Journal of Spine

Themistocles Protopsaltis

Biography

Themistocles Protopsaltis, MD, is an orthopedic spine surgeon and assistant professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. His hospital appointments include NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and Bellevue Hospital Center in New York as well as Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J. He is a member of the International Spine Study Group, comprised of leading physicians from multiple academic centers studying cervical and thoracolumbar spinal deformity surgery. He is also a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a candidate member of the Scoliosis Research Society.
Dr. Protopsaltis is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and is actively involved in research, and his interests include cervical spondylotic meylopathy surgical outcomes, proximal junctional kyphosis in adult scoliosis patients and clinical outcomes in patients with peripheral nerve injuries and disorders.
 
Dr. Protopsaltis' work has been nominated for the Moe award for best basic science poster at the 2014 Scoliosis Research Society annual meeting. He won an award for the best podium presentation at the 2014 The International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery meeting and has won past awards including the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for Humanism in Medicine Resident Teaching Award given by Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York in 2007.
 
"One of the most exciting opportunities for spine surgeons in 2014 is optimizing patient outcomes through our understanding of the growing body of our clinical research," says Dr. Protopsaltis. "There has been a flourish of innovative spine techniques particularly in minimally invasive surgery, but for me, preoperative planning is the roadmap to a successful surgical outcome, whether I choose a traditional or less invasive approach.  My research developing novel radiographic alignment measures that correlate with patient disability has guided my clinical practice especially in complex spine cases.  Sophisticated preoperative plans tailored to the individual patient and intraoperative scrutiny ensuring satisfactory execution of the plan have helped me to maximize the satisfaction of my patients."
 
Dr. Protopsaltis earned his medical degree at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He has completed a spine surgery fellowship at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and an orthopedic research fellowship at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Research Interest

Nerve surgery, Joint Diseases,orthopedic research,spine surgery