Dr. Nikolas Baksh is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. With advanced fellowship training in both spine surgery and orthopedic oncology, he brings a distinctive breadth of expertise to the care of complex spinal disorders, including degenerative conditions, disc herniations, spinal deformity, trauma, tumors, and revision surgery. His approach emphasizes minimally invasive and motion-preserving techniques whenever appropriate, with the goal of restoring function, minimizing disruption, and preserving mobility.
Dr. Baksh completed fellowship training in spine surgery at NYU and a second fellowship in orthopedic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This dual fellowship training provides specialized expertise in advanced spinal reconstruction as well as the treatment of primary bone tumors and metastatic disease involving the spine and extremities. This combination allows him to approach complex cases from a comprehensive perspective, integrating careful diagnostic evaluation, advanced surgical techniques, and individualized treatment planning.
Before entering private practice, Dr. Baksh served as an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Medical Center, where he cared for patients with a broad spectrum of degenerative, traumatic, deformity, and tumor-related spinal conditions. During his time at Loyola, he incorporated minimally invasive techniques into the treatment of spinal tumors and helped introduce carbon fiber spinal instrumentation, an emerging technology designed to facilitate postoperative radiation planning and treatment.
Dr. Baksh was also among the early surgeons at Loyola to perform several advanced minimally invasive and motion-preserving procedures, including lumbar disc replacement, prone lateral interbody fusion, and endoscopic discectomy. He incorporated patient-specific technologies into complex spinal reconstruction, including custom rods for deformity correction and patient-specific interbody cages for revision surgery.
His surgical expertise includes cervical and lumbar disc replacement, anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), minimally invasive lumbar decompression and fusion, XLIF, laminoplasty, and foraminotomy. He also treats patients with spinal deformity, spinal tumors, metastatic disease, traumatic injuries, and complex or previously failed spine surgery.
Dr. Baksh believes effective spine care begins with understanding the individual patient. His recommendations are guided by each patient's symptoms, imaging, goals, lifestyle, and long-term needs. When appropriate, treatment may include observation, physical therapy, injections, or other nonsurgical options. When surgery is indicated, he focuses on selecting an approach that is appropriately tailored to the patient's condition and goals.
Known for his calm and approachable manner, Dr. Baksh places a strong emphasis on patient education and clear communication. He believes patients should understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and expected recovery before making decisions about their care. His philosophy is simple: thoughtful spine care begins with understanding the patient and finding the right treatment for the individual.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Baksh has remained actively involved in research and medical education. During his academic career, he taught medical students and orthopedic surgery residents and mentored trainees pursuing careers in spine surgery. His research has addressed a range of topics in spine surgery, including disparities and sociodemographic factors in scoliosis care, mechanisms of failure in cervical disc replacement, and complications associated with spinal tumor surgery.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Baksh enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He also enjoys hiking, running, basketball, playing guitar, and golf.
