NSGR - Why Do We Even Think About Treating Curvatures Of The Spine
At the end of this presentation, participants should be able to:
- Describe the impact of spinal curvature disorders and the rationale for considering treatment.
- Review the factors that influence treatment decision-making for spinal deformities, including patient symptoms, progression risk, and quality-of-life considerations.
About the presenter:
Jamal McClendon Jr., MD
Neurosurgeon
Program Director, Comprehensive Adult and Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellowship at Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic – Arizona
Pediatric Neurosurgeon
Associate Director, Center for Spine Care
Phoenix Children’s
Jamal McClendon Jr., MD, is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon whose rare dual expertise in pediatric neurosurgery and complex spine surgery places him among Arizona’s most uniquely skilled practitioners in his field. He serves as an attending neurosurgeon at both Mayo Clinic Arizona and Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where he cares for some of the region’s most complex neurological and spinal cases across all ages.
Dr. McClendon earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Duke University before obtaining his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He then completed his general surgery internship and neurological surgery residency at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. He went on to pursue extensive fellowship training, completing fellowships in complex and reconstructive spine surgery at Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center and Lurie Children’s Hospital, spinal surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, and pediatric neurosurgery at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. This breadth of advanced training distinguishes him as an authority in both adult and pediatric spinal care.
His clinical expertise spans minimally invasive spine surgery, early-onset and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, congenital and neuromuscular scoliosis, spinal oncology, kyphotic deformity, and adult degenerative scoliosis. He also serves as program director for Mayo Clinic’s Neurosurgery Comprehensive Adult and Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellowship and holds faculty appointments at both the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
Patients and colleagues consistently describe Dr. McClendon as a skilled, compassionate surgeon deeply committed to restoring his patients’ quality of life.