Ï㽶ÊÓƵ

Nicholas Spina
( out of 208 reviews )

Nicholas Spina, MD

Languages spoken: English

Clinical Locations

Farmington Health Center

Farmington
801-213-3200

Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Orthopaedic Center

Salt Lake City
801-587-7109

  • Nicholas Spina, MD, is a member of the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Utah Department Of Orthopaedic Surgery. He specializes in degenerative, traumatic, and oncologic conditions of the spine including lumbar stenosis, cervical myelopathy, and scoliosis. He employs a conservative approach in treating the spine. Dr. Spina’s focus is in restoring patients’ function and helping them to regain their optimal lifestyle.

    Dr. Spina graduated magna cum laude from Boston College. He attended the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and the Harold Henderson Sankey MD Award recipient for the outstanding graduating medical student in Orthopaedics. He stayed on to complete his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he held the position of chief resident and was selected by his mentors and peers as the outstanding graduating resident. He followed his residency with an Orhtopaedic spine fellowship here at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah. He spent one year as faculty in the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Washington Department Of Orthopaedics before returning to join the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah department.

    Dr. Spina is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enjoys escaping into the mountains whether it be mountain biking, skiing, or hiking. He is currently seeing patients at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Orthopaedic and Farmington Health Center.

    Specialties

    Patient Rating

    4.9 /5
    ( out of 208 reviews )

    The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

    The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

    Patient Comments

    Patient comments are gathered from our patient experience survey and displayed in their entirety.
    Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

    October 21, 2024
    FARMINGTON HEALTH CENTER

    Great Physician who took the time to answer all my questions without jumping to surgery.

    October 16, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Outstanding! Hard to imagine better care. He inspires trust.

    October 14, 2024
    FARMINGTON HEALTH CENTER

    Dr. Nick Is exceptional as a Sergion and a person he is a friend and Doctor I will always be thankful for. Terry

    October 09, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Dr. Spina I am so grateful you did my back surgery! I would call it a success, I feel you are so competent & kind! Thank you, thank you!!

    October 07, 2024
    ORTHOPAEDICS CENTER

    Dr Spina did a fantastic job. He's an excellent doctor and his care was wonderful. When it comes to back surgery, I would not go anywhere else.

    September 23, 2024
    FARMINGTON HEALTH CENTER

    Dr. Spina made sure that all my questions were answered.

    September 21, 2024
    FARMINGTON HEALTH CENTER

    Dr. Nick is honest, open, informative and professional. He is approachable to all family members and these characteristics were what made us come to him.

    September 09, 2024
    FARMINGTON HEALTH CENTER

    He listens and answers your questions honestly and openly. He is very personable.

    September 05, 2024
    FARMINGTON HEALTH CENTER

    Great doctor I have referred him to other people already !

    See More Patient Comments

  • Nicholas Spina, MD, is a member of the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Utah Department Of Orthopaedic Surgery. He specializes in degenerative, traumatic, and oncologic conditions of the spine including lumbar stenosis, cervical myelopathy, and scoliosis. He employs a conservative approach in treating the spine. Dr. Spina’s focus is in restoring patients’ function and helping them to regain their optimal lifestyle.

    Dr. Spina graduated magna cum laude from Boston College. He attended the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and the Harold Henderson Sankey MD Award recipient for the outstanding graduating medical student in Orthopaedics. He stayed on to complete his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he held the position of chief resident and was selected by his mentors and peers as the outstanding graduating resident. He followed his residency with an Orhtopaedic spine fellowship here at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah. He spent one year as faculty in the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Of Washington Department Of Orthopaedics before returning to join the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah department.

    Dr. Spina is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He enjoys escaping into the mountains whether it be mountain biking, skiing, or hiking. He is currently seeing patients at the Ï㽶ÊÓƵ Orthopaedic and Farmington Health Center.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Orthopaedics -Primary

    Education history

    Fellowship Orthopaedic Spine Surgery - Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Utah Fellow
    Chief Resident Orthopaedics - Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Pittsburgh Medical Center Administrative Chief Resident
    Residency Orthopaedics - Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Pittsburgh Medical Center Resident
    Professional Medical Medicine - Ï㽶ÊÓƵ of Pittsburgh School of Medicine M.D.
    Undergraduate Biological Sciences - Boston College B.S.

    Selected Publications

    Journal Article

    1. Mizels J, Connelly J, Martin B, Karamian B, Spiker WR, Lawrence BD, Brodke DS, Spina NT (2024). How Do Functional Comorbidities Affect PROMIS-PF Scores Following Lumbar Fusion Surgery? Spine (Phila Pa 1976). ()
    2. Levy HA, Boere P, Randell Z, Bodnar J, Paulik J, Spina NT, Spiker WR, Lawrence BD, Brodke DS, Kurd MF, Rihn JA, Canseco JA, Schroeder GD, Kepler CK, Vaccaro AR, Currier B, Huddleston PM, Nassr AN, Freedman BA, Sebastian AS, Hilibrand AS, Karamian BA (2024). Factors Related to Clinical Performance in Spine Surgery Fellowship: Can We Predict Success. J Am Acad Orthop Surg, 32(18), e940-e950. ()
    3. Owen RJ, Quinlan N, Poduska A, Spiker WR, Spina NT, Brodke DS, Lawrence BD (2023). Preoperative Fluoroscopically Guided Regional Erector Spinae Plane Blocks Reduce Opioid Use, Increase Mobilization, and Reduce Length of Stay Following Lumbar Spine Fusion. Global Spine J, 13(4), 954-960.
    4. Turtle J, Randell Z, Karamian B, Spiker R, Lawrence B, Brodke D, Spina N (2023). Response to pre-operative Steroid Injections Predicts Surgical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Fusion for Isthmic Spondylolisthesis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 48(13), 914-919. ()
    5. Randell Z, Martin B, Hendrickson N, Brodke D, Spiker R, Lawrence B, Spina N (2023). Hypoalbuminemia as a Predictor of Mortality, Disability, and Readmission in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 48(18), 1300-1307. ()
    6. Turtle J, Miller S, Yang A, Hurley RW, Spina N, McCormick ZL (2022). Considerations for Lumbar Medial Branch Nerve Radiofrequency at Spinal Motion Segments Adjacent to a Fusion Construct. Pain Med, 24(2), 165-170. ()
    7. Hendrickson NR, Zhang Y, Amoafo L, Randell Z, Rasmussen M, Zeidan M, Shorten P, Brodke DS, Spina N, Lawrence BD, Spiker WR (2022). Risk Factors for Postoperative Ileus in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery. Global Spine J, 13(8), 21925682221075056. ()
    8. Mordhorst TR, Jalali A, Nelson R, Brodke DS, Spina N, Spiker WR (2021). Cost analysis of primary single-level lumbar discectomies using the Value Driven Outcomes database in a large academic center. Spine J, 21(8), 1309-1317. ()
    9. Owen RJ, Quinlan N, Poduska A, Spiker WR, Spina NT, Brodke DS, Lawrence BD (2021). Preoperative Fluoroscopically Guided Regional Erector Spinae Plane Blocks Reduce Opioid Use, Increase Mobilization, and Reduce Length of Stay Following Lumbar Spine Fusion. Global Spine J, 13(4), 21925682211010740. ()
    10. Zeidan M, Goz V, Lakomkin N, Spina N, Brodke DS, Spiker WR (2020). Predictors of Readmission and Prolonged Length of Stay After Cervical Disc Arthroplasty. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 46(8), 487-491. ()
    11. Spina NT, Moreno GS, Brodke DS, Finley SM, Ellis BJ (2020). Biomechanical effects of laminectomies in the human lumbar spine: a finite element study. Spine J, 21(1), 150-159. ()
    12. Turtle J, Kantor A, Spina NT, France JC, Lawrence BD (2020). Hangman's Fracture. Clin Spine Surg, 33(9), 345-354. ()
    13. Shaw JD, McEntarfer R, Ferrel J, Greene N, Presson AP, Zhang C, Lawrence BD, Spiker WR, Spina N, Brodke DS (2020). What Does Your PROMIS Score Mean? Improving the Utility of Patient-Reported Outcomes at the Point of Care. Global Spine J, 12(4), 2192568220958670. ()
    14. Tobert DG, Davis BJ, Annis P, Spiker WR, Lawrence BD, Brodke DS, Spina N (2020). The impact of the lordosis distribution index on failure after surgical treatment of adult spinal deformity. Spine J, 20(8), 1261-1266. ()
    15. Goz V, Martin BI, Donnally CJ 3rd, Brodke D, Spina N, Lawrence B, Spiker WR (2020). Potential Selection Bias in Observational Studies Comparing Cervical Disc Arthroplasty to Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 45(14), 960-967. ()
    16. Chavez JL, Porucznik CA, Gren LH, Guan J, Joyce E, Brodke DS, Dailey AT, Mahan MA, Hood RS, Lawrence BD, Spiker WR, Spina NT, Bisson EF (2020). The Impact of Preoperative Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Postoperative Outcomes in Lumbar Spine Degenerative Disease: 3-Month and 12-Month Results of a Pilot Study. World Neurosurg, 139, e230-e236. ()
    17. Spina N, Schoutens C, Martin BI, Brodke DS, Lawrence B, Spiker WR (2019). Defining Instability in Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: Surgeon Views. Clin Spine Surg, 32(10), E434-E439. ()
    18. Goz V, Spiker WR, Lawrence B, Brodke D, Spina N (2019). Odontoid Fractures: A Critical Analysis Review. JBJS Rev, 7(8), e1. ()
    19. Rogers J, Spina N, Neese A, Hess R, Brodke D, Lex A (2019). Composer-Visual Cohort Analysis of Patient Outcomes. Appl Clin Inform, 10(2), 278-285. ()
    20. Goz V, Anthony C, Pugely A, Lawrence B, Spina N, Brodke D, Spiker WR (2018). Software-Based Postoperative Communication With Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery. Global Spine J, 9(1), 14-17. ()
    21. Blumberg TJ, Woelber E, Bellabarba C, Bransford R, Spina N (2018). Predictors of increased cost and length of stay in the treatment of postoperative spine surgical site infection. Spine J, 18(2), 300-306. ()
    22. van Eck CF, Spina Iii NT, Lee JY (2017). A novel MRI classification system for congenital functional lumbar spinal stenosis predicts the risk for tandem cervical spinal stenosis. Eur Spine J, 26(2), 368-373. ()

    Review

    1. Moore ZJ, Rizkalla JM, Weiner J, Lawrence B, Spina N, Spiker R, Brodke D, Karamian B (2024). Transthyretin amyloidosis in spinal canal stenosis: A systematic review. [Review]. J Orthop, 53, 133-139. ()

    Book Chapter

    1. Sreeharsha V Nandyala, MD Nicholas T Spina, MD (2023). Spinal Trauma. In Leesa M Galatz, Frederick M Azar (Eds.), Orthopaedic Knowledge Update: 14 (14th Edition). Wolters Kluwer.
    2. Nathan R Hendrickson, Nicholas T Spina III, and Darrel S Brodke (2023). Cervical Vertebrectomy and Plating . In Drs. Todd J. Albert and Thomas A. Zdeblick (Eds.), Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery: The Spine (4th Edition, pp. 49-66). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

  • News & Podcasts

    Podcasts