Seyed Babak Kalantar, MD| Orthopedic Surgery, Spine Surgery | MedStar Health
About me
S. Babak Kalantar, MD, is a member of the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute and performs surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Kalantar is a professor and chief of the Division of Spine Surgery in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute. He is also the Co-Director of MedStar Spine Center.
Dr. Kalantar became a spine surgeon to help patients with debilitating pain or lack of function return to the highest quality of living possible. In addition to performing surgery, Dr. Kalantar guides patients before surgery, offering as much time and information as patients need to make decisions about the best treatment. He also guides patients after surgery to help them recover to their full potential.
In addition to English, Dr. Kalantar also speaks Spanish and Farsi.
For a decade, Dr. Kalantar has been recognized as a Washingtonian magazine Top Doc for Spinal Surgery: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. He is also a 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Northern Virginia Magazine Top Doctor for Spinal Surgery, and a Findatopdoc.com Top Doctor 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
He is Co-Editor in Chief of Seminars in Spine Surgery, an international spine journal.
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Professional Society Memberships
- Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
- Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
- North American Spine Society
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Injury
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Benign Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage
- Benign Tumor
- Biomechanical Lesions
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Spur
- Bursopathy
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Congenital Malformations Of Musculoskeletal System
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities Of Head, Face, Spine And Chest
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Head Injury
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Joint Disorder
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lordosis
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Muscle Disorders
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Pain
- Neck Sprain
- Neoplasm Of Uncertain Behavior
- Nerve Root Disorders
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Scoliosis
- Secondary Malignant Neoplasm Of Brain
- Shoulder Burns
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spine Pain
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Ostectomy
- Osteotomy
- Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Balance Restoration
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spine Fracture Reduction
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- UHC Passport
- Sentara Health
- CareFirst EPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Optimum Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- OA Plus
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Employee Health Plan
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- IH-Network Only Plus
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-Open POS II
- TRICARE East Prime
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Tricare Reserve Select
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-POS
- TRICARE East Select
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Choice POS
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA PPO
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- IH-PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- IH-Open HMO
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- HumanaChoice PPO
- IH-EPO Plus
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Beech Street PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Navigate
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna HMO
- Medicare FFS
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Network OA
- HighMark
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Basic
- First Health PPO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Aetna VA Exchange
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- IH-Open HMO Option
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- POS OA
- Choice Fund PPO
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- First Health PPO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-Indemnity
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- IH-POS Plus
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Core Essential (HMO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship: Emory University Hospital-GME (2010)
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine (2009)
Internship: Baylor College of Medicine (2005)
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School (2004)
Medical School: University of Virginia (2000)
Awards
- Top Doctor 2018-2024 - Excellence in Medicine - Findatopdoc.com
- 2015 - 2025 Top Doctor: Spinal Surgery, Washington, D.C.- Washingtonian Magazine
- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 Top Doctor, Spinal Surgery, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Books
- Editor. The Resident’s Guide to Spine Surgery. Springer. 2019
- Complications of Occipital Instrumentation. Spinal Instrumentation. 2nd Ed. Kim, Vaccaro, Fessler, Radcliff. 2017
- Occipitocervical and C1-C2 Fusion with Instrumentation. Operative Techniques in Spine Surgery. Ed. Rhee, Boden, Flynn, Wiesel. 2013
- Adult Scoliosis: Etiology and Management. Orthopaedic Knowledge Online. February 2012.
- Injury Scene Assessment, Extrication, and Transport. Spine Trauma 2. 2nd Ed. Zigler, Eismont, Garfin, Vaccaro. 2011
- Pathophysiology of Cervical Myelopathy. Orthopedic Knowledge Update: Spine 4. Editor Raj D. Rao, MD. Sep 2011.
- Stephen D Lockey 1 , Seyed Babak Kalantar 1 , John G Heller 2 Historical Perspective: Thomas E. Whitesides, Jr. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2020 Nov 1;45(21):1537-1539. PMID: 32796466. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000003609.
- Radcliff K, Smith H, Kalantar B, Isaacs R, Woods B, Vaccaro A, Brannon J. Feasibility of Endoscopic Inspection of Pedicle Wall Integrity in a Live Surgery Model. Int J Spine Surg. 2018 Apr 12 (2), 241-249. PMID: 30276081 PMCID: PMC6159636 DOI: 10.14444/5030
- Stewart JJ, Fayed I, Henault S, Kalantar B, Voyadzis JM. Use of a Smartphone Application for Spine Surgery Improves Patient Adherence With Preoperative Instructions and Decreases Last-minute Surgery Cancellations. Cureus. 2019 Mar. 11 (3), e4192. PMID: 31106092 PMCID: PMC6504025 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.4192
- Paulus MC, Kalantar SB, Radcliff K. Cost and Value of Spinal Deformity Surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Mar. 39 (5), 388-93. PMID: 24573071 DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000150.
- Triantafillou KM, Lauerman W, Kalantar SB. Degenerative Disease of the Cervical Spine and Its Relationship to Athletes. Clin Sports Med. 2012 Jul. , 31 (3), 509-20. PMID: 22657999 DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2012.03.009.
- Kalantar SB, Hipp JA, Reitman CA, Dreiangel N, Ben-Galim P. Diagnosis of Unstable Cervical Spine Injuries: Laboratory Support for the Use of Axial Traction to Diagnose Cervical Spine Instability. J Trauma. 2010 Oct. 69 (4), 889-95. PMID: 20130489 DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181bbd660.
- Ben-Galim P, Dreiangel N, Mattox K, Reitman CA, Kalantar SB, Hipp JA. Extrication Collars Can Result in Abnormal Separation Between Vertebrae in the Presence of a Dissociative Injury. J Trauma. 2010 Aug. 69 (2), 447-50. PMID: 20093981 DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181be785a.
- Radcliff K, Kalantar SB, Reitman CA. Surgical Management of Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis in Athletes: Indications and Return to Play. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2009 Jan-Feb. 8 (1), 35-40. PMID: 19142078 DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e318194f89e