University of Virginia Health System

Office Location:
Fontaine Orthopaedic Clinic
545 Ray C. Hunt Drive
Suite 150

Office Phone:
434.243.0291

Office Fax:
434.243.0242

Mailing Address:
PO Box 800159
Dept Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA  2290

Francis H. Shen, MD

The goal of Dr. Shen's practice to provide care for patients with spinal pathology through a combination of both operative and nonoperative means. When surgery is required Dr. Shen combines both traditional open surgical techniques with cutting-edge minimal invasive techniques individualized to the patient's specific spine pathology. Furthermore, Dr. Shen's laboratory is improving the future of patient care by applying tissue engineering principles to solve clinically relevant problems.  He is dedicated to advancing the future of spine surgery by training not only post-doctorate research fellows, but also to training the next generation of clinical spine surgeons as well.

Appointments:

Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

Specialty:

Orthopedic Surgery

Subspecialty:

Spinal Surgery

Special Expertise:

Surgery of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine including anterior and posterior approaches.  Management of degenerative conditions, spinal deformity, trauma, tumors, and infections of the spine.  In addition to traditional open surgery, Dr. Shen also specializes in minimally invasive surgery, image guided spine surgery, and microsurgery. 

Awards:

2009 Scoliosis Research Society Traveling Fellowship

2008 Young Investigator Award, Spine
 
2007 Academy of Distinguished Educators
 
2007 VOS Best Paper Award
 
2007 Outstanding Clinical Paper, Spine Journal

2007 Outstanding Basic Science Winner, Spine Journal

2006 Outstanding Basic Science Winner, Spine Journal

2005 US Bone Joint, Decade Young Participant

2004 North American Spine Society Traveling
 
Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
 
2003 Cervical Spine Research Society Basic Science Award-3^rd place
 
2002 Charles W. Miller Orthopaedic Teaching Award

2001 Leonard Marmor Surgical Arthritis Foundation Award

Education:

1987-1992 Undergraduate, University of Michigan, BS in Biomedical Engineering

1992- 1996 Medical School, University of Virginia

Residency:

1996 - 1997 General Surgery Internship, University of Virginia

1997 - 1998 Orthopaedic Research Fellowship, University of Virginia

1998 - 2001 Orthopaedic Residency,
University of Virginia

2001 - 2002 Chief Orthopaedic Resident,
University of Virginia

2002 - 2003 Spine Fellowship, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois

2002 - 2003 Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellowship, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago, IL 

Certification:

Orthopaedic Surgery

State License:

Illinois, Virginia

Research Description:

Research initiative can be divided into either basic science research or clinical research studies.   The Shen Laboratory uses tissue engineering principles to develop techniques for the management of spinal fusions and treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration. Also actively using novel animal models developed in his laboratory for the treatment of isolated metastatic spinal tumors and osteoporosis. 

Clinical research focuses on the use of osteoinductive (bone producing) proteins for generating spinal fusions and on developing innovative techniques for complex spinal reconstructions, particularly after large tumor resections and high-energy sacral-pelvic trauma. Involved with applying clinical techniques for the novel uses for minimally invasive spine surgery, image-guided spine surgery, and robotic-assisted spine surgery.

Clinical Trials:

NovoSeven (F7SPIN-2180). Role: Principle Investigator. Title: Evaluating the safety of activated recombinant Factor VII in spinal surgery. Goal: This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter, dose-escalation study evaluated the safety of activated recombinant Factor VII in spinal surgery.

Stryker Biotech (S01-01US). Role: Principle Investigator . Title: A prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter, pivotal study of OP-1 putty in uninstrumented posterolateral fusions. Goal: To investigate efficacy and safety of OP-1 putty in uninstrumented posterolateral fusions.

Synthes Spine. Role: Principle Investigator . Title: Demineralized bone matrix as an adjunct to spinal fusion. Goal: Investigates autograft versus DBX putty combined with autograft used as a posterolateral lumbar spinal fusion.

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