In addition to their commitment to personalized, compassionate, and top-notch patient care, UAB spinal
neurosurgeons teach and train medical students and neurosurgical residents in the art and science of spinal cord
and spinal column anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, and in the treatment of the pathologies that affect them.
The UAB Department of Neurosurgery operates one of the top-ranked neurosurgery residency training programs
in the United States, with a complement of 21 residents training for seven years.
UAB spinal neurosurgeons have a long history of committed work, assisting patients with both less complex and
incredibly complex pathologies. They are optimistic and hopeful, treat all aspects of neurosurgical disease of the
spinal cord and spinal column, and are expanding their services to accommodate a growing patient population.
Our surgeons treat patients with a wide variety of spinal conditions and study their results for continued
refinement and improvement. For these reasons and others, the UAB Section of Spinal Neurosurgery has been
recognized among the top 100 spinal surgery centers in the United States.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Two spinal neurosurgeons have earned federal grant support for their research (Dr. Hadley: DOD x 2, Dr.
Chambers NIH x 1), and Drs. Chambers, Pritchard, and Okor have foundational and industry support for focused
research initiatives.
• Collectively, UAB spinal neurosurgeons have published over 210 scientific articles in refereed journals reporting
their results.
• The UAB Section of Spinal Neurosurgery is known for the creation of three sets of internationally recognized,
evidence-based guidelines in spinal surgery, which were ratified and officially certified by the American
Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
• Guidelines for the Performance of Fusion Procedures for Degenerative Disease of the Lumbar Spine. (J
Neurosurg; Spine, June, 2005)
• Guidelines for the Use of Electrophysiologic Monitoring for Surgery of the Human Spinal Column and Spinal
Cord. (NEUROSURGERY, Nov. 2017)
• Guidelines for the Management of Acute Cervical Spine and Spinal Cord Injuries. (NEUROSURGERY 2003
and March 2013) [This 22-chapter guidelines effort was awarded meritorious recognition by the U.S. House of
Representatives in 2013 for outstanding contributions to the care and management of patients with spinal
cord injuries.]
FACULTY LEADERSHIP
Mark N. Hadley, MD, FACS
Charles A. and Patsy W. Collat,
Endowed Chair of Neurosurgery
uabmedicine.org
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