About Dr. Grabel
Dr. Zachary Grabel is a board certified, fellowship-trained spine surgeon at HSS. He provides high quality comprehensive spine care, including primary and revision surgery of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. He treats conditions ranging from degenerative spine disorders to complex deformities and spine tumors using a variety of techniques including minimally invasive spine surgery, artificial disc replacement, anterior, posterior and lateral approaches to the spine. Dr. Grabel's skill set allows him to personalize treatment plans for each of his patients. He practices patient-centered care and believes in a team-based approach to decision making.
Throughout his medical career, Dr. Grabel has been an avid researcher. He has published many peer-reviewed articles and presented at national and international spine conferences. He is affiliated with several orthopedic and spine societies, including NASS, AO Spine, and AAOS.
Dr. Grabel completed a combined orthopedic and neurosurgical spine fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic (OH), where he worked with world-renowned spine surgeons. He received training in both orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgery techniques and continues to combine them in his practice.
Prior to his fellowship, Dr. Grabel completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Emory University, where he received the Outstanding Chief Resident Award. He earned his medical degree from Brown University, where he was inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) honor society. He received his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida, where he was named Outstanding Four-Year Scholar and graduated summa cum laude.
Departments
Special Expertise
Degenerative neck and back disorders (arthritis of the spine)
Disc herniation
Myelopathy
Radiculopathy (pinched nerves in neck or back)
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Spinal deformity
Spinal fractures
Spinal stenosis (nerve compression)
Spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebrae)
Spondylolysis
Procedures
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF)
Cervical disc replacement
Cervical foraminotomy
Cervical laminectomy and fusion
Cervical laminoplasty
Cervical, thoracic and lumbar microdiscectomy
Lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF)
Lumbar and thoracic laminectomy (decompression)
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and percutaneous procedures
Navigated spine surgery
Posterior spinal fusion
Revision spine surgery
Spine deformity correction
Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)
Patient Stories
Insurance
This provider is currently in the process of joining the networks of many commercial insurance plans and should show as a participating provider soon.
If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit. We will work with you and your insurance to minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Financial assistance may be available for patients in need.
Credentials
Appointments
Orthopedic Surgeon, HSS Florida
Affiliations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
AO Spine
North American Spine Society
Certification
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Awards
Thomas Moore Sr. Outstanding Chief Resident Award, Emory Orthopaedic Surgery, 2020
Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, Brown University Medical School, 2015
Summa cum laude, University of Florida, 2011
Outstanding Four-Year Scholar, University of Florida, 2011
Norma DiMarco Research Fellowship, American Cancer Society, University of Florida, 2009
The Golden Key International Honor Society, University of Florida, 2008
Education
Medical: Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI
Internship: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Residency: Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Fellowship: Combined Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Spine Surgery, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
State Licensure
Languages
English
For My Patients
Spine Animations
- Spine - Cervical – Anterior Cervical Discectomy, Fusion – Instrumented (ACDF)
- Spine - Degenerative Disc Disease
- Spine - Herniated Disc – Lumbar
- Spine - Lumbar – Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)
- Spine - Lumbar – Laminectomy
- Spine - Lumbar – Minimally Invasive Discectomy (Percutaneous Disc Removal)
- Spine - Osteoarthritis
- Spine - Sciatica
- Spine - Scoliosis
- Spine - Spondylolisthesis
- Spine - Stenosis – Cervical
- Spine - Stenosis – Lumbar
Publications by Dr. Grabel
For all publications, please see the PubMed listing.
Selected Presentations
McNassor R, Shost M, Grabel Z, Rabah NM, Mroz TE. Association of Cerebrospinal Fluid on Pre-Operative MRI with Post-Operative Outcomes in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, August 2021.
Grabel ZJ, Segal DN, Boden A, Boden S, Milby AH, Heller JG. The impact of prophylactic intraoperative vancomycin powder on microbial profile, antibiotic regimen, length of stay, and reoperation rate in elective spine surgery. Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Annual Meeting, Bologna, Italy, October 2018.
Konopka JA, Grabel ZJ, Rhee JM. Intraoperative neuromonitoring use patterns in degenerative, non-deformity cervical spine surgery: A survey of the Cervical Spine Research Society. Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS) Annual Meeting, Scottsdale, Arizona, December 2018.
Segal DN, Grabel ZJ, Wilson J, Shi J, Milby AH, Hutton WC, Rhee JM. Total Disc Replacement Adjacent to a Multilevel Fusion in the Cervical Spine: A Biomechanical Study. North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, September 2018.
Segal DN, Grabel ZJ, Heller JG, Rhee JM, Michael KM, Yoon TS, Jain. Epidemiology and treatment of central cord syndrome in the United States. North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, September 2018.
Grabel ZJ, Hart RA, Clark AP, Shaffrey CI, Scheer JK, Smith JS, Kelly MP, Ames CP, Daniels AH. Adult spinal deformity knowledge in orthopaedic spine surgeons: impact of fellowship training and practice experience. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, March 2016.
Daniels AH, Ames CP, Grabel Z, Smith JS, Hart R. The Variablity in Spine Surgery Procedures During Orthopaedic and Neurological Surgery Residency Training: An Analysis of ACGME Case Log Data. Annual Meeting of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, Phoenix, AZ, March 2015.
Grabel Z, Daniels AH, Palumbo MA, Vigneswaran H, Eberson CP. Postoperative Transfusion Rates, Complications, and Hospital Charges Following Surgical Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis in the United States from 1997 to 2012. North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, October 2015.
Daniels AH, Grabel Z, Vigneswaran H, Eberson CP, Palumbo MA. Surgical Treatment of Pediatric Spinal Deformity in the United States from 1997 to 2009: An Analysis of 22, 823 Patients. Annual Meeting of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves, Phoenix, AZ, March 2015.
Research
Dr. Grabel's research focuses on how patient clinical outcomes are influenced by advancing technologies and new, minimally invasive techniques. Additionally, he has an interest in the development of spine surgery peri-operative protocols to ensure more efficient, safe, and cost effective patient care.
Industry Relationships
Industry Relationships
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
As of September 25, 2023, Dr. Grabel reported no relationships with the healthcare industry.
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS.