University of Colorado, Spine Providers
Spine
Denver's Top Spine Doctors
The Adult Spine Division of CU Orthopedics is a part of the Spine Center at the University of Colorado Hospital, with some of the top spine doctors in Denver and the surrounding areas. We provide comprehensive spine care to the citizens of the Rocky Mountain Region including neurosurgery and orthopedic spine surgery, physical and rehabilitation medicine, and alternative medicine therapies.
The CU Orthopedic Spine Division provides state-of-the-art surgical intervention from fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeons. Our surgeons are thoroughly trained and experienced in the treatment of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spine.
Treatment of spine-related pain typically involves conservative measures such as rest, physical therapy, medications, therapeutic injections, and alternative therapies; however, when these fail, surgery may be indicated.
The University of Colorado is a tertiary care center that specializes in the spine from the basic disc herniation to disc replacement, and motion preservation to complex spine care, including treatment of patients who have had unsuccessful treatment elsewhere.
We also see patients who have been told that their condition is too complex for surgical treatment or who have had previous failed surgery, and will provide surgical opinions. We see patients from across the nation, with easy access to our facility from Denver International Airport, as well as direct regional access from Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Kansas.
Spine Faculty | |||||
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| Evalina Burger-Van der Walt, MD Chair & Professor Orthopedics | Vikas Patel, MD Professor & Executive Vice Chair Orthopedics | Christopher Cain, MD Associate Professor | Christopher Gallus, MD Assistant Professor | Sumeet Garg, MD Associate Professor | |
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| Christina Goldstein, MD Associate Professor | Emily Lindley, PhD Assistant Professor | Shahbaaz Sabri, MD Assistant Professor | Samuel Smith, MD Assistant Professor | Nolan Wessell, MD Assistant Professor | David Ou-Yang, MD Assistant Professor |
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| Emily Broeseker, FNP Instructor | Amy Bond, NP, RN Instructor | Jordan Bull, PA-C Instructor | Minnie Chau Instructor | Jill Fattor, PA Instructor | Jenelynn R. Kimble, AGPCNP-BC Instructor |
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| Amanda Ramirez, ANPC Instructor | Nurse Practioner | ||||
| Research | Clinical Trials |
Our surgeons are the forefront of Orthopedic research. We continue to advance the field of orthopedics in our discoveries of the newest treatment options and technological advances in orthopedic care. Here at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus, our surgeons have access to the most extensive research resources and world-class surgical facilities available in Colorado and the nation. Here at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus we share our discoveries and teach our peers in the field as well as the next generation of orthopedic surgeons. | A Clinical Study to Assess the Safety and Effectiveness of the Premia Spine TOPS TM System For more information, please contact: Aubrie Nuccio |
UCHealth Spine Center - Anschutz Medical Campus
Address:
Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion - 1st Floor
12605 E. 16th Avenue
Aurora, CO 80045
Phone:
720-848-1980
Fax:
720-848-2019
Hours:
Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Broomfield Orthopedic Clinic
Address:
875 W. 136th Avenue
Broomfield, CO 80023
Phone:
303-544-3820
Hours:
Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Lone Tree Medical Center
Address:
9548 Park Meadows Drive
Lone Tree, Colorado 80124
Phone:
720-848-2200
Fax:
720-553-0901
Hours:
Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
UCHealth Orthopedics Clinic - Longmont
Address:
1925 W Mountain View Ave
Longmont, CO 80501
Phone:
720-494-3132
Hours:
Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
UCHealth Spine Center - Memorial North Hospital
Address:
4110 Briargate Pkwy #100b
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Phone:
719-364-0160
Fax:
719-364-0161
Hours:
Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
CJ Kleck, MD
Chief, Spine Surgery
Associate Professor
My greatest area of interest is the treatment of adult spine deformity. This includes many problems that cause issues with posture, including scoliosis and kyphosis. I am also interested in treating patients who have had previous surgery and continue
to have issues.
I treat patients as I would like to be treated myself, or as I would want my family members treated. It is important that patients are informed and active in the decision-making process, and I feel this is a critical part
of my job. While I am a surgeon, I am interested in pursuing all non-surgical means for the treatment of various spine conditions before considering surgical options. When surgery is decided upon, I apply the fundamentals of my training and evolving
technology to maximize the benefit to patients.
I enjoy spending my spare time with my wife and two children.
Our Awards
Patient Testimonials
Dr. Patel is one of the top surgeons in the country, I highly recommend Dr. Patel to anyone that has back problems.
Danny Casey
Thank you, Dr. Patel, Suzie, and to you're fine team of surgeons!
Larry Salmen
Featured News
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L3-S1 fusion featuring UNiDTM ASI patient-specific rodsOpens in a new window
Dec 1, 2022Patient description: 44-year-old female had previously underwent a laminectomy for a disc herniation. Patient presented with new onset of bilateral radicular leg pain without an antecedent history of trauma. Initial radiographic imaging showed laminectomy defect with degeneration at L4-5 and L5-S1. She initially underwent non-operative care, including PT/OT, steroid dose pack, and home stretching exercises.Opens in a new window Full story -
Complex UNiDTM ASI T10-Pelvis correctionOpens in a new window
Sep 1, 2022Patient description: 70 year-old female with severe low back pain and fatigue exacerbated by standing/walking, improved with sitting/supine position. Also with left L3/4/5 radiculopathy, neurogenic claudication. Right sided hip flexor and quadricep weakness. Patient diagnosis: Multilevel lumbar spondylosis, spinal stenosis, L3-4 and L4-5 degenerative spondylolisthesis, sagittal plane malalignment with thoracolumbar deformity. Patient was also noted to have severe sagittal plane malalignment with:Opens in a new window Full story -
Acute paraspinal compartment syndrome following non-spinal orthopedic surgeryOpens in a new window
Dec 15, 2021A 29-year-old non-smoking man with a BMI of 37 kg/m2 and history of bipolar disease sustained a right subtrochanteric femur fracture and pseudoaneurysm of his right proximal femoral artery after a gunshot in December 2016.Opens in a new window Full story -
Biden salutes troops as ‘spine of America’ on Veterans Day
Nov 10, 2021WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden saluted the nation’s military veterans as “the spine of America” on Thursday as he marked his first Veterans Day as president in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. “There’s nothing low risk or low cost about war for the women and men who fight it,” said Biden, whose administration earlier in the day announced a federal effort to better understand, identify and treat medical conditions suffered by troops deployed to toxic environments.Full story -
10 Spine surgeons to know
Nov 17, 2021Evalina Burger-Van der Walt, MD. University of Colorado Medicine (Aurora). Dr. Burger-Van der Walt treats adult patients and has a special interest in complex spine surgery, deformity and scoliosis. She also spends time as a mentor for orthopedic residents and spine fellows.Full story -
University of Colorado implements virtual spine physical exam during COVID-19 pandemicOpens in a new window
Apr 24, 2020As a way to limit patient risk of exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS expanded Medicare telehealth coverage, enabling beneficiaries to receive a wider range of health care services from their doctors without having to travel to a health care facility.Opens in a new window Full story -
Spine surgeon leader to know: Dr. Evalina Burger of University of Colorado Spine Center
Jan 16, 2019Evalina Burger, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora. Dr. Burger serves as the orthopedic department chair at Aurora-based University of Colorado School of Medicine. She specializes in complex spinal surgery, adult deformity, spinal tumors and scoliosis and performs disc replacement procedures. She received her medical degree from the University of the Orange Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and completed her orthopedic residency at the University of Pretoria School of Medicine in South Africa.Full story -
Teenager Is Pain Free Thanks To Robot-Assisted Spine Surgery
Sep 25, 2020AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)– Nineteen-year-old Katie Kingston suffered with back pain for seven years. When it caused her to walk with a limp, the teenager from Loveland consulted an orthopedic surgeon at Children’s Hospital Colorado.Full story -
Orthopedic surgeons join UCHealth Spine Center
Jan 27, 2020UCHealth Memorial is launching its newest service, complex spine reconstruction, in combination with University of Colorado School of Medicine faculty. Dr. Christina Goldstein, left, and Dr. Christopher Gallus recently joined the UCHealth Spine Center. UCHealth photo. Two new orthopedic spine surgery experts will perform a wide variety of spine surgeries including decompression and decompression and fusion procedures for spine arthritis, spine deformity correction and management of spine infections and tumors.Full story