Spine Universe Editorial Board

Doctor Howard An is a tenured Professor and The Morton International Endowed Chair for Spine Research in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Rush Medical College. He is Director of the Rush Spine Center and Director of Spine Fellowships where he has trained clinical spine fellows and numerous international research spine fellows. He holds hospital appointments at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Oak Park Hospital, and Lakeland Medical Center.

Dr. An earned a Medical Degree at the Medical College of Ohio followed by an Internship and Orthopaedic Residency at the same college. His Spine Fellowship was at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Pennsylvania Hospital's Rothman Institute. Dr. An is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Dr. An is a recipient of various awards and honors such as the North American Traveling Fellowship from the American Orthopaedic Association, Teacher of the Year from the Medical College of Wisconsin, the North American Spine Society Research Award, and from the Scoliosis Research Society a Traveling Fellowship. Most recently, he received the John Moe Award for Best Science Poster.

Many professional societies count Dr. An among their members including: the American Orthopaedic Association, Orthopaedic Research Society. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Academic Orthopaedic Society, Cervical Spine Research Society, American Spinal Injury Association, North American Spine Society, Scoliosis Research Society, International Society for the Study of Lumbar Spine, and the American Medical Association. As an active member of these associations, Dr. An serves on several research, editorial and educational committees.

On issues of spine and orthopaedics, Dr. An has authored or edited 12 medical books and has contributed 27 chapters to additional books. Dr. An has published 97 original papers in professional journals and 57 abstracts of scientific research. Currently, Dr. An has 27 original papers in press or submitted for publishing. He has contributed 12 invited reviews to journals. He has given over 100 scientific presentations at national and international meetings. In addition to publishing and presenting original research, Dr. An is an Associate Editor for the journals Spine and the American Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery as well as an Editorial Board member of Contemporary Spine Surgery.
Howard S. An, MD is on the Spine Universe Editorial Board.

SpineUniverse articles from Howard S. An, MD

• A Prospective Cohort Analysis of Adjacent Vertebral Body Bone Mineral Density in Lumbar Surgery Patients with or without Instrumented Posterolateral Fusion: A 9 to 12 Year Follow-Up
  An abstract from the SRS 2005 Annual Meeting demonstrating that BMD significantly increases at the adjacent cephalad vertebral levels in instrumented posterolateral fusion following surgery.
• An Intradiscal Injection of Osteogenic Protein-1 Restores the Viscoelastic Properties of Degenerated Intervetebral Discs in the Rabbit Annular Puncture Model
  This study investigated the effects of osteogenic-protein-1 on the visoelastic properties of discs in rabbits.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis - Deformity Management Continued
  More on management of the procedures for treating ankylosing spondylitis.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Deformity Management
  Management of the procedures for treating ankylosing spondylitis.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Figure 6 - 11
  Figures 6 to 11 for this article.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Figures 1-5
  Figures 1 to 5 for this article.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: References
  A brief summary and references for this article.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Surgical Management - History
  A brief history and general overview of the disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis.
• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with Anterior Cervical Plate Fixation
  A fascinating video reviews Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) with instrumentation.
• Artificial Disc Replacement
  Orthopaedic surgeons have been engaged in research to offer an alternative to lumbar spinal fusion surgery; artificial spinal disk replacement.
• Cervical Chondrosarcoma
  Cervical chondrosarcoma is a rare condition and few reports about this disorder and treatment exist. This case is about a 39-year-old male with Maffucci's syndrome.
• Cervical Chondrosarcoma: Discussion of Treatment Options and Recommendations
  Maffucci's syndrome is characterized by soft tissue angiomatosis and bony enchondromatosis.
• Cervical Chondrosarcoma: Treatment and Outcome
  The complexity of surgically treating a cervical chondrosarcoma, and spinal stabilization is detailed in this case involving a 39-year-old male.
• Cervical Spondylosis references 1-24
  This page contains the references (1 to 24) referred to in a Cervical Spondylosis with Myeloradiculopathy Multilevel Laminectomy, Foraminotomy case study
• Cervical Spondylosis references 25-48
  This page contains the references (25 to 48) referred to in a Cervical Spondylosis with Myeloradiculopathy Multilevel Laminectomy, Foraminotomy case study
• Cervical Spondylosis references 49-71
  This page contains the references (49 to 71) referred to in a Cervical Spondylosis case study
• Cervical Spondylosis with Myeloradiculopathy Multilevel Laminectomy, Foraminotomy, Fusion, and Lateral Mass Plating - Case History
  This page contains the case history and the case management of this study.
• Cervical Spondylosis with Myeloradiculopathy Multilevel Laminectomy, Foraminotomy, Fusion, and Lateral Mass Plating - Figures
  This page contains the figures (pictures) referred to in this case study.
• Cervical Spondylosis with Myeloradiculopathy Multilevel Laminectomy, Foraminotomy, Fusion, and Lateral Mass Plating - Introduction
  This page contains the introduction of this case study.
• Cervical Spondylosis with Myeloradiculopathy Multilevel Laminectomy, Foraminotomy, Fusion, and Lateral Mass Plating - Post Operative Evaluation
  This page contains the postoperative evaluation and discussion of this case study.
• Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy - Anterior Corpectomy and Fusion with Plating - Figures
  A case study on cervical spondylotic myelopathy: anterior corpectomy and fusion with plating. This page has the case management and conclusion.
• Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Anterior Corpectomy and Fusion with Plating - Case Management
  A case study on cervical spondylotic myelopathy: anterior corpectomy and fusion with plating. This page has the case management and conclusion.
• Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Anterior Corpectomy and Fusion with Plating - Introduction
  A case study on cervical spondylotic myelopathy: anterior corpectomy and fusion with plating. This page has the introduction and case history.
• Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Anterior Corpectomy and Fusion with Plating - References 1 - 20
  A case study on cervical spondylotic myelopathy: anterior corpectomy and fusion with plating. This page has the references numbered from 1 to 20.
• Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Anterior Corprectomy and Fusion with Plating - References 21 - 41
  A case study on cervical spondylotic myelopathy: anterior corpectomy and fusion with plating. This page has the references numbered from 21 to 41.
• CHARITÉ™ Artificial Disc and Degenerative Disc Disease
  Although conventional treatment for a severely degenerated disc is spinal fusion, artificial disc replacement is becoming an alternative option.
• Kyphosis: Description and Diagnosis
  Kyphosis is a progressive disorder that can affect children or adults in the thoracic or cervical spine. This disorder may cause a deformity described as humpback or hunchback. Read about possible causes and tests doctors use to diagnosis kyphosis.
• Kyphosis: Treatment and Recovery
  Early treatment of kyphosis is especially important to the adolescent patient. Left untreated, the curve progression can lead to significant problems later during adulthood.
• Lumbar Laminotomy and Microdiscectomy Video
  Howard An, M.D. of Rush-Presbyterian-St.Lukes Medical Center, Chicago explains the laminotomy procedure.
• Open-Door Cervical Laminoplasty with Bone Graft Substitution
  A video of an open-door cervical laminoplasty with bone graft stabilization is presented in the treatment of a 65-year-old male patient with myelopathic symptoms and cervical stenosis.
• Osteogenic Protein-1 **(OP-1) Injection into a Degenerated Disc Induced the Recovery of Disc Height, MRI and Histochemical Changes in the Rabbit Annular Puncture Model
  An abstract from the SRS 2005 Annual Meeting designed to investigate the effect of OP-1 (BMP-7) on the in vivo rabbit intervertebral disc degeneration model.
• Reemplazo de Disco Artificial
  Existen múltiples opciones de tratamiento conservador y de invasión mínima para el manejo de la enfermedad por degeneración de disco sintomática.
• Spinal Tumors
  Good introductory article about spinal tumors, covering the differences between primary and secondary tumors. Knowing the type of tumor, where it's located in the spine, and if it's cancerous helps decide on the best course of action for treatment.
• Spinal Tumors: Benign and Malignant Types
  There are several types of benign and malignant spinal tumors. These abnormal growths generally develop slowly and may worsen over time unless treated.
• Spinal Tumors: Diagnostic Process
  Radiographs (x-rays) are initially obtained and a bone scan may be ordered early to rule out tumors or infections.
• Spinal Tumors: Treatments
  A spinal tumor is a very serious medical condition. If diagnosed early, patients have a better chance of a full recovery.
• Surgical Management of Thoracolumbar Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis
  Ankylosing Spondylitis is a form of chronic arthritis. In severe cases, a surgical procedure called an osteotomy, which involves the removal and/or resection of bone is utilized to correct the deformity.
• Surgical Management of Thoracolumbar Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis - References Continued
  More references for this article.
• Symptoms of Spinal Tumors
  Most patients with spinal tumors first come to the doctor because of back pain, specifically non-mechanic back pain (constant pain that doesn't get better by changing positions or resting). Read about other common tumor symptoms
• Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
  Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is a variation of the posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) approach for the surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis and segmental instability.