Kern Singh, M.D.

Spine, Back and Neck

Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Co-Director Minimally Invasive Spine Institute

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Singh has an international reputation in the area of minimally invasive spinal surgery. He frequently teaches minimally invasive techniques to neurosurgeons and spinal surgeons from around the world and most recently was an invited guest lecturer to Saudi Arabia. He is also extensively involved in designing new minimally invasive spinal instrumentation for cutting-edge spinal surgery.

Dr. Singh's clinical interests include the minimally invasive treatment of complex degenerative disorders of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. Dr. Singh also specializes in minimally invasive treatment of spinal tumors and adult spinal deformities.

Dr. Singh is known for his excellent outcomes and his use of cutting-edge procedures. He is an award-winning researcher and has published his findings in major medical journals (more than 200 publications, presentations and book chapters). He most recently won awards for his research including Best Paper at the North American Spine Society (NASS) and Society of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery (SMISS) International Meetings in 2013. He frequently trains surgeons who observe his newly advanced surgical techniques in the operating room. He is also the principal researcher in several FDA clinical trials involving cervical disc replacements and motion-preserving spinal technology.

Dr. Singh is listed in Becker's Orthopedic Spine and Pain Management as one of the nation's Top 100 spine surgeons and specialists. He was also awarded the "Top 10" Doctor Award, Most Compassionate Doctor, and Patient's Choice Award from Vitals.com. Dr. Singh was also appointed to serve as the chair of the Spine Program Committee for the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting from 2017-2020.

A graduate of Jefferson Medical College, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, Dr. Singh completed his training at Emory University in a combined Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical spine fellowship.

Curriculum Vitae

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Publications

1. Tabaraee E, Ahn J, Bohl DD, Elboghdady IM, Aboushaala K, Singh K. The Impact of Worker’s Compensation Claims on Outcomes and Costs Following an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Jun 15.
2. Tabaraee E, Ahn J, Bohl DD, Phillips FM, Singh K. Quantification of Multifidus Atrophy and Fatty Infiltration Following a Minimally Invasive Microdiscectomy. Int J Spine Surg. 2015 Jun 26.
3. Ahn J, Bohl DD, Elboghdady I, Aboushaala K, Hassanzadeh H, Singh K. Post-Operative Narcotic Consumption in Workman’s Compensation Patients Following a Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Aug 15.
4. Ahn J, Tabaraee E, Bohl DD, Aboushaala K, Singh K. Primary Versus Revision Single-Level Minimally Invasive Lumbar Discectomy: Analysis of Clinical Outcomes and Narcotic Utilization. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Sep 15.
5. Bohl DD, Ahn J, Mayo BC, Massel DH, Tabaraee, E, Sershon RA, Basques BA, Singh K. Does Greater Body Mass Index Increase the Risk for Revision Procedures Following a Single-Level Minimally Invasive Lumbar Discectomy? Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2016 May.
6. Bohl DD, Louie PK, Shah N, Mayo BC, Ahn J, Kim TD, Massel DH, Modi KD, Long WW, Buvanendran A, Singh K. Multimodal versus Patient-controlled Analgesia Following an Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2016 Jun.
7. Ahn J, Iqbal A, Manning B, Leblang S, Bohl D, Mayo B, Massel D, Singh K. Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression: The Surgeon Learning Curve. The Spine Journal. 2016 Aug.
8. Manning BT, Ahn J, Bohl DD, Mayo BC, Louie PK, Singh K. Spine Surgeon Selection Criteria: Factors Influencing Patient Choice. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2016 Jul 1.
9. Tabaraee E, Ahn J, Bohl DD, Aboushaala K, Collins MJ, Singh K. Comparison of Surgical Outcomes, Narcotics Utilization, and Costs following an Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion: Stand Alone Cage versus Anterior Plating. Clin Spine Surg. 2016 Jul 14.
10. Mayo BC, Louie PK, Bohl DD, Massel DH, Iantorno SE, Ahn J, Tabaraee E, Modi KD, Long WW, Singh K. Effects of Intraoperative Anesthetic Medications on Postoperative Urinary Retention after Single Level Lumbar Fusion. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2016 Sep 15.

Book Chapters

1. Nandyala S, Marques Lara A, Mayo B, Maisel B, Singh K. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: New Techniques and Complications. Vaccaro AR (Ed). Recent Advances in Spinal Surgery, Jaypee Publishing, 2015.
2. Lara A, Sundberg E, Singh K. Lumbar Spondylolisthesis and Spinal Stenosis. Bono C, Harris M (Eds). Orthopedic Surgery and Board Review. McGraw Hill, 2015.
3. Singh K, Modi Krishna, Mayo B, Vaccaro AR. Anterior Resection of Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament. Vaccaro AR (Ed). Atlas of Operative Techniques: Spine Surgery (3rd Ed), Saunders, 2016.

Podium Presentations

1. Tabaraee E, Ahn J, Aboushaala K, Singh K. A Comparison of Surgical Outcomes between Minimally Invasive and Open Thoracolumbar Corpectomy: A Minimum of Two-Year Follow-up. Lumbar Spine Research Society, Chicago, IL, 2015.
2. Manning BT, Hassanzadeh H, Nandyala SV, Elboghdady IM, Singh K. The Utility of Obtaining Routine Hematologic Laboratory Values Following Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion. North American Spine Society, Chicago, IL, 2015.
3. Ahn J, Rossi VJ, Park AJ, Elboghdady IM, Bohl DD, Aboushaala K, Singh K. The Utility of Obtaining Routine Hematologic Laboratory Values Following a Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion. North American Spine Society, Chicago, IL, 2015.
4. Basques BA, Webb ML, Samuel AM, Lukasiewicz AM, Ahn J, Bohl DD, Singh K, Grauer JN. Missing Data May Invalidate Spine Database Studies. Cervical Spine Research Society. San Diego, CA, 2015
5. Ahn J, Tabaree E, Park A, Ross V, Massel D, Mayo B, Aboushaala K, Singh K. Comparison of Surgical Outcomes between Minimally Invasive and Open Thoracolumbar Corpectomy. Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Las Vegas, NV, 2015.
6. Bohl D, Ahn J, Louie P, Kim T, Duhancioglu G, Kamath R, Mayo B, Massel D, Singh K. Multimodal versus Patient Controlled Analgesia Following Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion. Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Las Vegas, NV, 2015.
7. Tabaraee A, Ahn J, Bohl DD, Collins M, Aboushaala K, Singh K. Stand-Alone Cage versus Anterior Plating for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Orlando, FL. 2016.
8. Mayo BC, Massel DH, Louie PK, Bohl DD, Iantorno SA, Ahn J, Tabaraee E, Singh K. Effects of Intraoperative Anesthetic Medications on Postoperative Urinary Retention after Single Level Lumbar Fusion. Lumbar Spine Research Society, Chicago, IL, 2016.
9. Bohl DD, Ahn J, Mayo BC, Massel DH, Long WW, Modi K, Basques B, Singh K. Does Greater Body Mass Increase the Risk for Revision Procedures Following a Single-Level Minimally Invasive Lumbar Discectomy? North American Spine Society. Boston, MA, 2016.
10. Bohl DD, Louie PK, Mayo BC, Massel DH, Long WW, Modi K, Singh K. Multimodal versus Patient Controlled Analgesia Following Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion Procedures. North American Spine Society. Boston, MA, 2016.

PRACTICE EMPHASIS

• Spine Surgery

SPECIAL PROCEDURES

• Minimally invasive spinal fusion and instrumentation
• Cervical
• Anterior thoracic and lumbar surgery
• Spinal disc replacement
• Microscopic surgery

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Minimally invasive, motion sparing spinal technology
• Spinal disc degeneration
• Lumbar disc replacement

DISCLOSURES

• AAOS Record of Disclosure

CLINICAL SUPPORT STAFF

• Jessica Pfaff (AA)
• Frances Perez (SEC)
• Christopher McGee (PA)
• Michael Collins (RC)
• Veronica Herrera (MA)

EDUCATION / CERTIFICATIONS

• Medical School
  Jefferson Medical College
• Residency
  Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center
• Fellowship
  Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
• Board Certification
  Orthopaedic Surgery

IN THE NEWS

• Kern Singh, MD, Officially Launches Minimally Invasive Spine Study Group (MISSG)
• Dr. Kern Singh Promoted to Full Professor
• Dr. Kern Singh to Lead a Clinical Study on the FLXfit™ 3D Expandable Cage
• Dr. Kern Singh Appointed Spine Program Committee Chairman for AAOS

HOSPITAL / SURGICAL LOCATIONS

PHYSICIAN OFFICE LOCATIONS