Darren R. Lebl, MD, MBA

If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit. We will work with you and your insurance to minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Financial assistance may be available for patients in need.

Appointments

Affiliations

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery - Diplomate
American Orthopaedic Association – Emerging Leader
AO Spine - Associate Member
Cervical Spine Research Society
North American Spine Society
Scoliosis Research Society

Certification

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Awards

Whitecloud Award Winner in Clinical Sciences, co-author, 2019 
Cervical Spine Research Society – Best Podium Award, AP Division, 2013
Spine “Young Investigator Award”/NASS “Outstanding Paper Award”, co-author, 2013
Thomas S. Whitecloud MD III Award Nominee for Best Basic Science Paper, IMAST, 2011
Orthopaedic Research Society, Board of Specialty Societies – Best Poster Presentation, 2011
Cervical Spine Research Society Resident/Fellow Poster Award, 2010
Frances N. Goodrich Scholarship - Stanford School of Medicine, 2003-2004
Kolos Scholar – Stanford School of Medicine, 2003-2004
Edward & Clara Wilkens Scholarship – Stanford School of Medicine, 2000-2003
Baxter Stanford Medical Scholars, 2001
Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellowship, 1998
Robert & Ruth Halperin Scholarship for Academic Excellence in the Physical Sciences, 1997-2000

Education

Stanford – M.D.
Wharton – M.B.A
University of Chicago – B.S., B.A.

Internship

Harvard

Residency

Harvard

Fellowship

Hospital for Special Surgery

State Licensure

Languages

English

Patient Education

• What to Expect from Recovery after Neck Surgery

Selected Journal Articles

Lebl DR. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2017 Sep;10(3):407-408.

Lebl DR, Bono CM. Update on the Diagnosis and Management of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2015. Nov;23(11):648-60

Carrier C, Bono CM, Lebl DR. Evidence Based Analysis of Adjacent Segment Degeneration and Disease Following ACDF: A Systematic Review Spine J.  2013 Oct;13(10):1370-8.

Lebl DR, Bono CM, Velmahos G, Metkar U, Nguyen J, Harris MB. Vertebral Artery Injury Associated with Blunt Cervical Spine Trauma – A Multivariate Regression Analysis. Spine 2013 Jul 15;38(16):1352-61.

Aichmair A, Herzog RJ, Perino G, Lebl DR. Recovery after Cervical Decompression Surgery for the Treatment of Crowned Dens Syndrome Causing Progressive Neurological Decline: A Case Report  HSS J. 2014 Feb;10(1):83-7.

Lebl D. Bone Morphogenetic Protein in Complex Cervical Spine Surgery: A Safe Biologic Adjunct? World J Orthop. 2013 April 18;4(2):53-7.

Lebl DR, Girardi FP. Isolated Cervical Spine Facet Joint Tumoral Calcinosis. Spine J. 2013 Feb;13(2):208-9.

Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, Wright TM, Abjornson C. The Mechanical Performace of Cervical Total Disc Replacements In Vivo – Prospective Retrieval Analysis of Prodisc-C Devices. Spine 2012 Dec 15;37(26):2151-60.

Lebl DR, Hughes A, Cammisa FP, O’Leary PF. Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment. HSS Journal 2011 7(2) 170-178.

Lebl DR, Bono CM, Metkar U, Grottkau B, Wood KB. Bioabsorbable Anterior Cervical Plate Fixation for Single Level Spondylosis – Early Clinical and Radiographic Experience. Spine J 2011 Nov; 11(11): 1002-8.

Lebl D, Sama AA, Pumberger M, Kotwal S, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP.
Reamed Transacral Interbody Fusion for L5-S1 Pseudoarthrosis: A Novel Salvage Technique in 10 Patients. J Spinal Disord Tech, 2013 Aug;26(6):334-41.

Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Sama AA, Mo F, Girardi FP. Posterior Transacral Transvertebral Reamed Lumbar Interbody Fusion for L5-S1 Arthrodesis. Techniques in Orthopaedics Sept 2012, 27(3): 219-221.

Lebl D, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, Wright TM, Abjornson C. In Vivo Functional Performance of Failed Prodisc-L Devices – Retrieval Analysis of Lumbar Total Disc Replacements, Spine 2012 Sep 1;37(19):E1209-17.

Selected Books/Chapters

Lebl DR, Girardi FP, Hughes A, Cammisa FP. “Chapter 28: Lumbar Disc Arthroplasty”  Master Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery – The Spine 3rd Edition. Edited by Thomas Zdeblick & Todd Albert. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lebl DR, Girardi FP. “Total Facet Replacement” – The Spine. Edited by Vaccaro, Su, Chiba, Dvorak, Mayer, Rajasekaran, Vialle, Wang, Youssef. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers

Lebl DR, Girardi FP, Hughes A, Cammisa FP. “Lumbar Total Disc Replacement”- Master Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery – The Spine – 3rd Edition. Edited by Thomas Zdeblick & Todd Albert. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lebl DR, Sethi RK, Anderson PA Harris MB. “Chapter 5 - Clearing the Cervical Spine” in Spine Trauma. 2nd Edition. Alan M. Levine MD, Frank J. Eismont MD, Steven R. Garfin MD, Alexander R. Vaccaro MD, PhD, and Jack E. Zigler MD. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Saunders (Baltimore) pp. 55-65.

Li W, Lebl DR, Wood KB. “Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures” Controversies in Spine Surgery: Evidence-Based Treatment Recommendations, Ed: Vaccaro, Eck. Thieme Publishers, pp 59-68.

Schmitz M, Lebl D, Harris MB. “Chapter 12: Imaging of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine During the Emergency Department Evaluation”. Spine and Spinal Cord Trauma: Evidence-Based Management. Ed: Vaccaro, Fehlings, Dvorak. Thieme Medical Publishers, Thieme Germany, 2010, pp95-108.

Schmitz M, Lebl D, Harris MB. “Chapter 18: The Benefits of Early Stabilization of Spinal Fractures in the Trauma Patient.” Spine and Spinal Cord Trauma: Evidence-Based Management. Ed: Vaccaro, Fehlings, Dvorak. Thieme Medical Publishers, Thieme Germany, 2010, pp157-165.

Lebl DR, Urban M. “Chapter 26: Perioperative Care of the Complex Spine Surgery Patient” Perioperative Care of the Orthopedic Patient Edited by MacKenzie, Cornell,  Memtsoudis. Springer, New York, NY.

Selected Presentations

Lebl DR “Minimally Invasive Lateral Access Surgery” – Lingnan Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Meeting – Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, May 18, 2013 (keynote speaker).

* Lebl DR, Taher F, Cammisa FP, Wright T, Abjornson C. Topographic 3D Laser Surface Analysis of Wear and Deformation of Retrieved Total Disc Replacements Fourth Annual Meeting of the Cervical Spine Research Society – Asia Pacific Section, 4th Annual Meeting, Seoul Korea, April 13, 2013. * Awarded Best Podium Presentation

Lebl DR, Boachie-Adjei O, Akbarnia BA, Gogia J, Krajbich IJ, Woo R, Rahm M, King A, Cunningham M. Treatment of Thoracolumbar / Lumbar Adolescent Idiopathic Curves (Lenke 5C): Anterior vs Posterior Approach with Modern Instrumentation. Complex Spine Study Group. Scoliosis Research Society – 47th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2012.

Lebl DR “Minimally Invasive Surgery for the Degenerative Lumbar Spine”, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan, September 6th, 2011.

Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, Wright T, Abjornson C. The In Vivo Wear Patterns, Surface Properties, and Fixation of Cervical Total Disc Replacements – A Retrieval Analysis of Prodisc-C Devices Cervical Spine Research Society – Scottsdale, AZ, December 10, 2011.

Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, Lee S, Wright T, Abornson C. In Vivo Wear Properties from Thirty Explanted Prodisc-C Devices – Retrieval Analysis of Cervical Total Disc Replacements. EuroSpine - Milan, Italy, October 19-20, 2011.

*Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, Lee S, Wright TM, Abjornson C. Retrieval Analysis of Cervical Total Disc Replacements – A Study of In vivo Wear, Surface Properties, and Fixation. International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques, Copenhagen, Denmark July 14-16, 2011. *Thomas S. Whitecloud Award Nominee

Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, Lee S, Mo F, Wright TM, Abjornson C. Retrieval Analysis of Lumbar Total Disc Replacements – A Study of in vivo Wear, Surface Properties, and Fixation. International Meeting of Advanced Spine Techniques Copenhagen, Denmark July 16th, 2011.

Lebl DR, Metkar U, Grottkau B, Wood KB. Bioabsorbable Anterior Cervical Plate Fixation for Single Level Spondylosis – Early Clinical and Radiographic Experience. North American Spine Society, 25th Annual Meeting Oct 7, 2010.

Lebl DR, Cammisa FP, Girardi FP, PDL scientific exhibit. The Performance of a Lumbar Total Disc Replacement in vivo: A Retrieval Analysis of Wear Properties and Fixation. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA February 7-11, 2012 (Scientific Exhibit).

Taher, F, Girardi FP, Sokunbi GO, Hughes AP, Pumberger M, Sama AA, Nguyen J, Cammisa FP, Lebl DR. Radiographic Predictors of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Severity and Outcome. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, 2013.

Research Interests

Cervical Spine Biomechanics
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Safety and Complication Avoidance
Motion Preserving Spine Procedures

Clinical Trials / Research Studies

• Predicting Clinical and Patient-Centered Outcomes after Surgery for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis
• A Randomized Controlled Investigation of Post-operative Collar Wear in One- to Two-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) Surgery Patients
• A Randomized Controlled Investigation of Post-operative Hard Cervical Collar Wear in Multilevel Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) Surgery Patients