Thomas Schuler, M.D., F.A.C.S is an American spinal surgeon, researcher and educator in the treatment of neck and low back conditions. He was an early adopter of stem cell therapy,[1] biologics,[2] robotics, laser and hybrid surgery and augmented reality for spinal surgery.[3] Schuler specializes in cervical and lumbar disc replacement procedures, minimally invasive spine surgery and robotic spine surgery.[4] He performed the first hybrid multi-level cervical artificial disc replacement with spinal fusion in the country.[5] He founded a practice that has performed some of the first robotic [6][7] and augmented reality spinal surgeries in the world.[3] In 2002 he created and currently serves as President of the National Spine Health Foundation, a national non-profit focused on education, research and patient advocacy of neck and back health.[8]
Dr. Schuler is Double board certified and a Diplomat in spine surgery and orthopedic surgery of the spine.[9] In 1998, he was one of the first doctors to use biologics in surgery[8] when the practice he founded in 1992, The Virginia Spine Institute (VSI) [8] in Reston, Virginia, served as the 3rd largest site in the nation for the trial of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) – the first use of biologics in surgery.
Since 1998, Schuler speaks and teaches about spine surgery globally.[10][11] He performed the first hybrid multi-level cervical artificial disc replacement with spinal fusion in the country.[3] He leads a team of surgeons at VSI who performed the first robot-guided spine surgery in the Mid-Atlantic region, were the first in the world to perform Open Robotic Sacroiliac joint fusion [12] and the first in Washington, D.C., and Virginia [13] to perform Augmented Reality spinal surgery.[14][15][16]
In 1993, Schuler became the spine consultant to the Washington Football Team (formerly known as The Washington Redskins) [17][18] and served in that role for 22 seasons. He continues to treat professional athletes.[19] Schuler has authored and co-authored numerous research papers about the spine in areas such as Discogenic Lumbar Disease,[20] the minimum clinically important difference in lumbar spine surgery patients[21] and six-year outcomes of anterior lumbar interbody arthrodesis.[22] A frequent lecturer, presenter, and educator,[23] Schuler has been named among the 100 Best Spine Surgeons and Specialists in America.[24] He has been a member of the Board of Trustees of HCA Reston Hospital Center since 2018.[25]
In 2002 he founded the National Spine Health Foundation.[8] In addition to its education and advocacy work, the foundation designates spine “Centers of Excellence” across the U.S.[26] Schuler has been President of the Foundation since 2004[8] and is also Chairman of the group's Medical and Scientific Board.[27]
Publications
Burkus, JK; Gornett, MF; Dryer, RF; Schuler, TC; Peloza, JH (April 2011). "Consistent Clinical Outcomes in Treatment of Degenerative Lumbar Disc Disease by Using Stand Alone Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Cages and Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2: as an Investigational Treatment and as a Control Therapy in the Investigational Device Exemption". Spine.
Anandakumar, S; te Choue, PC; Dhindsa, RK; Martin, MM; Copay, AG; Subach, BR; Schuler, TC; Bilgen, M; Orak, JK; Singh, I (19 April 2010). "Simvastatin protects bladder and renal functions following spinal cord injury in rats". Journal of Inflammation.
Subach, BR; Copay, AG; Schuler, TC; Martin, MM. Fundamentals of Operative Techniques in Neurosurgery (2d edition), Lumbar Arthroplasty. pp.510–515.
Copay, AG; Martin, MM; Subach, BR; Glassman, SD; Carreon, LY; Berven, S; Schuler, TC (April 2010). "Assessment of spine surgery outcomes: Inconsistency of change amongst outcome measurements". The Spine Journal. 10 (4): 291–296. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2009.12.027. PMID20171937.
Burkus, JK; Gornett, MF; Schuler, TC; Kleeman, TJ; Zdeblick, TA (May 2009). "Six-Year Outcomes of Anterior Lumbar Interbody Arthrodesis with Use of Interbody Fusion Cages and recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2". The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American Volume. 91 (5): 1181–9. doi:10.2106/JBJS.G.01485. PMID19411467.
Copay, AG; Glassman, SD; Subach, BR; Berven, S; Schuler, TC; Carreon, LY (16 January 2008). "The Minimum Clinically Important Difference In Lumbar Spine Surgery Patients. A Choice of Methods Using The Oswestry Disability Index, MOS Short Form 36, and Pain Scales". The Spine Journal. 8 (6): 968–974. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2007.11.006. PMID18201937.
Schuler, TC (Nov–Dec 2007). "Corporate Culture and Beyond". SpineLine: 31–32.
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