Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD
Neurosurgeon, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Spine Surgeon
My Locations
About Me
I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex spinal disorders. My patient evaluation and management philosophy is to provide engaged, compassionate care that focuses on providing the simplest and least aggressive treatment option for a particular condition. In many cases, non-operative treatment options exist to improve a patient’s symptoms. I have been actively engaged in clinical research to find the best ways to manage spinal disorders in order to achieve better results with fewer complications.
- Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery 2019
- Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery 2019
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Areas of Expertise
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
My research spans a broad range of clinical research that evaluates the management of patients with spinal disorders. I have served as a principal investigator or site principal investigator for research evaluating spinal trauma, spinal cord injury, pediatric and adult spinal deformity, degenerative spinal disorders, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis. The focus of all of these studies is to improve the selection of patients for optimal treatment, reduce complications related to treatment, and improve outcomes.
- 2024 NACTN Registry awarded by Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation 2024 - 2025
- Shaffrey, C. I. Foreword, 2023.
- Passias, Peter G., Lara Passfall, Peter S. Tretiakov, Ankita Das, Oluwatobi O. Onafowokan, Justin S. Smith, Virginie Lafage, et al. “Have We Made Advancements in Optimizing Surgical Outcomes and Enhancing Recovery for Patients With High-Risk Adult Spinal Deformity Over Time?” Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 28, no. 5 (May 1, 2025): 617–26. https://doi.org/10.1227/ons.0000000000001420.
- Carreon, Leah Y., Steven D. Glassman, Justin S. Smith, Michael P. Kelly, Elizabeth L. Yanik, Christine R. Baldus, Jon D. Lurie, et al. “Cost-effectiveness Improves for Operative Versus Non-operative Treatment of Adult Symptomatic Lumbar Scoliosis at Eight-year Follow-up.” Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 50, no. 9 (May 1, 2025): 586–92. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000005186.
- Lafage, Renaud, Connor Sheehan, Justin S. Smith, Alan Daniels, Bassel Diebo, Christopher Ames, Shay Bess, et al. “Incremental Increase in Hospital Length of Stay Due to Complications of Surgery for Adult Spinal Deformity.” Global Spine J 15, no. 4 (May 2025): 2087–95. https://doi.org/10.1177/21925682241283724.
- Williamson, T., L. Massie, I. Karikari, C. I. Shaffrey, and M. M. Abd-El-Barr. “Differential Diagnosis of Spinal Disease.” In Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery: Volumes 1-4, 8th Edition, 2444-2444.e13, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-66192-8.00311-6.
- Buell, T. J., P. A. Christiansen, C. P. Ames, C. I. Shaffrey, and J. S. Smith. “Evaluation and Treatment of Adult Scoliosis and Sagittal Plane Deformity.” In Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery: Volumes 1-4, 8th Edition, 2743-2757.e6, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-66192-8.00351-7.
- Wright, C. H., M. K. Kasliwal, T. J. Buell, J. S. Smith, and C. I. Shaffrey. “Treatment of High-Grade Spondylolisthesis.” In Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery: Volumes 1-4, 8th Edition, 2763-2778.e3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-66192-8.00353-0.
- Saggi, Satvir, Mohamad Bydon, Leah Carreon, Andrew Chan, Juan S. Uribe, Jay D. Turner, Michael Y. Wang, et al. “2019 A Machine Learning Powered Calculator for Prediction of 2 Year Post-Operative Neck Pain in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Quality Outcomes Database Study.” In Neurosurgery, 71:245–46. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2025. https://doi.org/10.1227/neu.0000000000003360_2019.
- Mir, J., O. Onafowokan, A. Das, M. Galetta, R. Lafage, V. Lafage, C. I. Shaffrey, and P. G. Passias. “Optimizing surgical timing: evaluating disability, frailty, and deformity severity thresholds in adult spinal deformity.” In Spine Journal, 24:S138, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2024.06.171.
- Pasha, S., R. Chow, B. RiviEre, A. Reshef, C. I. Shaffrey, and D. Lau. “Opportunistic tool for immediate assessment of bone mineral density.” In Spine Journal, 24:S87, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2024.06.070.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
External Relationships
- Medtronic (Covidien)
- NuVasive, Inc.
- Proprio
- SI Bone