Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Paul C. McAfee is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spinal reconstructive surgery and general orthopedics. He is recognized among the Top 1% of spine experts worldwide for his expertise and contributions to the field. Dr. McAfee invented a cervical disc replacement prosthesis and procedure used in 37 countries to treat severe neck pain. He also invented and tested spinal rods for scoliosis and fractures for the National Institutes of Health. Dr. McAfee has served on the Veritas Health Medical Advisory Board for 20 years.
- Dr. McAfee has written over 190 peer-reviewed publications, including Comparison of 2 Lumbar Total Disc Replacements Results of a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Food and Drug Administration Trial With 24-Month Follow-up and Reoperations and Complications of Failed Lumbar Total Disk Replacement.
- He has authored 6 full-length textbooks and surgical atlases which include Atlas of Spinal Surgery, Motion Preservation Surgery of the Spine: Advanced Techniques and Controversies, and Atlas of Endoscopic Spine Surgery.
- Dr. McAfee holds over 20 US patents on spinal devices including US7001432, US20040010259, US20040083000, and US20040102846.
Experience
Dr. McAfee is Chief of Spine Surgery at the University of Maryland, St. Joseph Medical Center, and at Towson Orthopaedic Associates in Baltimore, MD. He invented cervical disc replacement and performs an average of 400 spinal reconstructive surgery procedures annually. He has served as Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. McAfee is recognized as one of the pioneers in the field of disc replacement and widely regarded as a leader in spine surgery.
Board Certifications
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Spine Medicine Leadership
- Member, North American Spine Society
- Member, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Member, Orthopaedic Research Society
- Member, International Cervical Spine Research Society
- Member, Scoliosis Research Society
- Member, Spine Arthroplasty Society
Select Medical Research
- Middle-Column Gap Balancing and Middle-Column Mismatch in Spinal Reconstructive Surgery
- Comprehensive Biomechanical Analysis of Three Lumbopelvic Reconstruction Techniques following Total Sacrectomy: An In Vitro Human Cadaveric Model
- Five-Year Follow-Up of a Prospective, Randomized Trial Comparing Two Lumbar Total Disc Replacements
- Long-term Outcomes of the US FDA IDE Prospective, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Comparing PCM Cervical Disc Arthroplasty With Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion
- Biomechanical and Anatomical Considerations in Lumbar Spinous Process Fixation- An In Vitro Human Cadaveric Model
- Multilevel Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF) and Osteotomies for 3-Dimensional Severe Deformity: 25 Consecutive Cases
- A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Investigation Comparing PCM® Cervical Disc Arthroplasty to Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: 2 Year Results from the US IDE Clinical Trial.
- Response to "Methodological Limitations of a Meta-Analysis Comparing the Outcomes of Cervical Arthroplasty and Anterior Cervical Fusion"
- Reoperations and Complications of Failed Lumbar Total Disk Replacement
- Cervical Total Disk Replacement: Complications and Avoidance
- Adjacent-Level Range of Motion and Intradiscal Pressure After Posterior Cervical Decompression and Fixation An In Vitro Human Cadaveric Model
- A Meta-Analysis of Comparative Outcomes Following Cervical Arthroplasty or Anterior Cervical Fusion Results From 4 Prospective Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trials and Up to 1226 Patients
Professional Awards and Recognition
- Volvo Award for Spinal Research
- AcroMed Award for Spinal Research
- Russell Hibbs Award, Scoliosis Research Society
- Founder’s Award, Eastern Orthopaedic Association
- Blaustein Spinal Research Award
Education
- BA – University of Rochester
- MD – State University of New York Upstate Medical University
- Internship – General Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine
- Residency – Orthopaedic Surgery, State University of New York Upstate Medical University
- Fellowship – Spinal Reconstructive Surgery, Case Western Reserve University
About Veritas Health
Veritas Health publishes original, unbiased, and comprehensive resources to help millions of people each month make informed decisions about their health. Our rigorous editorial process is modeled after medical journals and ensures articles are reviewed with integrity and objectivity. The Veritas Health platform—including Spine-health.com, Arthritis-health.com, and Sports-health.com—is a trusted authority on back pain, arthritis, sports injuries, and chronic pain conditions.
Profile last updated: January 21, 2020.