Akhil Jay Khanna, MD, MBA, is division chief of Johns Hopkins Orthopaedic and Spine Surgery in the National Capital Region and his practice is based in Bethesda, Md. He also serves as vice chairman of professional development in the department of orthopedic surgery at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, he is a professor of orthopedic surgery and biomedical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Khanna's clinical interests include the treatment of cervical and lumbar degenerative pathologies, spinal deformities and fractures using both conventional and minimally invasive surgical techniques. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and chairperson of the NASS Radiology Section. He is also a member of American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and AO North America. He teaches and directs several CME courses for spine surgeons through NASS, AAOS and other societies.
Dr. Khanna is an avid inventor has holds several patents. He has served as the principal investigator for numerous studies and has been actively involved in National Institutes of Health-funded studies. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and he serves as the associate editor of The Spine Journal and as an editorial board member of SpineLine. He has also edited two well-regarded textbooks, "MRI Essentials for the Spine Specialist" and "MRI for Orthopaedic Surgeons."
"One of my favorite aspects of being a spine surgeon is the challenge in evaluating the specifics of a patient and studying the intersection of the patient’s clinical history, physical examination, imaging findings and response to prior treatments to come up with a diagnosis — or not. Then, if they need surgery, I enjoy considering the wide range of surgical solutions that might be good options for the treatment of that particular patient and suggesting it as a potential surgical solution or treatment," says Dr. Khanna.
Dr. Khanna earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and School of Medicine in Baltimore. He has also completed a fellowship in spine surgery in the departments of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
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