Seyed Babak Kalantar, MD| Spine Surgery | MedStar Health
About me
S. Babak Kalantar, MD, is a member of the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute and performs surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Kalantar is a professor and chief of the Division of Spine Surgery in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute. He is also the Co-Director of MedStar Spine Center.
Dr. Kalantar became a spine surgeon to help patients with debilitating pain or lack of function return to the highest quality of living possible. In addition to performing surgery, Dr. Kalantar guides patients before surgery, offering as much time and information as patients need to make decisions about the best treatment. He also guides patients after surgery to help them recover to their full potential.
In addition to English, Dr. Kalantar also speaks Spanish and Farsi.
Dr. Kalantar is a 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 , 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Washingtonian Top Doctor for Spinal Surgery. He is also a 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Northern Virginia Magazine Top Doctor for Spinal Surgery, and a Findatopdoc.com Top Doctor 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
He is Co-Editor in Chief of Seminars in Spine Surgery, an international spine journal.
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Professional Society Memberships
- Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
- Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
- North American Spine Society
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Disc Disease
- Cervical Spine Fusion
- Complex Spine Deformities
- Degenerative Spine Conditions
- Disc Replacement
- Lumbar Spine Fusion
- Myelopathy Surgery
- Robotic Spine Surgery
- Spine Fracture
- Spine Revision
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abnormal Vertebrae
- Absent Vertebrae
- Bulging Disc
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cervical Bone Spur
- Cervical Compression Fracture
- Cervical Deformity
- Cervical Disc Degeneration
- Cervical Disc Disease
- Cervical Disc Displacement
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Cervical Spinal Stenosis
- Cervical Spine Fracture
- Coccyx Fracture
- Coccyx Injury
- Complex Spine Deformities
- Compression Fracture
- Congenital Malformation Of The Spine
- Congenital Scoliosis
- Degenerative Spine Conditions
- Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
- Flatback Syndrome Post Harrington Rods
- Foot Drag
- Herniated Disc
- Intraspinal Abscess
- Junctional Kyphosis
- Kyphosis
- Lumbar Scoliosis
- Lumbar Spine Stress Fracture
- Lumbosacral Plexus Lesions
- Lumbosacral Radiculopathy
- Meningioma Of The Spine
- Myelopathy
- Neck Arthritis
- Neurogenic Claudication
- Neuromuscular Scoliosis
- Post Laminectomy Kyphosis
- Post Laminectomy Syndrome
- Ruptured Intervertebral Disc
- Scheuermann's Disease
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Abscess
- Spinal Cord Compression
- Spinal Schwannoma
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Arthritis
- Spine Deformities
- Spine Deformity
- Spine Fracture
- Spine Osteoarthritis
- Spine Tumor
- Spondyloarthropathy
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
- Spondylosis With Myelopathy
- Tarlov Cyst
- Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome
- Thoracic Herniated Disc
- Vascular Malformations Of The Spine
- Vertebral Epiphysitis
Procedures I perform
- Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering
- Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery In The Cervical Spine
- Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery In The Lumbar Spine
- Back Surgery
- Cervical Decompression
- Cervical Laminoplasty
- Cervical Laminotomy
- Cervical Spine Fusion
- Cervical Spine Revision
- Cervical Spine Steroid Injection
- Cervical Spine Surgery
- Complex Spine Surgery
- Cordotomy
- Craniocervical Junction Surgery
- Decompression Laminectomy
- Disc Arthroplasty
- Disc Replacement
- Disc Surgery
- Diskectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Epidural Injection
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Facet Injection
- Facet Surgery
- Growing Rods
- Instrumented Anterior Cervical Discectomy, Fusion (ACDF)
- Interspinous Device Placement
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Laminoplasty
- Lateral Access Spine Surgery
- Low Back Surgery
- Lumbar Spine Fusion
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Myelopathy Surgery
- Occipito Cervical Fusion
- Posterior Cervical Laminectomy And Fusion
- Posterior Lumbar Laminectomy
- Robotic Spine Surgery
- Sacroiliac Joint Block
- Sacroiliac Joint Fusion
- Sacroiliac Joint Surgery
- Scoliosis Surgery
- Spinal Abscess Surgery
- Spinal Cord Surgery
- Spinal Cyst Removal
- Spinal Dural Graft
- Spinal Tethering For Scoliosis
- Spine Deformity Correction Surgery
- Spine Fusion
- Spine Microsurgery
- Spine Reconstruction
- Spine Revision
- Spine Stapling
- Spondylectomy
- Spondylosis Surgery
- Spondylosyndesis
- Surgery For Sciatica
- Thoracic Laminectomy
- Thoracic Spine Fusion
- Vertebrae Surgery
- Vertebral Stapling
- Vertebroplasty
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS II
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS
- Aetna Open HMO/Open HMO Option/Open EPO Plus
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA
- Aetna HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Innovation Health: HMO & EPO Plus
- Aetna Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Aetna HMO
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO) |
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (VA CCN)
- United Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Student Resources
- United Select Plus (POS)
- United Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO)
- United Golden Rule
- United GEHA (for all other states) Compass Rose
- D-SNP)
- I-SNP
- United Nursing Home Plan (C-SNP
- United Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Choice Plus
- United Choice
- United Mamsi Life & Health
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United MD IPA Preferred (POS)
- United MD IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Signature
- Kaiser HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Select-Added Choice
- Kaiser Select
- Kaiser Medicare Plus
- Kaiser Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Kaiser Flexible Choice
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice PPO
- HumanaChoice Honor’s plan PPO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs (HSCSN)
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Cigna POS/Network POS
- Cigna Indemnity
- Cigna POS Open Access & Open Access Plus
- Cigna Network Open Access
- Cigna HMO Open Access
- Cigna PPO and PPO Plus
- CIGNA EPO
- Cigna Choice Fund PPO
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- Anthem Plus BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- Anthem (POS & Open Access POS) BCBS of VA HealthKeepers
- Anthem HMO - BCBS of VA HealthKeepers
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Cigna HMO & Network (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- WellPoint Maryland
- Virginia Premier
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- United Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Police and Fire Clinic
- United Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Optimum Choice
- United Navigate
- United Core Essential (HMO)
- United Group Medicare Advantage Plans
- United AARP Medicare Complete
- Traditional Medicare Fee for Service
- Medicaid - Virginia
- Medicaid - Maryland
- Medicaid - District of Columbia
- Tricare for Life East
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Tricare East Select
- Tricare East Prime
- Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CareFirst NASCO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CareFirst BC/BS Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Blue Card Program (Out-of-area BCBS plans)
- CareFirst Administrators
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Carefirst Healthy Blue (HMO/POS)
- Carefirst BlueChoice Opt Out Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice Open Access
- Carefirst BlueChoice HMO
- Carefirst EPO
- Carefirst Blue Preferred PPO
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery
Fellowship Program: Emory University Hospital (2010)
Internship/Residency: Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals (2009)
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School (2004)
Awards
- Top Doctor 2022 - Excellence in Medicine - Findatopdoc.com
- 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Top Doctor, Spinal Surgery, Washington, D.C.- Washingtonian Magazine
- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Top Doctor, Spinal Surgery, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Books
- Editor. The Resident’s Guide to Spine Surgery. Springer. 2019
- Complications of Occipital Instrumentation. Spinal Instrumentation. 2nd Ed. Kim, Vaccaro, Fessler, Radcliff. 2017
- Occipitocervical and C1-C2 Fusion with Instrumentation. Operative Techniques in Spine Surgery. Ed. Rhee, Boden, Flynn, Wiesel. 2013
- Adult Scoliosis: Etiology and Management. Orthopaedic Knowledge Online. February 2012.
- Injury Scene Assessment, Extrication, and Transport. Spine Trauma 2. 2nd Ed. Zigler, Eismont, Garfin, Vaccaro. 2011
- Pathophysiology of Cervical Myelopathy. Orthopedic Knowledge Update: Spine 4. Editor Raj D. Rao, MD. Sep 2011.
- Stephen D Lockey 1 , Seyed Babak Kalantar 1 , John G Heller 2 Historical Perspective: Thomas E. Whitesides, Jr. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2020 Nov 1;45(21):1537-1539. PMID: 32796466. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000003609.
- Radcliff K, Smith H, Kalantar B, Isaacs R, Woods B, Vaccaro A, Brannon J. Feasibility of Endoscopic Inspection of Pedicle Wall Integrity in a Live Surgery Model. Int J Spine Surg. 2018 Apr 12 (2), 241-249. PMID: 30276081 PMCID: PMC6159636 DOI: 10.14444/5030
- Stewart JJ, Fayed I, Henault S, Kalantar B, Voyadzis JM. Use of a Smartphone Application for Spine Surgery Improves Patient Adherence With Preoperative Instructions and Decreases Last-minute Surgery Cancellations. Cureus. 2019 Mar. 11 (3), e4192. PMID: 31106092 PMCID: PMC6504025 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.4192
- Paulus MC, Kalantar SB, Radcliff K. Cost and Value of Spinal Deformity Surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Mar. 39 (5), 388-93. PMID: 24573071 DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000150.
- Triantafillou KM, Lauerman W, Kalantar SB. Degenerative Disease of the Cervical Spine and Its Relationship to Athletes. Clin Sports Med. 2012 Jul. , 31 (3), 509-20. PMID: 22657999 DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2012.03.009.
- Kalantar SB, Hipp JA, Reitman CA, Dreiangel N, Ben-Galim P. Diagnosis of Unstable Cervical Spine Injuries: Laboratory Support for the Use of Axial Traction to Diagnose Cervical Spine Instability. J Trauma. 2010 Oct. 69 (4), 889-95. PMID: 20130489 DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181bbd660.
- Ben-Galim P, Dreiangel N, Mattox K, Reitman CA, Kalantar SB, Hipp JA. Extrication Collars Can Result in Abnormal Separation Between Vertebrae in the Presence of a Dissociative Injury. J Trauma. 2010 Aug. 69 (2), 447-50. PMID: 20093981 DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181be785a.
- Radcliff K, Kalantar SB, Reitman CA. Surgical Management of Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis in Athletes: Indications and Return to Play. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2009 Jan-Feb. 8 (1), 35-40. PMID: 19142078 DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e318194f89e