Orthopedic Surgery Neurosurgery News Archive Featured in the Media JeffNEWS

John Kevin Ratliff, M.D., a specialist in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) of the spine, has been named assistant professor of neurological surgery and orthopaedic surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

Dr. Ratliff, one of the few specialists in the Philadelphia region to offer MIS of the spine, performs a range of minimal access procedures including lumbar discectomies, laminectomies, interbody fusions and percutaneous pedicle screw placements.

MIS of the spine, a relatively new field, is designed to reduce postoperative pain, diminish blood loss, minimize scarring, speed recovery time and shorten hospital stays, which, in turn, reduce healthcare costs. Such procedures often use endoscopes and incisions that are no larger than one inch.

Dr. Ratliff’s research interests focus on the use of minimally invasive approaches in spine surgery, techniques that include fusion and decompression procedures. His ongoing research in MIS concentrates on complication prevention and outcomes in comparison to classic open procedures. He is also concerned with the development of online teaching resources for spine and peripheral nerve surgery, and serves as editor for an online surgery review site.

Prior to joining Jefferson, Dr. Ratliff served as assistant professor of neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University in Chicago from 2002 to 2005. During that time, he was also section chief, Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery, held clinical privileges at the Neurosurgical and Orthopedic Institute of Chicago and was a member of the Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch.

Active in a number of associations and societies, Dr. Ratliff is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, AANS/CNS Spine and Peripheral Nerve Section, Southern Neurological Association, Southern Medical Association, North American Spine Society and the Cervical Spine Research Society. He holds a candidate fellowship in the Scoliosis Research Society and is an associate fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Ratliff was elected to the Young Neurosurgeons Committee of the American Association of Neurological Surgery/Congress of Neurological Surgery in 2004 through 2008.

He has lectured widely, and has written book chapters and peer reviewed articles in such publications as the Journal of Neurosurgery, Spine and Surgical Neurology.

Dr. Ratliff completed a joint orthopaedic/neurosurgical spine surgery fellowship at New York University in 2002 and completed a research fellowship at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Surgical Neurology Branch in 2000, where his research focused on augmentation of peripheral nerve regeneration and spinal cord drug delivery. In 2001 he completed a residency in neurosurgery and in 1996 an internship in general surgery, both at Louisiana State University.

Dr. Ratliff received a doctor of medicine degree from Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, in 1995. He received a bachelor of arts degree in biology and philosophy from Transylvania University, Lexington, in 1991.