David S. Casper, MD, is an assistant professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery at Penn Medicine. Dr. Casper sees patients at the Penn Spine Center at Penn Medicine Radnor and Pennsylvania Hospital. He specializes in diagnosing and treating degenerative conditions of the spine, specifically the neck and lower back.
What conditions do you treat at Penn Medicine?
My primary clinical focus revolves around adult degenerative spinal pathologies. I emphasize using both open and minimally invasive surgical techniques to provide patients with the best outcome. I have a special interest in motion-preserving surgeries of the cervical spine.
What is the most exciting thing about being a part of the Penn Spine Center?
The Penn Spine Center is truly a multi-disciplinary institution. By combining orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and pain management, patients are provided comprehensive care under one umbrella.
What is your philosophy on patient care?
Each patient brings a unique set of circumstances and symptomatology when presenting for consultation. In order to provide the best outcome, all of these factors must play a role in shared decision making between the patient and physician. Conservative management is the mainstay of most spinal pathology; however, once these non-operative modalities have been thoroughly exhausted, well-selected patients have excellent outcomes with surgical care.
What kinds of research are you involved in at Penn?
Currently, my research interests include perioperative and postoperative analgesia for spine surgery patients, as well as motion-preserving surgeries of the cervical spine.
What do you enjoy doing outside of practicing medicine?
I enjoy hiking, running, and skiing. I also have two young daughters that keep me busy.