Dr. Craig Allen Kuhns

Expert Publications

• Hematoma and distraction arthroplasty for basal thumb osteoarthritis.
• Neurologic complications of lumbar pedicle subtraction osteotomy: a 10-year assessment.
• Ketorolac and spinal fusion: does the perioperative use of ketorolac really inhibit spinal fusion?

Media Releases

Get to know Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Craig Allen Kuhns, who serves patients in Texas.

Dr. Kuhns is an orthopaedic surgeon with a unique and vast experience in treating complex spinal disorders in a multitude of patients with spinal pain, injuries, tumors and spinal deformity (kyphosis and scoliosis). He, Dr. Von Rueden, and Dr. Wupperman teamed up to form Austin Spine with offices in Austin and Georgetown, Texas.

With a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, Dr. Kuhns tries to preserve as much motion and normal musculature as possible, while still addressing the pain generator or spinal deformity. Techniques he often uses include cervical foraminotomies, cervical laminoplasty, cervical disc arthroplasty, lumbar microdiscectomy, including endoscopic and laser assisted spine surgery, lateral interbody (XLIF, DLIF) fusion, minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS TLIF), MIS scoliosis surgery, as well as cervical, thoracic and lumbar osteotomies for complex spinal deformity (kyphosis and scoliosis).

His interest in spine dates back to when he shadowed spine surgeons in San Diego, while an undergraduate student at the University of California at San Diego, where upon graduation he was awarded the highest GPA in the major of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology. Dr. Kuhns then went on to attend medical school at UCLA (top ten medical school) where he was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He remained at UCLA where he was able to work closely with both neurosurgical and orthopaedic spine surgery mentors, and eventually graduated from the orthopaedic residency at UCLA in 2005 with extensive expertise in complex spinal surgery.

In 2005, Dr. Kuhns was accepted into an elite complex spine surgical fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. There, he trained under world re-known physicians including Daniel Riew, MD, Larry Lenke, MD, and Keith Bridwell, MD. The majority of his training was focused on complex surgery of the cervical spine, with additional training on complex adult and pediatric spinal deformity surgery. He also served as a clinical instructor during his tenure at Washington University.

In 2006, Dr. Kuhns was recruited as faculty at the University of Missouri in Columbia where he worked as an Assistant Professor, establishing the Missouri Spine Center, which has evolved to an established regional and national referral center for complex spine trauma and spinal disorders. He was appointed the Director of the Spine Fellowship in 2011 at the University of Missouri and was awarded by resident surgeons and peers with the “Barry Gainor” award for excellence in spine surgery instruction.

With an unwavering commitment to his speciality, the doctor is board-certified in orthopaedic surgery by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS). The ABOS is an organization with the goal of establishing educational and professional standards for orthopaedic residents and surgeons as well as evaluating the qualifications and competence of orthopaedic surgeons.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Dr. Kuhns is a member of the North American Spine Society and the Travis County Medical Society.

Orthopaedic surgery is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopaedic surgeons use both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders.

An expert on spine surgery, Dr. Kuhns has published numerous peer reviewed scientific papers and has authored several book chapters on the subject. He continues to present research at national and international meetings, ensuring that he continues to deliver optimal spinal care to his patients with training and knowledge of the latest advancements in technology, research and surgical techniques. He has also developed several surgical techniques and implants, as well as attends several courses a year where he teaches these advanced minimally invasive techniques to other surgeons.

On a more personal note, he lives in Austin with his wife and his four children. When not at work, he enjoys playing golf, exercising, and youth sports.

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