2003 NREF/DePuy AcroMed Research Fellow

Robert J. Kowalski, MD
Cleveland Clinic Foundation

An In Vitro Biomechanical Assessment of Motion Preservation Strategies for the Lumbar Spine -- Nuclear Replacement and Artificial Intervertebral Disc Technologies versus Gold Standard Discectomy and Arthrodesis Approaches

Biomechanical tests will be conducted on cadeveric human lumbar spinal segments while microsensors record data delineating perturbations in mechanical properties from the intact condition compared with discectomy, nuclear replacement, artificial intervertebral disc, and fusion models. The objective is to independently quantify the biomechanical performance of current motion preservation strategies, nuclear replacement and artificial intervertebral disc implants, as compared to the gold standards of discectomy and bony fusion. Phase I will use a single disc and Phase II a double disc lumbar motion segment. Biomechanical testing will be performed in pure compression, flexion, extension, lateral bending, torsion, creep-recovery and fatigue.

Click here to view  Final Report  (PDF 938KB)

About Robert J. Kowalski

Robert J. Kowalski was born and raised in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated with distinction in 1989 having earned a BS in mechanical engineering. He was subsequently awarded a Navy scholarship to attend graduate school at the Catholic University of America from which he received an MS in mechanical engineering in 1990. He completed five years of active duty in the Navy as an officer in the Civil Engineer Corps. During his engineering career, he attained the status of registered Professional Engineer (P.E.). Turning his attention towards medicine, Robert attended the University of South Florida College of Medicine under the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program. He graduated in 1998 having been elected to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA). He is currently a chief resident in the department of Neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic. He has accepted an appointment to the combined neurosurgery and orthopedic spine fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic for the academic year July 2004 - June 2005. His research has focused on motion preservation strategies for the spine. He has been extremely active in the Spine Research Laboratory at the Cleveland Clinic under the direction of Edward Benzel, MD. The lab is active both in the independent biomechanical testing of spinal applications as well working with industry in the development of novel spinal motion preservation technologies. He enjoys weightlifting and competing in triathlons. He is married to the former Alexandra M. Renard of Jacksonville, Florida with whom he has a son Kyle and is expecting a daughter due in October 2003.