Stewart M. Kerr, MD is an experienced, board certified, fellowship-trained surgeon specializing both in comprehensive Spine Surgery (including neck/cervical) and Orthopaedic Fracture-Trauma Reconstruction. Dr. Kerr is highly trained; —he completed the Rothman Institute combined Neurosurgery/Orthopaedic Spine Surgery Fellowship in Philadelphia. He additionally completed an Orthopaedic Fracture Traumatology Fellowship at UCSF (Fresno) —the busiest Level 1 Trauma Center in California.
“I am highly interested in treating complex neck & spinal disorders, including cervical myelopathy, deformity, spine tumors and neck / back fractures. When appropriate, I do regularly offer minimally invasive spine surgical techniques and additionally perform cervical disk replacement as an alternative to neck fusion. I also am passionate with helping patients requiring fracture stabilization & reconstructive surgery”.
A decorated U.S. Navy Veteran, Dr. Kerr has both wartime field surgery and tertiary medical center surgical experiences. He regularly deployed overseas to care for combat-injured troops in the Afghanistan & Iraq wars. He additionally provided services for the Persian Gulf and Somalia conflicts of the 1990s. Before attending medical school, Dr. Kerr worked for 8 years as a Navy SEAL Diver (Naval Special Warfare) after matriculating and graduating with BUD/S Class #136. Previous work experience includes attending Orthopaedic Spine & Trauma Surgeon in Anchorage AL and also at Confluence Health in Washington State; he was co-director of the Portsmouth Comprehensive Spine Center in Virginia, and academic teaching faculty for orthopaedic residents at Naval Medical Centers in Portsmouth & San Diego. He is AO Spine faculty and has published numerous papers, textbook chapters and has lectured internationally. Dr. Kerr volunteers with the National Ski Patrol and Internationally as a Consulting Diving-Hyperbaric Medical Officer with Divers Alert Network. He additionally is active with area Military Veteran’s Organizations.
Doctor Kerr is a passionate educator and health wellness coach; —”I strive for superior treatment outcomes and hope my patients realize I aim to care for them as if they’re family”. He enjoys discussing (evidence-based) management options so that patients may choose treatments that best fit with their individual health goals & needs… When time and schedules allow, Stewart, his wife Karen, and their two sons enjoy the outdoors. They embrace a physically active lifestyle with skiing, scuba diving, wildlife photography, backpacking and adventure travel. Please contact Dr. Kerr at our office should you desire a prompt and thoughtful evaluation for your Spine care & Musculoskeletal needs.
Medical School
- Uniformed Services University
Internship
- Naval Medical Center San Diego
Residency
- Naval Medical Center San Diego
Fellowship
- Rothman Institute
Fellowship
- University of California San Francisco
Board Certifications
- American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
Licensure
- AK State Medical License
- WA State Medical License
- CA State Medical License
- AL State Medical License
Awards, Honors, & Recognition
- CMS Meaningful Use Stage 1 Certification
EpicCare Ambulatory EMR, Epic Systems Corporation - recognition: Best Practice Model, Portsmouth Multi-Disciplinary Spine Service
U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine (BUMED) - Outstanding Educator Fellow Award
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Publications & Presentations
PubMed
- Implementation of a multidisciplinary program for active duty personnel seeking care for low back pain in a U.S. Navy Medical Center: a feasibility study.
- The outcomes of lumbar microdiscectomy in a young, active population: correlation by herniation type and level.
- Early complications of surgical versus conservative treatment of isolated type II odontoid fractures in octogenarians: a retrospective cohort study
- Trends in epidemiology and management of type II odontoid fractures: 20-year experience at a model system spine injury tertiary referral center
- Percutaneous vertebral compression fracture management with polyethylene mesh-contained morcelized allograft bone
Journal Articles
- Trends in Epidemiology and Management of Type II Odontoid Fractures; Twenty Year Experience at a Model System Spine Injury Tertiary Referral Center
HE Smith, SM Kerr, MG Fehlings, J Chapman, M Maltenfort, J Zavlasky, E Harris, TJ Albert, J Harrop, AS Hilibrand, DG Anderson and AR Vaccaro, JSDT - Needle versus tube thoracostomy in a swine model of traumatic tension hemopneumothorax
Holcomb JB, McManus JG, Kerr S, Pusateri AE, Prehosp Emerg Care - The Outcomes of Lumbar Microdiscectomy in a Young, Active Population (Correlation by Herniation Type and Level)
C Dewing, MD; M Provencher, MD; R Riffenburgh, PhD; S Kerr, MD and R Manos, MD, Spine
Books/Book Chapters
- Seminars in Spine Surgery
Chapter: Update on Epidural Scar Prevention and Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks and Dural Repair
RC Mendel, AP White, SM Kerr, TJ Albert, AR VaccaroElsevier - Op Tech Ortho
Chapter: Adjacent Level Degeneration in the Cervical Spine
AP White, D Fassett, S Kerr, PG Whang, AS HilibrandElsevier - Seminars in Spine Surgery
Chapter: Imaging Update on Cervical Spinal Trauma, Instability Screening, and Clearance
AP White, S Kerr, RC Mendel, D HannallahElsevier
Abstracts/Posters
- Mortality Associated with Injuries Sustained by Aircraft Accident Burn Survivors.
AE Johnson, MD; SM Kerr, MD; AE Pusateri, PhD; RM Harris, MD; MJ Gillespie, MD; J Holcomb, MD, Journal of Trauma; US Army Institute of Surgical Research; American Burn Association 30th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL - Early Complications of Surgical vs. Conservative Treatment of Isolated Type II Odontoid Fractures.
Smith, HE; Kerr, SM; Albert, TJ; Harrop, JS; Hilibrand AS; Vaccaro AR, Cervical Spine Research Society - Effects of Wetsuits on Pulmonary Function Studies in Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL Trainees in the U S Navy.
R Mahon, D Norton, S Krizek, S Kerr, Navy Environmental Health Symposium
Lectures
- Lateral Interbody Arthrodesis for Complex Spine Deformity.
Seattle University of Washington, WA - Results From Active-Duty Low Back Pain Patients Provided Multi-Disciplinary Spine Care
- Motion Sparing Technology in Spinal Surgery.
Other
- Stress Fracture Intervention in Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL (BUD/S) Trainees
Trone D and Kerr SM, US Navy SPECWARCEN publication
Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA
Professional Memberships
- North American Spine Society - NASS
Member - Orthopaedic Trauma Association - OTA
Member - AO Spine
Faculty - Washington State Medical Association
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