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Practice Locations

UCHealth Spine Center - Anschutz Medical Campus
Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion - 1st Floor 12605 E. 16th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045

720-848-1980

Chris Cain, MD

Orthopedic Surgery of the Spine

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  • Position Name

    University of Colorado

  • Gender

    Male

  • Languages

    English

  • Department

    Professor, Orthopedics

  • Specialty

    Orthopedic Surgery of the Spine, Orthopedics

  • Primary Clinic Phone

    (720) 848-1980

  • Hospital Affiliations

    University of Colorado Hospital
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Referring Provider Info

Locations

Practice Locations

UCHealth Spine Center - Anschutz Medical Campus
Anschutz Inpatient Pavilion - 1st Floor, 12605 E. 16th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045

720-848-1980

Provider Expertise

Clinical Interest for Patients

My practice covers all aspects of spinal disease, including the management of adult degenerative disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, adult and pediatric deformity, spine trauma and tumors. My principle interest are, anterior lumbar surgery and the management of complex spinal deformity and reconstruction. While I am not a proponent of operating through tubes I employ surgical techniques to minimize the damage done to structures and tissues while maximizing the chance of achieving surgical success. I have expertise in the indications for, and the surgical management of neck and back pain, spinal trauma, spinal instability, neural compromise and tumors.


Care Philosophy

I treat and advise patient’s as I would want a member of my family treated. While many surgeons claim they do this, the reality is a lot of medicine is market driven and some clinicians recommend treatments thinking that if they don't provide the treatment someone else will. I believe the practice of medicine to be a privilege and a service to the community, not a business. The practice of spine surgery is a combination of science and art, as such it is important patients understand the nature of their problem and have realistic expectations regarding the outcome of any treatment proposed, surgical or non surgical. There can be no guarantees, and no surgery is performed without causing some harm or being associated with some risks. As such it is a matter of balancing the risks agains the potential benefits, and I will only offer surgery when I believe the benefits clearly outweigh the risks, where there is a good chance surgical intervention will achieve our goals, both yours and mine.


Specialties

  • Orthopedic Surgery of the Spine ( 1994 , 2020 )
  • Orthopedics ( 1993 , 2020 )

Conditions & Treatments

  • Spine

    Cervical disc herniation, Cervical Myelopathy, Cervical spinal stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Scoliosis, Lumbar disc herniation, Lumbar spinal stenosis, Myelopathy, Radiculopathy, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Slipped Disc, Spinal tumors, Spondylolisthesis, Spondylolysis

  • Brain and Nervous System

    Spine Diseases and Conditions

  • Bones, Joints and Muscles

    Spine Injuries

CU Orthopedics Surgery of the Spine Procedure Video Playlist:


Interests & Activities

Personal Interests

My principle interest are degenerative conditions affecting the cervical and lumbar spine, anterior lumbar surgery and the management of complex spinal deformity and reconstruction.


Education & Training

Medical Schools

MD, University of Adelaide, Australia (1985)


Undergraduate Schools

MBBS, University of Adelaide (Australia) (1985)

PhD, University of Adelaide (Australia) (1993)


Internships

Queen Elizabeth Hospital (1985)


Residency Program

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, East Melbourne, Australia (1993)


Fellowships

Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom (1994)

Professional Memberships

AOSpine Asia Pacific, Member


AOSpine North America, Member


Australian Medical Association, Member


Australian Spine Society, Member


North American Spine Society, Member


Research & Grants

Research Interests for Patients

I have been, and remain involved in the development of new techniques and implants to improve patient outcomes. This process involves the critical evaluation of manufacturing, biomechanical and clinical parameters. We are all made differently, different sizes, shapes and abilities, yet implants often come in a limited range of sizes with fixes or limited mechanical characteristics. In light of this I am involved in developing a process using CT and MRI images and a computer model to evaluate individual patients anatomy to assess their suitability for disk replacement surgery. This is to ensure the mechanics of implants used to preserve motion match both the mechanics and anatomy of the patient. Initial work has been undertaken to help assess which patients are suitable for this sort of surgery, but my lead to improvements in the design and function of these implants.

information for referring providers

Referral Contact Phone

(720) 848-1980

Referral Contact Fax

720-848-2019

Clinical Interests for Referring Providers

My clinical interests and activities cover all aspects of spinal disease, including the management of adult degenerative disease of the cervical and lumbar spine, pediatric deformity, both adult and pediatric trauma and tumors. My principle interest is, however, in the management of complex spinal deformity and reconstruction.