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Choll Kim, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery, San Diego, CA

ChollKimMDPhD

Orthopaedic Surgery • San Diego, CA

Orthopedic Spine Surgery

Spine Institute of San Diego

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  • Office

    6719 Alvarado Rd
    Ste 304
    San Diego, CA 92120
    Phone+1 619-344-6918
    Fax+1 619-333-6029

Summary

  • Dr. Choll Kim graduated cum laude from Harvard Medical School and completed his fellowship training in complex spine surgery at the Mayo Clinic. In addition, he is double-board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American Board of Spine Surgery.
    Dr. Kim is an internationally recognized expert in the field of computer-assisted minimally invasive spine surgery. He has trained and continues to train specialists throughout the country on the safe and effective application of state-of-the-art techniques using image guidance and navigation technologies.

    Dr. Kim utilizes a broad range of minimally invasive treatments to effectively treat all aspects of complex spinal disorders, including herniated disks, spinal stenosis, adult scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, traumatic injuries, tumors, and infections throughout the entire spine from the neck to the low back. He is one of only a handful of surgeons in the world to master laser endoscopic spine surgery (LESS), a state-of-the-art minimally invasive procedure that effectively treats herniated disks, radiculopathy and sciatica. The LESS procedure can be performed under local anesthesia, in a same-day setting and with a small stab incision that is covered with a bandaid.

    A leader in his field, Dr. Kim is the founder and past-president of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS), the founder of Minimally Invasive Spine Centers of Excellence (MIS-COE), the chair of the MIS Committee for the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS), the director of the Advanced Spine & Joint Institute at Alvarado Hospital and an associate clinical professor at the University of California, San Diego.

    Furthermore, Dr. Kim is a Qualified Medical Evaluator and a past voting member of the FDA Orthopedic Devices Panel, which reviews all new spinal technologies. He has designed minimally invasive instrumentation used by surgeons around the world.

    • Minimally Invasive Spine Centers of Excellence | California

    Minimally Invasive Spine Centers of Excellence are the absolute best for Laser Endoscopic Spine Surgery. Call (619) 229-5398 for more details.

    Choll Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

    Dr. Kim received his MD from Harvard Medical School and fellowship training in Spine Surgery at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester MN). He is a leader in state of th...

Education & Training

  • Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Rochester)
    Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science (Rochester)Fellowship, Orthopaedic Surgery Of The Spine, 2002
  • University of California (San Diego) Medical Center
    University of California (San Diego) Medical CenterResidency, Orthopaedic Surgery, 1996 - 2001
  • Harvard Medical School
    Harvard Medical SchoolClass of 1996
  • University of California, Los Angeles
    University of California, Los AngelesPh.D., Molecular Biology, 1992

Certifications & Licensure

  • CA State Medical License
    CA State Medical License 1998 - 2025
  • MN State Medical License
    MN State Medical License 2001 - 2002
  • American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Orthopaedic Surgery

Publications & Presentations

Other

Authored Content

  • EndoTLIF Master Techniques from Start to FinishJune 2019
  • The San Francisco Twirl - Minimize MIS TLIF muscle creep during exposure.April 2019
  • Eas and Quick O-Arm Navigation SetupMarch 2019
  • How I use intraoperative imaging to get to the working triangle.March 2019
  • YAG Holmium laser for endoscopic discectomyMarch 2019
  • LESS vs MicrodiscectomyApril 2017
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External Links

  • Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/drchollkim/?ref=settings
  • YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFnlujKDsDE3uIUMrbcByQ?view_as=subscriber
  • Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/chollkimmd/

Dr. Choll Kim, Dr. Choll Kim, MD, Dr. C Kim