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“Throughout the whole process, Dr. Bhatia has been calming, kind, thorough, and I have never felt rushed. He gave me my life back. I think Dr. Bhatia is ‘the bomb.’” - Patient K.W. |
| Spine Surgeon in Orange County |
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Located in Orange County, Dr. Nitin Bhatia has expertise in all areas of spinal pathology including spinal stenosis, disc herniations, spine trauma, scoliosis, complex cervical and lumbar reconstruction, and failed back syndrome.
Nitin N. Bhatia, MD - Spine & Back Surgeon Dr. Bhatia graduated with honors from Stanford University, after which he attended Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. During medical school, Dr. Bhatia won numerous research awards and was the valedictorian of his graduating class. Following his Orthopaedic surgery residency at UCLA, Dr. Bhatia completed a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital, after which he completed a second spine surgery fellowship at Miami Children’s Hospital. Dr. Bhatia is active in multiple research projects including federally funded spinal cord injury research and has been nominated for the prestigious Russell Hibbs research award by the Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Bhatia has been featured as a treating surgeon in the television show "Guardian Angels, MD" seen nationwide on The Learning Channel (TLC) as well as programs on PBS. He has expertise in all areas of spinal pathology including spinal stenosis, disc herniations, spine trauma, scoliosis, complex cervical and lumbar reconstruction, and failed back syndrome. Dr. Bhatia has completed multiple spine surgery fellowships and has trained in both orthopaedic and neurosurgical techniques. Dr. Bhatia is a member of multiple international and national spine related organizations including the North American Spine Society. Dr. Bhatia is the only academic surgeon in Orange County to be selected for the exclusive Cervical Spine Research Society which has granted admission to less than 20 physicians in the state of California! To view Dr. Bhatia's internet seminars on the following topics please select the appropriate links:
Nitin N. Bhatia, M.D.
Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery (714) 456-1699 (office) Chief, Orthopaedic Spine Service EDUCATION: Stanford University, Stanford, California Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas University of California, Los Angeles Miami Children’s Hospital, Miami, Florida University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Miami, Florida AWARDS AND HONORS: Stanford University, Stanford, California Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas University of California, Los Angeles Scoliosis Research Society University of California, Irvine American Orthopaedic Association Emerging Leaders Program, 2005-2008 American Orthopaedic Association - Japanese Orthopaedic Association Exchange Traveling Fellow, 2008 RESEARCH AWARDS: The Endocrine Society Student Research Award, 1994 Baylor College of Medicine-Karolinska Institute Research Fellowship Award, 1997 Lange Medical Research Award, Baylor College of Medicine, 1998 Outstanding Paper Nominee, Cervical Spine Research Society, 2005 Hibbs Award Nominee, Basic Science, Scoliosis Research Society, 2005 Hibbs Award Nominee, Basic Science, Scoliosis Research Society, 2005 RESEARCH GRANTS: Walter Lorenz Surgical Research Grant, 1998 Stryker Biotech Spine Research Grant, 2005 EBI Spinal Cord Injury Research Grant, 2005 Spinewave Lumbar Sagittal Balance Research Grant, 2005 Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund of California, 2007 Dept. of Defense, U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command, Congressionally .PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS: 1. Transcriptional and Posttranscriptional Regulation of Inhibin alpha-Subunit Gene Expression in Rat Sertoli Cells by 8-Bromo-3’, 5’-Cyclic-Adenosine Monophosphate. Najmabadi H, Rosenberg LA, Yuan QX, Bhatia N, Albiston AL, Burger H, Bhasin S; Molecular Endocrinology, 7(4): 469-476, 1993. 2. Congenital Syndromes Associated with Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer. Gherardini G, Bhatia N, Stal S; Clinics of Plastic Surgery, 24(4):649-661, 1997. 3. Compartmentalized Bone Regeneration of Cranial Defects with Biodegradable Barriers: an Animal Model. Stal S, Tjelmeland K, Hicks J, Bhatia N, Eppley B, Hollier L; Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 12(1):51-47, 2001. 4. Current Information Regarding the Biochemical and Genetic Events Which Occur During Disc Degeneration. Bhatia N, Wang J; Current Opinion in Orthopaedics, 14(3):153-158, 2003. 5. Adjacent Segment Degeneration in the Lumbar Spine. Ghiselli G, Wang JC, Bhatia NN, Hsu WK, Dawson EG; Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 86-A(7):1497-1503, 2004. 6. The Role of the Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Flap for Esophageal Fistula Repair in Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery. Navarro R, Javahery R, Eismont F, Arnold DJ, Bhatia NN, Vanni S, Levi AD; Spine, 30(20):617-633, 2005. 7. Body Mass Index in Patients with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis: A Predictive Model. Bhatia NN, Pirpiris M, Otsuka N; Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, 26(2):197-9, 2006. 8. Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells in Peripheral Nerve Grafts after Contusion in the Adult Spinal Cord: Improvement of Recovery in a Rat Model. Rasouli A, Bhatia NN, Suryadevara S, Cahill K, Gupta R; Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. 88(11):2400-10, 2006. 9. Wound Complications from Idiopathic Clubfoot Surgery: a Comparison of the Modified Turco and the Cincinnati Treatment Methods. Hsu WK, Bhatia NN, Raskin A, Otsuka NY; Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. 27(3):329-332, 2007. 10. Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann cells following Hemisection Spinal Cord Injury. Dinh P, Bhatia NN, Cahill K, Gupta R; Spine. 32(9):943-9, 2007. 11. A Prospective Evaluation of Diagnostic Modalities in Pediatric Back Pain. Bhatia NN, Chow G, Timon S, Watts HG; Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. 28(2):230-3,2008. BOOK CHAPTERS: 3. Disorder, Disease, and Injuries of the Spine. In Skinner H. ed. Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Orthopaedics. Lange/Mc-Graw Hill, New York, NY, 2006. 4. Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nerve Injury. In Orthopaedic Knowledge Update 9. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rosemont, IL, 2007. 5. Imaging of the Spine. In Lieberman, JR. ed. In Orthopaedic Board Review. 6. Thoracic Spinal Stability: Decision Making. In Patel V., ed. Spine Trauma – 7. Lumbar Spinal Stability: Decision Making. In Patel V., ed. Spine Trauma - Surgical Techniques. Springer, Heidelberg, Germany. In press. 8. Post-operative Spinal Injections. In Garfin S., et al, ed. Rothman-Simeone: The Spine, 6th Edition. Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA. In press. 9. Pre-Sacral Lumbar Fusion with TranS1 AxiaLIF. In Wang J., ed. Advanced Reconstruction: The Spine. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rosemont, IL. In press. PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS: 1. Pathogenic Role of Stem Cell Factor in Infertile Men with Sertoli Cell Only Syndrome. Transactions of the Endocrine Society, 1994. 2. Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Lumbar Fusion: Long Term Survivorship Analysis of 217 Patients. Proceedings of the North American Spine Society, 2001. 3. Proximal Segment Degeneration Following Posterior Lumbosacral Fusions (L4-S1 and L5-S1). Transactions of the Scoliosis Research Society, 2002. 4. A Prospective Evaluation of Diagnostic Modalities in Pediatric Back Pain. Transactions of the Scoliosis Research Society, 2002. 5. A Prospective Evaluation of Diagnostic Modalities in Pediatric Back Pain. Transactions of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2003. 6. Prospective Randomized Study of Modified Harrington Instrumentation Versus Segmental Instrumentation in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Proceedings of the North American Spine Society, 2003. 7. Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Posterior Lumbosacral Fusion. Proceedings of the North American Spine Society, 2003. 8. Diagnostic Techniques Used in Pediatric Back Pain. Proceedings of the North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2003. 9. Can Bilateral Hip Involvement with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis be Predicted by the Body Mass Index? Transactions of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, 2004. 10. Body Mass Index in Patients with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis. Transactions of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, 2004. 11. Outcome Differences for Primary and Recurrent Disc Excision Patients Treated by a Single Surgeon. Proceedings of the North American Spine Society, 2004. 12. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. International Meeting for Advanced Spinal Techniques (IMAST), annual meeting, 2005. 13. Resection of Glial Scar Following Spinal Cord Injury. Transactions of the International Meeting for Advanced Spinal Techniques (IMAST), 2005. 14. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann cells for Spinal Cord Injury with a Contusion Model. The Spine Journal 4(4S): 33S, July/August 2005. 15. Results of Cervical Open-Door Laminoplasty in Patients with Tandem Cervical and Lumbar Stenosis. The Spine Journal 4(4S): 2005. 16. Results of Open Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in a North American Population. The Spine Journal 4(4S): 2005. 17. Three-point versus Two-point fixation for Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures. 18. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. Transactions of the Scoliosis Research Society, 2005. Russell Hibbs Award Finalist. 19. Results of Open Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in the Elderly Population. Proceedings of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2005. 20. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. Proceedings of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2005. 21. Results of Open Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in a North American Population. Proceedings of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2005. 22. Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann cells following Hemisection Spinal Cord Injury. Transactions of the Orthopaedic Research Society 31:1257, 2006. 23. Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann cells for Spinal Cord Injury with a Contusion Model. Transactions of the Orthopaedic Research Society 31:1261, 2006. 24. Resection of Glial Scar Following Spinal Cord Injury. Transactions of the Orthopaedic Research Society 31:1258, 2006. 25. Do Patients with Concurrent Lumbar Stenosis Have Impaired Results Following Cervical Laminoplasty for Spondylotic Myelopathy? Bhatia N, Geck M, Gottlieb J, Harrison R, Eismont F; Proceedings of the North America Spine Society and Japanese Spine Research Society, Spine Across the Sea: 51-52, 2006. 26. Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in the Elderly North American Population: Minimum of Two Year Follow-Up. Bhatia N, Geck M, Gottlieb J, Harrison R, Eismont F; Proceedings of the North America Spine Society and Japanese Spine Research Society, Spine Across the Sea: 52, 2006. 27. Novel kyphoplasty/brachytherapy technique for the treatment of vertebral metastases: A mathematical modeling feasibility study. Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Conference, Rancho Mirage, CA, Nov 3-5, 2006. SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS: Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Lumbar Fusion: Long Term Survivorship Analysis of 217 Patients. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2001. Proximal Segment Degeneration Following Posterior Lumbosacral Fusions (L4-S1 and L5-S1). Scoliosis Research Society, annual meeting, 2002. A Prospective Evaluation of Diagnostic Modalities in Pediatric Back Pain. Scoliosis Research Society, annual meeting, 2002. Diagnostic Techniques Used in Pediatric Back Pain. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2003. Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Posterior Lumbosacral Fusion. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2003. Prospective Randomized Study of Modified Harrington Instrumentation Versus Segmental Instrumentation in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2003. A Prospective Evaluation of Diagnostic Modalities in Pediatric Back Pain. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, annual meeting, 2003. Outcome Differences for Primary and Recurrent Disc Excision Patients Treated by a Single Surgeon. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2004. Body Mass Index in Patients with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, annual meeting, 2004. Can Bilateral Hip Involvement with Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis be Predicted by the Body Mass Index? Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, annual meeting, 2004. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. International Meeting for Advanced Spinal Techniques (IMAST), annual meeting, 2005. Resection of Glial Scar Following Spinal Cord Injury. International Meeting for Advanced Spinal Techniques (IMAST), annual meeting, 2005. Results of Cervical Open-Door Laminoplasty in Patients with Tandem Cervical and Lumbar Stenosis. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2005. Results of Open Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in a North American Population. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2005. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. North American Spine Society, annual meeting, 2005. Three-point versus Two-point fixation for Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. Scoliosis Research Society, annual meeting, 2005. Hibbs Award Nominee. Results of Open Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in a North American Population. Cervical Spine Research Society, annual meeting, 2005. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann Cells Following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury. Cervical Spine Research Society, annual meeting, 2005. Outstanding Paper nominee. Results of Open Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in the Elderly Population. Cervical Spine Research Society, annual meeting, 2005. Novel Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann cells for Spinal Cord Injury with a Contusion Model. Orthopaedic Research Society annual meeting, 2006. Resection of glial scar following spinal cord injury. Orthopaedic Research Society annual meeting, 2006. Transplantation of Preconditioned Schwann cells following Hemisection Spinal Cord Injury. Orthopaedic Research Society annual meeting, 2006. Do Patients with Concurrent Lumbar Stenosis Have Impaired Results Following Cervical Laminoplasty for Spondylotic Myelopathy? North America Spine Society and Japanese Spine Research Society, Spine Across the Sea, 2006. Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy in the Elderly North American Population: Minimum of Two Year Follow-Up. North America Spine Society and Japanese Spine Research Society, Spine Across the Sea, 2006. Novel kyphoplasty/brachytherapy technique for the treatment of vertebral metastases: A mathematical modeling feasibility study. Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center Conference, Rancho Mirage, CA, Nov 3-5, 2006. Lost in Translation? Is Cervical Laminoplasty Valid in the North American Population. Japanese Orthopaedic Assocation annual meeting, Sapporo, Japan, 2008. Cervical Open-Door Lamioplasty in North American Spondylotic Myelopathic Patients. 5th Alps Orthopaedic Seminar in Shinshu University, Shinshu, Japan, 2008. WORKS IN PROGRESS: Hand Function in Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury: A Prospective Study The Effect of Loading on Autonomic Regulation, Muscle Mass, and Bone Density in Patients with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury The Role of In-Vivo Cage Expansion for Improvement of Lumbar Lordosis following TLIF or PLIF Os Odontoneium with Associated Upper Cervical Anomalies Autonomic Dysfunction and Training in Patients with Chronic and Acute Spinal Cord Injury Chronic AVM of the Upper Lumbar Spine Secondary to Atherosclerosis Carbohydrate Metabolism Impairments in Chronic Human Spinal Cord Injury Non-surgical Treatment of Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures with Significant Canal Compromise: A Prospective Study Hook versus Pedicle Screw Constructs for Rotational Rigidity Comparison of Balance Measuring Devices in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Anterior Cervical Fusion. Adjacent Segment Degeneration After Posterior Spinal Fusion in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: a Long Term Survivorship Analysis. Proximal Segment Degeneration Following Posterior Lumbosacral Fusions (L4-S1 and L5-S1). Submitted for publication. Posterior Cervical Laminoplasty in the North American Population: A Minimum of Two Year Follow-Up. Submitted for publication. INVITED LECTURES: Kartagener’s Syndrome in a Patient with Craniofacial Abnormalities. Plastic Surgery Grand Rounds, Baylor College of Medicine, 1996 Posterior Cervical Surgery. Symposium for Minimally Invasive and Posterior Cervical Surgery, 2004 New Technologies in Spine Surgery. Neurosurgery Grand Rounds, University of California, Irvine, 2005 Low Back Pain and the Primary Care Physician. Family Practice Review Symposium, Long Beach Memorial Hospital, 2005 Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and Back Pain. Grand Rounds, Kaiser Whittier Medical Center, 2005 Spinal Cord Injury Complications. Grand Rounds, Torrance Memorial Medical Center, 2005 Posterior Cervical Laminoplasty. Blackstone Instructional Meeting, 2005 Spinal Cord Injury. Seaspine Users Meeting, 2005 Adult Back Pain. Grand Rounds, Lakewood Regional Medical Center, 2005 Diagnostic Techniques Used in Pediatric Back Pain. University of California, Irvine, Graduate Research Forum, 2005 New Technologies in Spinal Surgery, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds, University of California, Irvine, 2005 Spinal Cord Injury Complications, Grand Rounds, Torrance Memorial Hospital, Torrance, CA, 2005 Techniques in Posterior Cervical Fixation. Current Concepts and Techniques for Spine Surgery Symposium, San Diego, CA 2005 Lumbar Spinal Stenosis and Back Pain, Grand Rounds, Kaiser Whittier Medical Center, Whittier, CA, 2005 Modern Techniques in Spinal Surgery. Western Orthopaedic Association, 2005 Laminoplasty in the North American Population, University of California, Irvine, Graduate Research Forum, 2005 Posterior Cervical Surgery and Instrumentation. AO North America, Chicago, IL 2006. Low Back Pain. Grand Rounds, South Coast Medical Center, 2006 Lumbar Spinal Disorders and the Primary Care Physician, Family Practice Review Symposium, UC Irvine-Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, CA 2006 Cervical Evaluation in the Multi-Trauma Patient, University of California, Irvine, Graduate Research Forum, 2007 Anterior Cervical Surgery Advanced Techniques, Cervical and Lumbar Instructional Course, Santa Monica, CA, 2007 Complications of Posterior Cervical Surgery, Complex Cervical Surgery Symposium, Denver, CO, 2008 Modern Techniques in Spinal Surgery, University of California, Irvine, Department of Biomechanical Engineering, BME 200, 2008 Outcomes of Posterior Cervical Laminoplasty in Various American Populations. Grand Rounds, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan, 2008. The Efficacy of Posterior Cervical Laminoplasty in Elderly Myelopathic Patients. Dokkyo Medical University, Dokkyo, Japan, 2008. Lost in Translation? Is Cervical Laminoplasty a Valid Technique in the North American Population? Grand Rounds, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan, 2008. INVITED FACULTY: Symposium for Minimally Invasive and Posterior Cervical Surgery, San Diego, CA, 2004 Moderator, Basic Science, North American Spine Society, 2005 Advanced Surgical Techniques Meeting, Santa Monica, CA, 2005 Family Practice Review Symposium, UC Irvine-Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, CA 2005 Symposium for Lumbar and Cervical Surgery, New York, NY, 2005 Family Practice Review Symposium, UC Irvine-Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Long Beach, CA 2005 19th Annual Disorders of the Spine, Whistler, Canada, 2007 Cervical and Lumbar Instructional Course, Santa Monica, CA 2007 20th Annual Disorders of the Spine, Whistler, Canada, 2008 Complex Cervical Surgery Symposia, Denver, Colorado, 2008 Visiting Professor, Wakayama Medical University, Japan, 2008 Visiting Professor, Dokkyo Medical University, Japan, 2008 Visiting Professor, Keio University, Japan, 2008 Invited Guest Lecturer, Japanese Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting, Sapporo, Japan, 2008 Visiting Professor, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Japan, 2008 Visiting Professor, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan, 2008 Program Committee, Chair, Western Orthopaedic Association, Annual Meeting, 2010 Program Committee, Western Orthopaedic Association, Annual Meeting, 2009 Chairman, Regional Spinal Surgery Conference, University of California, Irvine, 2004 - 2008 Chairman, PediGuard Technique Symposium, University of California, Irvine, 2005 - 2008 EDITORIAL BOARDS: Editor, Contemporary Spine Surgery Editor, Orthopaedic Knowledge Online Contributor, SpineUniverse.com Contributor, SpineFellows.com PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Member State of California Board of Medical Examiners, 2000 COMMITTEE POSITIONS HELD: Board Member, Western Orthopaedic Association, Orange County Chapter, 2004- Present |