare
- Medicare Part B
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Metroplus
- Metroplus Bronze Plus Plan Exchange
- Metroplus Child Health Plus
- Metroplus Essential Plan 1
- Metroplus Essential Plan 2
- Metroplus Essential Plan 3
- Metroplus Essential Plan 4
- Metroplus Gold
- Metroplus Gold Care 2
- Metroplus Gold Plus Plan Exchange
- Metroplus Medicaid Managed Care
- Metroplus Medicare
- Metroplus Medplus Plan Exchange
- Metroplus Platinum Plus Plan Exchange
- Metroplus Silver Plus Plan Exchange
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Multiplan
- AXA Assistance USA
- Administrative Concepts
- Beech Street PPO
- Diversified Administration Corporation
- Fiserv Health
- GEHA
- Global Excel
- Global Health
- Guardian Life Insurance Co Of America
- Health Net Of California
- Health Republic Of NJ
- Humana Health Plan
- Insurance Design Administrators
- Kaiser Foundation
- Kaiser Permanente
- Meritain Health
- Multiplan PPO
- Multiplan-Capital Dist Phys Health
- Mutual Of Omaha
- Nippon Life Ins Co
- PHCS
- Professional Benefit Admin
- Qualcare Inc
- Screen Actors Guild
- Teamsters Allied Benefits
- US Life Insurance Company
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NYSHIP - The Empire Plan
- NYS Health Insurance Plan - The Empire Plan
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Oxford
- Oxford Health Plans Freedom
- Oxford Health Plans Liberty
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POMCO Insurance Company
- POMCO Insurance Company
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Partners Health Plan Inc
- Partners Health Plan FIDA
- Partners Health Plan Medicaid
- Partners Health Plan Medicare
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Qualcare Inc.
- Qualcare Direct
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Railroad Medicare
- Palmetto GBA Railroad Medicare
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Tricare
- TRICARE
- TriWest
- US Family Health Plan
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Complete
- AARP Medicare Complete Mosaic
- Oxford Health Plans Medicare Advantage
- UHC Medicare Complete Choice Regional PPO
- UMR
- UMR WTC Health Program
- United Healthcare AARP
- United Healthcare All Savers
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Choice (AMEX employees)
- United Healthcare Choice (Blackrock employees)
- United Healthcare Choice (CBS employees)
- United Healthcare Choice (Viacom Employees)
- United Healthcare Choice NSLIJ
- United Healthcare EPO
- United Healthcare EPO (NYU Langone Health Employees)
- United Healthcare HMO
- United Healthcare Indemnity
- United Healthcare Indemnity (NYU Langone Health Employees)
- United Healthcare Medicare
- United Healthcare Navigate
- United Healthcare POS
- United Healthcare PPO
- United Healthcare Plus (NYU Langone Health Employees)
- United Healthcare Student Resources
- United Healthcare Value, Advantage and HDHP (New York University employees)
- UnitedHealthcare Choice (JP Morgan Employees)
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VA Community Care Network
- VA CCN Optum
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VNS Choice Advantage
- VNS Medicaid Advantage
- VNS Medicare Advantage
- VNS NY Choice Select Health
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Veterans Choice
- Veterans Choice Program-VACAA
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Village Care
- VillageCare
Locations and Appointments
Video Visits
See a doctor from your mobile device instead of an in-person appointment. Learn more about video visits.
Schedule a Video VisitNYU Langone Madison Avenue Orthopedics
145 East 32nd Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
NYU Langone Madison Avenue Orthopedics
41-61 Kissena Boulevard
Queens, NY 11355
NYU Langone Orthopedic Center
333 East 38th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10016
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Learn more about MyChart at NYU Langone Health
You can schedule appointments, view test results, communicate with your doctor, and more using our portal, MyChart at NYU Langone Health.Research My Research
Interests
operative interventions, cervical spine diseases, lumbar spine diseases
Academic Contact
Phone
Research Interests Timeline
Clinical Trials and Research Studies
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Learn More
Prospective Randomized Controlled Blinded Pivotal Study in Subjects Undergoing A Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) at One or Two Levels Using Infuse Bone Graft and The Capstone Spinal System with Posterior Supplemental Fixation for the Trea
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Learn More
A Multi-Center Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Safety and Effectiveness of prodisc C SK and prodisc C Vivo to Mobi-C Cervical Disc in the Treatment of Two-Level Symptomatic Cervical Disc Disease (SCDD)
Publications
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Varlotta, Christopher G; Manning, Jordan H; Ayres, Ethan W; Wang, Erik; Woo, Dainn; Vasquez-Montes, Dennis; Alas, Haddy; Brown, Avery; Egers, Max; Kim, Yong; Bendo, John A; Fischer, Charla R; Protopsaltis, Themistocles S; Stieber, Jonathan R; Buckland, Aaron J
Spine journal. 2020 Mar ; 20(3):391-398
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Shepard, Nicholas; Samim, Mohammad; Kim, Yong; Razi, Afshin
JBJS reviews. 2020 Mar ; 8(3):e0099
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Varlotta, Christopher G; Ge, David H; Stekas, Nicholas; Frangella, Nicholas J; Manning, Jordan H; Steinmetz, Leah; Vasquez-Montes, Dennis; Errico, Thomas J; Bendo, John A; Kim, Yong H; Stieber, Jonathan R; Varlotta, Gerard; Fischer, Charla R; Protopsaltis, Themistocles S; Passias, Peter G; Buckland, Aaron J
Global spine journal. 2020 Feb ; 10(1):63-68