Spine Universe Editorial Board

Doctor Kim is board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and received advanced spine fellowship training in spine surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He specializes in complex spine surgery using minimally invasive techniques. He is on faculty for courses teaching endoscopic diskectomy, thoracoscopic surgery, minimally invasive fusion, XLIF, DLIF, MIS TLIF, microscopic surgery, and computer-assisted surgery among others. He treats a wide variety of spinal conditions including degenerative disk disease (lumbar stenosis, herniated disk, cervical myelopathy, neck pain, back pain), adult spinal deformity (scoliosis, kyphosis), spinal tumors, infections, and spinal fractures (kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty). He is a nationally known expert in the field of computer- assisted minimally invasive surgery using image guidance and computer-assisted navigation technologies. Dr. Kim is Executive Director of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery which was formed in 2006.

Dr. Kim graduated cum laude from Harvard Medical School and completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. He also completed fellowship training in spine surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He is an active in a number of professional societies, including the North American Spine Society, the Spine Arthroplasty Society, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, where he plays key roles in programs related to minimally invasive spine surgery. He is the 2008-09 President of the San Diego Chapter of the Western Orthopaedic Association.

Spinal Case Studies From Choll W. Kim, MD, PhD

• Novel Treatment of Neck and Arm Pain
  The patient, a 59-year-old female, presents with neck and arm pain that was not effectively relieved by interlaminar epidural steroid injections and physical therapy.
• Discitis and Osteomyelitis in a 63-Year-old Male
  During the course of treatment, this 63-year-old man developed severe low back pain, recurrent fevers, and intermittent bacteremia.