Craig A. Kuhns, MD

About

Dr. Kuhns has a unique and vast experience in treating complex spinal disorders in a multitude of patients with spinal pain, injuries, tumors and spinal deformity (kyphosis and scoliosis). Dr. Kuhns' interest in spine dates back to when he shadowed spine surgeons in San Diego, while an undergraduate student at the University of California at San Diego, where upon graduation he was awarded the highest GPA in the major of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology.

He then went on to attend medical school at UCLA (top ten medical school) where he was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. Dr. Kuhns remained at UCLA where he was able to work closely with both Neurosurgical and Orthopedic spine surgery mentors, and eventually graduated from the orthopedic residency at UCLA in 2005 with extensive expertise in complex spinal surgery.

In 2005, Dr. Kuhns was accepted into an elite complex spine surgical fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. There he trained under world re-known physicians including Daniel Riew, M.D., Larry Lenke, M.D., and Keith Bridwell, M.D. The majority of Dr. Kuhns' training was focused on complex surgery of the cervical spine, with additional training on complex adult and pediatric spinal deformity surgery. Dr. Kuhns also served as a clinical instructor during his tenure at Washington University.

In 2006, Dr. Kuhns was recruited as faculty at the University of Missouri in Columbia where he worked as an Assistant Professor, establishing the Missouri Spine Center, which has evolved to an established regional and national referral center for complex spine trauma and spinal disorders.

Dr. Kuhns was appointed the Director of the Spine Fellowship in 2011 at the University of Missouri and was awarded by resident surgeons and peers with the "Barry Gainor" award for excellence in spine surgery instruction.

Dr. Kuhns has published numerous peer reviewed scientific papers on spinal surgery, authored several book chapters on the subject and continues to present research at national and international meetings, ensuring that he continues to deliver optimal spinal care to his patients with training and knowledge of the latest advancements in technology, research and surgical techniques.

Dr. Kuhns, Dr. Von Rueden and Dr. Wupperman teamed up to form Austin Spine. Dr. Kuhns has a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, trying to preserve as much motion and normal musculature as possible, while still addressing the pain generator or spinal deformity.

Techniques he often uses include cervical foraminotomies, cervical laminoplasty, cervical disc arthroplasty, lumbar microdiscectomy, including endoscopic and laser assisted spine surgery, lateral interbody (XLIF, DLIF) fusion, minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF), MIS scoliosis surgery, as well as cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteotomies for complex spinal deformity (kyphosis and scoliosis).

Dr. Kuhns has developed several surgical techniques and implants, as well as attends several courses a year where he teaches these advanced minimally invasive techniques to other surgeons.

Dr. Kuhns moved to Austin with his wife and his four children. When not at work Dr. Kuhns enjoys golf, exercising and youth sports.