Daniel Lubelski, MD
Director of Spine Tumor Surgery
Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery
Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University
Biography
Daniel Lubelski is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with expertise in complex spine surgery, spinal oncology, and peripheral nerve surgery. He is the Director of Spine Tumor Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and treats patients with spinal diseases and deformities, spine and nerve tumors, and brachial plexus and other peripheral nerve injuries.
Dr. Lubelski’s training in complex and robotic spine surgery, spinal oncology and peripheral nerve injuries allows him to comprehensively evaluate patients and develop custom treatment plans to address symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life. He prioritizes patient-centered care, effective communication and working in multidisciplinary collaboration to identify the best treatment.
Dr. Lubelski is a prolific researcher who focuses on patient quality of life and on using big data to develop individualized prediction models to determine optimal treatments tailored to each person. He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and numerous textbook chapters, has lectured nationally and internationally, and serves as a reviewer for the top neurosurgical journals.
Training
After obtaining his undergraduate degree at the City University of New York, Dr. Lubelski spent a year doing predoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health. He then obtained his medical degree from the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and he performed stem cell tumor research as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellow. Dr. Lubelski went on to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for a neurosurgery residency and an enfolded fellowship in peripheral nerve surgery. His postdoctoral training included a fellowship in complex spine surgery and spinal oncology at Johns Hopkins, as well as a traveling fellowship with advanced training at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Research
Dr Lubelski has published more than 200 peer-reviewed publications mostly focusing on treatment and outcomes of spinal disorders.
Listed are select publications and a more complete list can be found at the link below.
Lubelski D, Alomari S, Pennington Z, Lo L, Witham T, Theodore N, Sciubba DM, Bydon A. Single Surgeon versus Dual Surgeon Strategy in Spinal Tumor Surgery: a single institution experience. Clinical Spine Surgery. 2022
Lubelski D, Pennington Z, Feghali J, Schilling A, Ehresman J, Theodore N, Bydon A, Belzberg A, Sciubba DM. The F2RaD Score: A Novel Prediction Score and Calculator Tool to Identify Patients at Risk of Postoperative C5 Palsy. Operative Neurosurgery. 2020
Lubelski D, Pennington Z, Planchard RF, Hoke A, Theodore N, Sciubba DM, Belzberg AJ. Use of Electromyography to Predict Likelihood of Recovery Following C5 Palsy after Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery. The Spine Journal. Oct 6 2020
Lubelski D, Ehresman J, Feghali J, Tanenbaum J, Bydon A, Theodore N, Witham T, Sciubba DM. Prediction Calculator for Nonroutine Discharge and Length of Stay after Elective Spine Surgery. The Spine Journal. 2020 Mar 13.
Lubelski D, Alentado V, Williams S, O’rourke C, Obuchowski NA, Wang JC, Steinmetz MP, Melillo AJ, Benzel EC, Modic MT, Quencer R, Mroz TE. Variability in Surgical Treatment of Spondylolisthesis among Spine Surgeons. World Neurosurgery. 2018 Mar
Lubelski D, Tanenbaum JE, Purvis T, Bomberger T, Goodwin CR, Laufer I, Sciubba D. Predictors of Complications and Readmission following Spinal Stereotactic Radiosurgery. CNS Oncology. 2017
Lubelski D, Alentado VJ, Nowacki AS, Shriver M, Abdullah KG, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC, Mroz TE. Preoperative Nomograms Predict Patient-Specific Cervical Spine Surgery Quality of Life Outcomes. Neurosurgery 2017 Jun
Lubelski D, Williams S, O’rourke C, Obuchowski NA, Wang JC, Steinmetz MP, Melillo AJ, Modic MT, Quencer R, Mroz TE. Differences in the surgical treatment of low back pain among spine surgeons in the United States. Spine. 2015
Lubelski D, Thompson N, Agrawal B, Abdullah KG, Alvin MD, Khalaf T, Mazanec DJ, Benzel EC, Mroz TE, Krishnaney A. Prediction of Quality of Life Improvements in Patients with Lumbar Stenosis following use of Membrane Stabilizing Agents. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery. 2015 Oct
Lubelski D, Healy AT, Silverstein MP, Abdullah KG, Thompson NR, Riew KD, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC, Mroz TE. Reoperation Rates after Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion versus Posterior Cervical Foraminotomy: a propensity matched analysis. The Spine Journal
Lubelski D, Abdullah KG, Alvin MD, Wang T, Nowacki AS, Steinmetz MP, Ransohoff RM, Benzel EC, Mroz TE. Clinical Outcomes Following Surgical Management of Coexistent Cervical Stenosis and Multiple Sclerosis. Spine J. 2013
Lubelski D, Derakhshan A, Nowacki AS, Wang JC, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC, Mroz TE. Predicting C5 Palsy Using Preoperative Anatomic Measurements. Spine J. 2013 Nov
Lubelski D, Abdullah KG, Mroz TE, Shin JH, Alvin MD, Benzel EC, Steinmetz MP. Lateral extracavitary versus costotransversectomy approaches to the thoracic spine: reflections on lessons learned. Neurosurgery. 2012
Lubelski D, Abdullah KG, Masters F, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC, Mroz TE, Shin JH. Lateral Extracavitary, Costotransversectomy, and Transthoracic Thoracotomy Approaches to the Thoracic Spine: Review of Techniques and Complications. Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques