Frank Cammisa, MD

Dr. Frank Cammisa, chief emeritus of HSS Spine at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), specializes in the surgical treatment of spinal disorders. His areas of expertise include minimally invasive spinal surgery, computer-assisted spinal surgery, microsurgery, athletic spinal injuries and motion-preserving procedures, including artificial disc replacement.

In addition to treating patients at HSS, Dr. Cammisa is a professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. He has long been active in working with professional, scholastic and recreational athletes. Many professional athletes, including members of the Giants and Jets football teams and Knicks basketball team, have consulted with Dr. Cammisa for expert diagnosis and treatment, including surgery, if necessary. He is also the spine consultant for the National Hockey League Player Association.

Dr. Cammisa conducts research to advance the diagnosis and treatment of complex spine conditions. Recognized as a pioneer in the use of new surgical techniques, procedures and modalities, he often participates as the principal investigator in major research studies. His areas of investigation include computer-assisted image guidance, demineralized bone matrix, minimally invasive spinal surgery, and the artificial disc as an alternative to spinal fusion for debilitating back pain.

He has received a number of prestigious research grants. He was one of the lead investigators of a seven-year, multi-center national study funded by a $21 million dollar grant by the National Institutes of Health. The study was one of the first to directly compare the effectiveness of surgical versus nonsurgical approaches to treat herniated discs, spinal stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Dr. Cammisa has published over 130 research articles and manuscripts in dozens of prestigious medical journals. One such study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was a multi-center trial to compare treatments for degenerative spondylolisthesis, which is caused when a vertebra slips out of alignment. The study followed 601 patients in 11 states over two years to compare surgical and nonsurgical treatments. Dr. Cammisa and his colleagues around the country found that surgery was twice as effective as nonsurgical approaches in reducing pain and restoring function.

As a co-author of more than 30 chapters in medical textbooks, Dr. Cammisa has held numerous editorial appointments, and is a reviewer for several respected medical journals. He is the recipient of many awards and honors, and has lectured both nationally and internationally. He created The National Spinal Research Foundation and has been affiliated with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.