Dr. Christian Athanassious Joins the Total Spine Health Program at SRO
Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) August 17, 2014 -- Santa Rosa Orthopaedics (SRO), a 10 physician medical group offering comprehensive surgical and nonsurgical orthopaedic care, is thrilled to welcome Christian Athanassious, MD, to its practice. Dr. Athanassious joins veteran back and neck care orthopaedist Dr. Michael J. Star to co-direct the Total Spine Health Program at SRO. The Total Spine Health Program employs innovative diagnostic testing, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and targeted therapies at SRO’s full-service onsite physical therapy center to improve patient mobility and quality of life. With two expert orthopaedic physicians working alongside a veteran physical therapy staff within the same practice, SRO has set a high standard for comprehensive orthopaedic spine care in Sonoma County.
An advocate of the whole-body medical approach to treating patients, Dr. Athanassious completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology from UC Davis with the intention of pursuing his medical doctorate. With a thorough background in psychology, Dr. Athanassious never loses sight of the mind and body connection when considering the best treatment for his patients. In the time between graduating from UC Davis and applying to medical school, he was a Howard Hughes Scholar working as a research manager, researcher, and anatomy lecturer at UC Davis for premed and medical students while he was studying for the MCAT.
Dr. Athanassious went on to complete a post baccalaureate in Medical Science at the Drexel University College of Medicine. Graduating at the top of his class, Dr. Athanassious was the only graduate invited to continue on at the same school to complete his Doctorate of Medicine. He then completed his orthopaedic residency at Monmouth Medical Center, and was selected to serve as the Chief Resident in his final year. Throughout his undergraduate studies, graduate studies, and residency, Dr. Athanassious published many award-winning studies on a variety of medical subjects.
Dr. Athanassious’ outstanding achievements earned him a spot in the hypercompetitive spine surgery fellowship at Stanford University, which he completed in 2014. After training alongside some of the world’s finest spine surgeons, Dr. Athanassious brings invaluable expertise and knowledge about the latest advancements in orthopaedic spine operative and nonoperative care to individuals of all ages in Northern California.
SRO veteran back and neck care specialist Dr. Michael J. Star co-directs the Total Spine Health Program with Dr. Athanassious. A board certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in the treatment of spinal disorders and joint replacement surgery, Dr. Star obtained his fellowship training at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, CA, under the teaching of Drs. Clifford W. Coldwell Jr., and Roger P. Thorne. Upon completion of his fellowship, Dr. Star began practicing in Santa Rosa in 1991. In addition to his fulltime practice in Santa Rosa, Dr. Star has kept busy over the years teaching at UCSF, and serving as the attending physician at the Complex Low Back Clinic. He has authored many scientific papers, including publications in Spine, Journal of Arthroplasty, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, and Orthopaedics.
“Dr. Athanassious is a highly distinguished surgeon among his Stanford peers. I am very excited to have him join our practice,” says Dr. Star. He continues, “When a patient of the Spine Health Program requires surgery, Dr. Athanassious and I consult each other to determine the best, least invasive option available for each individual case, ensuring the best results and quickest recovery time.”
SRO’s longstanding Director of Rehab Services, Chris Krug, MSPT, oversees the physical therapy for patients of the Total Spine Health Program at SRO’s spacious Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center.
Chris Krug explains, “Many patients arrive at the Total Spine Health Program with conditions that can potentially be cured without surgery. With appropriate diagnosis, our team is often able to provide effective non-surgical treatment to alleviate patient symptoms. When conservative care is not enough, surgery may be indicated. Our physical therapists have worked closely with the Dr. Athanassious to develop post-operative protocols designed to safely guide patients through the rehabilitation process. The collaboration between therapist and surgeon continues throughout care at SRO.”
The Total Spine Health Program at SRO strives to do everything possible to get you back to doing the things you love most. When conservative care is not enough, Dr. Athanassious carries fellowship training in the most advanced spinal surgery and injection procedures from the prestigious Stanford University.
Spinal surgeries and spinal injections offered at the Total Spine Health Program include:
• Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion with Instrumentation
• Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
• Caudal Steroid Injections
• Cervical and Thoracic Corpectomies
• Cervical Disc Replacement
• Cervical Laminoforaminotomy
• Cervical Laminoplasty
• Cervical Posterior Spinal Fusion
• Facet Injections
• Lumbar Discectomy & Fusion
• Lumbar Disc Replacement
• Lumbar Decompression & Microdecompression
• Microdiscectomy in the Lumbar Spine
• Minimally Invasive Spine (MIS) Surgery
• Spinal Tumor Management
• Spinal Trauma
• Thoracic Fusion
• Thoracic Microdecompression
• Transpsoas Lumbar Fusion
At Santa Rosa Orthopaedics, the Total Spine Health Program is one of many centers of excellence staffed with leading specialists in a variety of orthopaedic subspecialty fields. In its efforts to bring the best outcomes to patients, SRO has set the model for exceptional orthopedic care for over 60 years. SRO offers patients in-house diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, sports injury prevention, as well as advanced surgical treatments in joint replacement, sports medicine, trauma care, hand, foot and ankle, and general orthopedic surgery.
Dr. Athanassious was born in Scotland, raised in the U.S., and has been a longtime resident of California. He is married and enjoys many physical activities including mountain biking, skiing, martial arts, and running. Dr. Athanassious’ esteemed credentials and premier support team at SRO make him a first-rate choice for specialty operative and nonoperative spine treatment in the area. He is currently accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Athanassious, call (707) 546-1922 (option #1). For more information on Dr. Athanassious and the Total Spine Health Program at SRO, visit http;//srortho.com [srortho.com __title__ ].
John Beilharz, JB Communications, http://jbadvertising.com/, +1 (707) 579-4977, [email protected]
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