Frank H. Valone III, M.D., a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in cervical, minimally invasive and reconstructive spinal surgery, is now with California Pacific Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
Frank H. Valone III, M.D. Joins California Pacific Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
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As indicated in the September 7, 2016 news release, Dr. Valone attended medical school at George Washington University, where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha and Thalamus Honors Societies, was a recipient of the Paul Dewitt Surgery Award and was selected as a Gill and American Brain Tumor Association Fellow.
“Dr. Valone completed his internship and residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, he received the Spine Award in both 2012 and 2013 and was recognized by the American Orthopaedic Association as an “Emerging Leader.” Throughout residency, Dr. Valone also volunteered his time for PlaySafe, a non-profit outreach program that promotes safety in youth sports. Dr. Valone completed his spine fellowship in Adult and Pediatric Spine Surgery at Washington University Medical Center and Columbia University Medical Center under the guidance and mentorship of Drs. Keith Bridwell, Daniel Riew and Lawrence Lenke.”
Dr. Valone told OTW, “I look forward to furthering the expertise of spine care delivered within California Pacific Orthopaedics. Additionally, I have advanced training in all aspects of spine surgery, but a special interest in cervical, minimally invasive and reconstructive spine surgery. I believe a comprehensive approach to patient care and will work with all members of the medical team to treat spinal problems conservatively before considering an operation. If surgery is necessary, I will perform spine surgery utilizing the safest and most effective techniques in a manner that is tailored for each individual patient.
“We will begin by founding the Spine Institute within California Pacific Orthopaedics, where spinal surgeons will work side by side with non-operative physicians, pain specialists, physiatrists and physical therapists to deliver the greatest individualized care for our patients.”
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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