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Vincent C. Traynelis, MD

Vincent Traynelis
Vice-Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery
Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, RUSH Medical College
Director, Neurosurgery Spine Fellowship Program
Vice-Chairman, Academic Affairs
Education

MD, West Virginia University School of Medicine
General surgery residency, West Virginia University School of Medicine
Neurosurgery residency, West Virginia University School of Medicine

Research Areas

Traynelis' research interests are entirely focused on surgery of the cervical spine and craniovertebral junction. His research interests include minimizing dysphagia following anterior cervical spinal surgery, improving the surgical and postsurgical care of patients undergoing complex cervical deformity correction and stabilization, and multiple studies focused on delineating the significance of cervical sagittal balance and refining surgical techniques that can restore balance with minimal risk of morbidity.

Contact Info:

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

Vincent Traynelis, MD received his medical degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine in Morgantown, where he also completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in neurosurgery. Following residency, Traynelis was a member of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Iowa for 20 years, rising to the rank of Professor. He joined the Department of Neurosurgery at Rush University Medical Center in 2009 where he is currently the A. Watson Armour and Sarah Armour Presidential Professor, Director of the Spine Service, and Vice Chair of the Department. He is the Director of both the Neurosurgery Spine Fellowship and the Neurosurgery Residency Program.

Traynelis has an active clinical practice that solely focuses on surgery of the cervical spine and craniovertebral junction. Working in this region, he specializes in complex spine surgery, spinal deformity, spinal arthroplasty, spinal reconstruction, spinal tumors, and spinal cord tumors.

He is a Past President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Cervical Spine Research Society, and Past Chairperson of the Joint Section of Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. He was a Director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery for 6 years and served as the Vice Chair of the ABNS in 2014 – 2015.

Traynelis has published more than 160 papers in peer-reviewed journals, more than 80 chapters, four books and over 200 editorials. He has been the Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neurosurgery Spine. Traynelis also serves on the editorial boards of Neurosurgery, Spine, Journal of Spinal Disorders and Operative Techniques, Global spine Journal, and the Journal of Clinical Neurology, Neurosurgery and Spine. Traynelis' research interests include cervical spine surgery, spinal infections, operative monitoring and spinal biomechanics. He has received grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Traynelis has worked with industry and holds a number of patents for cervical spine devices.

Honors and Activities
  • Meritorious Award Recipient, AANS/CNS Joint Section of the Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, 2018
  • Crutchfield-Gage-Thomson Award, Neurosurgical Society of the Virginias, 1989
  • First Place, Annual Resident Research Convocation, Department of Surgery, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1986
  • Research Award, American College of Surgeons, West Virginia Chapter, 1986
  • Research Award, American College of Surgeons, West Virginia Chapter, 1984
  • Stuart Memorial Award, 1983
  • Upjohn Achievement Award, 1983
  • Alpha Omega Alpha, 1982
  • Van Liere Memorial Research Award, 1981
  • Mountain-Ranking Men’s Honorary of the State of West Virginia, 1980
  • Class President, West Virginia University School of Medicine, 1979-1983 
Grants

National Institute of Health 2 RO1 NS15078-12, 1991-96, $363,600
National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study-III, Study of Tirilazad Mesylate (U-74, 0006F) and Methylprednisolone Sodium Succinate in Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury (Co-Investigator)

United States Army DAMD17-97-C-7006, 1996-00, $156,172
Cervical Spinal Motion During Orotracheal Intubation (Principal Investigator)

National Institute of Health 1R201EB012048-01A1, 2011, $1,151,696
Intubation Mechanics of the Stable and Unstable Cervical Spine (Co-Investigator)

The University of Iowa Department of Surgery, 1990-91, $15,000
Tumor Necrosis Factor and Malignant Gliomas (Principal Investigator)

The University of Iowa College of Medicine, 1990-91, $5,000
Brain and Glioma Metabolism in an Experimental Model (Principal Investigator)

The University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center, 1/97-12/97, $10,400
Effect of Cervical Collars on Driving Safety (Principal Investigator)

ICI Pharmaceuticals, 1989-91, $114,290
A Comparison of Three Anesthetics for Neurosurgery (Co-Investigator)

ICI Pharmaceuticals, 1989-91, $195,660
Continuous Infusion of Diprivan vs. Morphine Boluses for Sedation in Severe Head Trauma (Co-Investigator)

Aesculap, 6/92-12/92, $5,000
Biomechanical Evaluation of Cervical Spinal Stabilization Procedures in a Human Cadaveric Model (Principal Investigator)

Aesculap, 1991-93, $50,757
Biomechanical Comparison of Unilateral and Bicortical Anterior Cervical Plate Fixation in a Human Cadaveric Spine Injury Model (Principal Investigator)

Upjohn Pharmaceuticals, 1992-96, $331,000
Head Injury Tirilazad Trial (HITT) (Co-Investigator)

Ride for Kids Foundation, 1992, $5,128
Tumor Necrosis Factor and Malignant Gliomas (Principal Investigator)

Glaxo, Inc., 1993-94, $71,164
The Intracranial Pressure Effects of Remifentanil and Alfentanil (Co-Investigator)

Danek Group, 6/93-12/93, $30,200
Biomechanical Analysis of Orion Cervical Plate Fixation in a Human Cadaveric Spinal Injury Model (Principal Investigator)

Glaxo Research Institute, Inc., USA A3004, 1993-94, $83,550
A Comparative Study of Remifentanil and Fentanyl in Neuroanesthesia (Co-Investigator)

Danek Group, 7/94-12/94, $3,039
Biomechanical Analysis of Orion Cervical Plate Fixation in a Human Cadaveric Spinal Injury Model (Principal Investigator)

AO/ASIF Research Commission 95-H17, 1994-95, $30,300
In Vitro Comparative Biomechanical Analysis of Thoracolumbar Spinal Devices (Co-Investigator)

AcroMed Corporation, 1994-95, $10,000
In Vitro Comparative Biomechanical Analysis of Thoracolumbar Spinal Devices (Co-Investigator)

Johnson & Johnson, 4/96-12/96, $6,000
Codman Anterior Cervical Plate Clinical Evaluation (Principal Investigator)

Sofamor Danek, IDE #G960044, 1996-99, $28,500
A Prospective, Controlled, Clinical Investigation of the NOVUS CSR Ring and NOVUS CSR Block for Anterior Cervical Interbody Fusion in Patients With Symptomatic Cervical Disc Disease (Principal Investigator)

Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, 1998-99, $29,000
Effect of Wearing a Restrictive Neck Brace on Driver Performance (Principal Investigator)

Medtronic Sofamor Danek, 2001, $30,383
Cervical Spine Research Educational Grant (Principal Investigator)

Medtronic Sofamor Danek, 2003-06, $40,000
A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial of an Artificial Cervical Disc vs.
Anterior Cervical Fusion for Single Level Symptomatic Cervical Disc Disease (Principal Investigator)

Medtronic Sofamor Danek, 2011 $6,200
Cervical Retraction Study (Principal Investigator)