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Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD

Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD
Professor
Department of Neurosurgery, RUSH Medical College
Education

MD, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Basic surgery residency, University of Chicago Medical Center
Neurosurgery residency, University of Chicago Medical Center
Postdoctoral research fellowship, Section of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago Medical Center
Postdoctoral research fellowship, Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago Medical Center

Research Areas

Fessler's first area of interest in research is the development and refinement of minimally invasive spine surgical procedures. This involves studying the anatomy relevant to each specific operation and developing less destructive approaches to perform that operation. The second area of interest is both basic research and clinical trials involving stem cell transplantation to treat spinal cord injury and paralysis.

Contact Info:

1520 W. Harrison St., 6th Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
Phone: (312) 942-6644
Fax: (312) 942-2176
Links:
Biography

Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD, received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago. At University of Chicago, Fessler completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in neurosurgery, as well as postdoctoral research fellowships in neurological surgery and psychiatry. Fessler is a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. He is dedicated to finding innovative methods to repair spinal cord injuries, and he has been a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery. Fessler has made significant contributions to endoscopic and microendoscopic surgical developments, including microendoscopic discectomy and microendoscopic compression of lumbar stenosis. He has a special interest in spinal cord transplantation and was the first physician in the United States to perform human embryonic spinal cord transplantation.

Honors and Activities
  • Neurosurgical Society of America Meritorious Service Medal, April 13, 2015
  • Magisterial Lecture, 33rd Congress of the International Society of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Zurich, Switzerland, January 29-30, 2015
  • Honored guest, Association of Spine Surgeons of India, Annual Meeting, Puna, India, January 23-25, 2015
  • 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century, 9th edition. International Biographical Centre, St. Thomas Place, England, 2015
  • Lucia Russell Briggs Distinguished Achievement Award, Lawrence Univeristy Alumni Association, June 21, 2014
  • Meritorious Achievement Award, Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, March 6, 2014
  • Honored Guest, Texas Association of Neurological Surgery, February 27-March 1, 2014 
  • International Biographical Centre, Top 100 Professionals, 2014
  • IHACP Leading Physicians of the World, 2013
  • International Biographical Centre, Top 100 Scientists, 2013 
  • Who’s Who Among American Teachers and Educators, 2012
  • US News and World Report, Top 1% of Physicians in the United States. 2012, 2013
  • Honored Guest, Georgia Neurosurgical Society, November 17, 2012
  • Honored Guest, Korean-American Spine Society, June 27-30, 2012
  • Covington Who’s Who, 2012, 2013
  • 11th Annual Charles B. Wilson Lecture, University of California, San Francisco, December 8, 2011
  • Honored Guest, Peruvian Neurosurgical Society, October 31-November 3, 2011
  • Most Compassionate Doctor Award, American Registry, 2011, 2012
  • Biltmore Who’s Who among Exectives and Professionals, 2011 
  • William Henry Hudson Lecture, Southern Neurosurgical Society, 2011
  • Orlando J. Andy lecturer: University of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi, June 14-15, 2011
  • Keynote Speaker: 34th Annual Spinal Cord Interdisciplinary Course, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, June 16, 2011
  • Honored Guest, International Joint Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Society, IMLAS, Antalya, Turkey, November 4-7, 2010
  • Honored Guest, Beijing International Neuroendoscopic Congress and Workshop, Beijing, China, October 15-18, 2010
  • Who’s Who In Medicine Higher Education, 2010
  • Keynote Speaker. Fourth World Congress for Endoscopic Surgery of the Brain, Spine. Pittsburgh, PA. April 28-30, 2010
  • World Innovator Award, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Brazilian Spine Society, 2010 
  • Patient’s Choice Award, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
  • Special Guest Speaker, University of California, San Francisco Neurosurgery 2008, Napa, California, July 24-28, 2008
  • Castle-Connolly, America’s Top Doctors, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
  • Cambridge Who’s Who Among Physicians and Medical Professionals, “Honors Edition”, 2007 
  • Honored Guest, South Asian Neurosurgical Society, 4th Bi-Annual conference, New Dehli, India, February 15-17, 2007
  • Twenty-seventh J. Jay Keegan Memorial Lecture, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, June 8, 2007
  • R.M Peardon Donaghy Lecture. University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT, June 20-21, 2007
  • Association of American Publishers 2006 PSP Award for Excellence (First Place) Clinical Medicine for Atlas of Neurosurgical Techniques, 2006 
  • Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care, 2006, 2008
  • Third Annual John A. Kusske Lecturer, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, May 20, 2006
  • Jim L. Story Visiting Professor Lecturer, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. San Antonio, TX, May 19, 2006
  • Best Doctors in Chicago, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
  • Thirteenth Annual Robert L. Campbell Lecture, Indiana University/Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group. Indianapolis, Indiana, November 5, 2005
  • William S. Keith Professorship in Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 14-15, 2005
  • Tenth Annual Clary Lecture, Neurological Institute of Savannah. Savannah, Georgia, April 1, 2004
  • John Harper Seeley Professorship of Neurosurgery, University of Chicago, 2003 
  • Honored Guest, Japan Society for the Study of Surgical Technique for Spine and Spinal Nerves, September 25-27, 2003
  • Castle-Connolly, Chicago Metro Area Top Doctors, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
  • Consumer’s Research Council of America “Guide to America’s Top Surgeons”, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
  • Inaugural Rhoton Family Lecture. The 90’s Revolution in Spine Surgery: Was the “Decade of the Brain” also the “Decade of the Spine”? American Association of Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting, April 6-11, 2002
  • Fager Lecture, Lehey Clinic, Burlington, MA, March 6, 2002
  • Honored Guest, Combined Meeting of the Japanese and Korean Spinal Societies, Yokohama, Japan, June 20-23, 2001
  • Who’s Who In America, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008
  • Alpha Omega Alpha - Beta Chapter, 1998. Mexican Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Honorary Membership elected July 25, 1999
  • Honored Guest, Japanese Society of Spinal Surgery, Osaka, Japan, June 19-21, 1997
  • Distinguished Guest, City of Maracaibo, Venezuela, March 12-14, 1997
  • Dunspaugh-Dalton Professorship of Brain and Spinal Surgery, University of Florida, 1996
  • Best Doctors in America, Second Edition, 1995, Third Edition, 1997, Fourth Edition, 1999, Fifth Edition, 2001, Sixth Edition, 2003, Seventh Edition, 2005, Eigth Edition, 2007, Ninth Edition 2009, Tenth Edition 2011
  • Kambin Foundation Annual Award for the best paper in the field of minimal invasive spinal surgery. October, 1995
  • Chicago Surgical Society - Award for Excellence in Surgical Research,1984
  • Medical Doctorate, University of Chicago - Graduation with honors, 1983
Grants
  • Fessler, R.G. (PI): Phase I/II Transplantation of ASTOPC-1 for sub-acute cervical spinal cord injury. Per patient reimbursement. 2015-present.
  • Liu (PI) Integra LifeSciences Corporation $98,527 10/13/2008-12/31/2010 Randomized Controlled Trial of Duragen Plus Adhesion Barrier Matrix to Minimize Adhesions Following Lumbar Discectomy. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of DuraGen Plus(R) Adhesion Barrier Matrix(R) as an adhesion barrier in spinal surgery to reduce the extent of peridural fibrosis formation and radicular pain in comparison to a control group receiving standard care. Role: Co-Investigator.
  • Fessler (PI) Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. $34,158 04/05/2009-04/04/2011 Surgical Outcomes of Microendoscopic Decompression of Stenosis (MEDS) versus Open Posterior Decompression of Stenosis (OPEN) in the Lumbar Spine.
  • Fessler (PI) Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. $8,375 04/05/2009-04/04/2012 Effects of Spinal Surgery on Spine Biomechanics.
  • Fessler (PI) Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. 399,000 04/05/2009-04/04/2012 MAST Surgical Techniques.
  • Fessler (PI) Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. $87,861 04/05/2009-04/09/2011 A Prospective Comparative Analysis of Muscle Injury Following Standard Open Laminectomy vs. Microendoscopic Decompression for Lumbar Stenosis.
  • Fessler, R.G.: (PI): Phase I Transplantation of GEROPC-1 for subacute thoracic spinal cord injury. Per patient reimbursement. 2006-09. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: (Co-PI): Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized Trial of the Efficacy of the Bryan Cervical Disc Prosthesis. Medtronic Sofamor Danek. 2003-04.
  • Fessler, R.G: (PI): Innovations in minimally invasive spinal surgical procedures. Medtronic Sofamor Danek. $25,000. 2004. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: (PI): Effect of Spine Surgery on Paraspinal Musculature. NASS. $50,000. 2004. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: (PI): Effects of Spine Surgery on Paraspinal Musculature. Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. $24,250. 2004. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: (PI): Transplantation as a potential treatment for spinal cord injury. State of Illinois. $1,000,000. 2001-02. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: (PI): Application of microendoscopic discectomy (MED) to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Medtronic Sofamor-Danek, Inc. $27,000. 2000-01.
  • Fessler, R.G.: (investigator), Robinson, M.E., van Haaren, F. (co-PI): Sex and Gender Related Differences in Pain: A Cross Species Comparison. UF Opportunity Fund. $77,914. 
  • Fessler, R.G. (Co PI): Human Embryonic Spinal Cord Transplantation for Treatment of Post-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury. State of Florida Spinal Cord Injury Advisory Council. $500,000 annually, 1997-2000. 
  • Fessler, R.G. (investigator), Heft, M.W. (PI): Planning Grant for University of Florida Orofacial Pain Center. DE-96-004. $142,890. 1997-98. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: Application of microendoscopic discectomy (MED) to lumbar stenosis. Sofomor-Danek, Inc. $7,000. 1997-98. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: Efficacy of Spinal Cord Stimulation for chronic Low Back and/or Lower Extremity Pain: A prospective Collaborative Clinical Study. Medtronic, Inc. $11,400. 1990-94. 
  • Fessler, R.G.: Lumbar Intrathecal Morphine Administration for Control of Pain of Benigh Origin. Medtronic, Inc. $8,800. 1992-94.
  • Fessler, R.G.: Evaluate the influence of CSF catecholamines on the hyperadrenergic state, followig closed head injury. Florida Board of Regents Brain and Spinal Cord Research Fund 381004. $20,000. 1992-93.
  • Fessler, R.G.: The influence of CNS catecholamines on the hyperadrenergetic state following closed head injury. UPN # 92100509. $20,000. 1991-92.