About Dr. Sokunbi
Dr. Gbolabo Sokunbi is a spine surgeon at HSS and an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. His areas of clinical interest include degenerative conditions of the cervical, thoracic and lumbo-sacral regions as well as deformity and traumatic spinal conditions. He employs a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to spine care across a broad age range from adolescents to the elderly. When appropriate, he utilizes cutting-edge, minimally invasive and motion preservation techniques while actively leveraging new technologies such as navigation and robotics.
Dr. Sokunbi has authored several peer-reviewed scientific articles as well as book chapters on various spine and orthopedic topics. He serves on the editorial review board of North American Spine Society Journal and Asian Spine Journal.
Dr. Sokunbi is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and also a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons. In addition, he is an active member of several national orthopedic societies. He was previously Network Chairman (Interim) of Orthopedic Surgery and Section Chief of Orthopedic Spine Surgery at St. Lukes Health Network, PA, and served as (adjunct) Clinical Professor of Orthopedic surgery at Temple University.
After graduating from Rutgers University/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, Dr. Sokunbi completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. He completed his fellowship in spine surgery at HSS.
Profile Video
Departments
Specialized Centers
Integrated Spine Research Program
Special Expertise
Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Atlantoaxial subluxation (C1-C2)
Cervical arthritis / cervical spondylosis
Cervical radiculopathy
Cervical myelopathy
Congenital cervical spine anomalies
Craniovertebral junction
Disc herniation
Forestier's disease / DISH
High cervical spine disorders
Klippel-Feil
Kyphosis
Lumbar radiculopathy
Minimally invasive spine surgery
Motion preservation
Myelopathy
Occipitocervical junction disorders
Pediatric (adolescent) spinal disorders
Rheumatoid cervical spine
Scoliosis
Spinal deformity
Spinal stenosis
Spondylolysis
Spondylolisthesis
Procedures
Anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF)
Atlantoaxial fusion (C1-C2)
Cervical corpectomy / cervical vertebrectomy
Cervical decompression
Cervical laminectomy
Cervical laminoplasty
Cervical foraminotomy
Cervical fusion
Lateral transpoas interbody fusion (LLIF / XLIF)
Lumbar laminectomy
Lumbar fusion
Microdiscectomy
Microsurgery
Minimally invasive cervical decompression
Minimally invasive cervical disk replacement
Minimally invasive lumbar decompression
Occipitocervical / craniovertebral junction fusion
Pedicle subtraction osteotomy
Ponte osteotomy
Sacroiliac joint fusion
Scoliosis correction
Spinal osteotomy
Smith-Petersen osteotomy
Three column osteotomy
Vertebral column resection / vertebrectomy
Patient Stories
Videos
Insurance
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.
Credentials
Appointments
Inpatient Medical Director, Hospital for Special Surgery
Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
Assistant Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Affiliations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - Fellow
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery - Diplomate
North American Spine Society
J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society
Certification
American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, 2013
Awards
North American Spine Society SpineLineTop 20 under 40, 2019
Physician Honoree Award SLHN 2016, 2017, 2018
Spine IEP award, 2012
Education
Medical: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, 2006
Internship: Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 2007
Residency: Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 2011
Fellowship: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 2012
State Licensure
Languages
English, Yoruba
For My Patients
How to prepare for your new patient consult
What should I bring with me the day of my appointment?
- Relevant diagnostic images on a DVD/CD with corresponding Radiology reports
- Insurance card and Photo ID
- Primary Care Physician contact information
- If vaccinated, bring your vaccine card. If unvaccinated, bring proof of a negative PCR Covid test within 5 days of your scheduled consult.
What does the office need prior to my appointment?
Below describes imaging Dr.Sokunbi will need to review in order to best find a solution to your current spine concerns.
- Recent imaging discs ( MRI/CT/X-ray) of the spine region in question completed within the last 6-12 months. If you cannot upload your imaging to your MyHSS portal using this tipsheet or mail in your imaging disc to the office for uploading, please have the disc available at the time of your visit for review.
Below lists report(s) that Dr. Sokunbi will need to review in order to best find a solution to your current spine concerns. Please email or fax this information to our office.
- Radiology and imaging reports (CT, MRI, X-ray, EMG studies)
- Previous spine operative reports
- Previous injection/therapeutic management reports
Office email: SokunbiOffice@hss.edu
Office fax: 917.260.4565
Mailing Address: Attention Dr. Sokunbi : 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY 10021INSURANCE:
What portions of my care are covered under my current medical insurance plan?
- For insurance related guidance on Hospital and physician services, please contact our dedicated Insurance Advisor department by calling 212.774.2607.
Some insurance carriers (typically HMO plans or Cigna Liberty) require a referral to see a medical specialist. Please have all appropriate referrals sent into our office prior to your visit.
Prior to your appointment, you can also verify covered and non-covered benefits by contacting your insurance company using our practice identifiers:
- National Provider Identifier (NPI) #: 1992039044
- Tax ID#: 86-3826102
Spine Procedure Animations
- Spine - Cervical – Anterior Cervical Discectomy, Fusion – Instrumented (ACDF)
- Spine - Cervical – Cervical Laminectomy, Fusion – Instrumented
- Spine - Cervical – Cervical Laminoplasty
- Spine - Cervical – Posterior Cervical Laminotomy
- Spine - Computer–Assisted Spine Surgery
- Spine - Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Laminectomy
- Spine - Lumbar – Laminectomy, Fusion – Instrumented
- Spine - Lumbar – Laminectomy, Fusion – Uninstrumented
- Spine - Lumbar – Minimally Invasive Approach (PLIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Minimally Invasive Approach (TLIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Minimally Invasive Discectomy (Percutaneous Disc Removal)
- Spine - Lumbar – Partial Discectomy
- Spine - Lumbar – Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Vertebral Body Replacement
- Spine - Thoracic – Scoliosis Treatment: Derotation with Instrumentation
- Spine - Thoracic – Thoracic Laminectomy and Instrumentation
- Spine - Thoracic – Thoracic Vertebral Body Replacement (Anterior)
Publications by Dr. Sokunbi
Patient Education
Selected Journal Articles
For all publications, please see the PubMed listing.
Selected Books/Chapters
Rehman, S., Sokunbi, G.: Intramedullary Fixation of Forearm Fractures: Hand Clin. 2010 Aug;26(3):391-401, vii. Epub, 2010 Jun 11.
Selected Presentations
NMA spine case presentations (Virtual) Aug 01 2020.
Complex Case Presentation, NJ/PA Spine Summit Sept 06 2019.
Complex Case Presentation, NJ/PA Spine Summit Feb 09 2019.
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: Grand Rounds, SLUHN June 18 2018.
Eastern Orthopedic Society Meeting Podium presentation: Are CT scans over-utilized in the management of acute compression fractures?. March 22 2018.
Research
Industry Relationships
Industry Relationships
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
As of October 18, 2021, Dr. Sokunbi reported no relationships with the healthcare industry.
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS.