Seyed Babak Kalantar, MD| Orthopedic Surgery, Spine Surgery | MedStar Health
Seyed Babak Kalantar, MD
Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health
Provider is directly employed by MedStar HealthSpecialties: Orthopedic Surgery, Spine Surgery, Orthopedic Spine Surgery
Languages: English, Farsi, Spanish, Persian
202-444-1655
About me
S. Babak Kalantar, MD, is a member of the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute and performs surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Kalantar is a professor and chief of the Division of Spine Surgery in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and the MedStar Orthopaedic Institute. He is also the Co-Director of MedStar Spine Center.
Dr. Kalantar became a spine surgeon to help patients with debilitating pain or lack of function return to the highest quality of living possible. In addition to performing surgery, Dr. Kalantar guides patients before surgery, offering as much time and information as patients need to make decisions about the best treatment. He also guides patients after surgery to help them recover to their full potential.
In addition to English, Dr. Kalantar also speaks Spanish and Farsi.
For a decade, Dr. Kalantar has been recognized as a Washingtonian magazine Top Doc for Spinal Surgery: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. He is also a 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Northern Virginia Magazine Top Doctor for Spinal Surgery, and a Findatopdoc.com Top Doctor 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
He is Co-Editor in Chief of Seminars in Spine Surgery, an international spine journal.
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Professional Society Memberships
- Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
- Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
- North American Spine Society
Clinical areas of focus
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylosis
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Benign Tumor
- Bone Spur
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Kyphosis
- Lordosis
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Pain
- Neck Sprain
- Nerve Root Disorders
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Scoliosis
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spine Pain
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
Procedures I perform
- Cervical Corpectomy
- Cervical Facet Joint Denervation
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Myelopathy Surgery
- Cervical Vertebra Reposition
- Discectomy
- Endoscopic Spine Surgery
- Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Osteotomy
- Pedicle Screw Fixation
- Percutaneous Discectomy
- Percutaneous Kyphoplasty
- Robotic Assisted Spine Surgery
- Scoliosis Deformity Correction
- Spinal Balance Restoration
- Spinal Disc Replacement
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstruction Surgery
- Spinal Spondylolysis Treatment
- Spine Fracture Reduction
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- HealthyBlue PPO
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Aetna HMO
- Medicare Direct
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CIGNA EPO
- IH-POS
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- IH-PPO
- First Health PPO
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- First Health PPO
- Choice POS II
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Beech Street PPO
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Choice POS
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- HighMark
- IH-EPO Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- IH-Network Only Plus
- Employee Health Plan
- TRICARE for Life East
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- UHC Passport
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- OA Plus
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- CIGNA PPO
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- POS OA
- Sentara Health
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- Tricare Reserve Select
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Aetna Basic
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Aetna VA Exchange
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Optimum Choice
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Navigate
- IH-Open HMO
- United Student Resources
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst EPO
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Medicare FFS
- CareFirst Administrators
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Network OA
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Choice Fund PPO
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- IH-Indemnity
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- IH-Open POS Plus
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst NASCO
- TRICARE East Prime
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- HumanaChoice PPO
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- TRICARE East Select
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship: Emory University Hospital-GME (2010)
Residency: Baylor College of Medicine (2009)
Internship: Baylor College of Medicine (2005)
Medical School: Eastern Virginia Medical School (2004)
Medical School: University of Virginia (2000)
Awards
- Washingtonian magazine Top Doctor in spine surgery annually selected 2015 through 2026
- Washingtonian magazine Top Doctors Hall of Fame honoree 2026
- Featured on the cover of Washingtonian magazine 2025 Top Doctors issue
- Northern Virginia magazine Top Doctor in spine surgery selected 2017 through 2025
- FindATopDoc Top Doctor 2018-2025
- Castle Connolly Top doctor
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Books
- Editor. The Resident’s Guide to Spine Surgery. Springer. 2019
- Complications of Occipital Instrumentation. Spinal Instrumentation. 2nd Ed. Kim, Vaccaro, Fessler, Radcliff. 2017
- Occipitocervical and C1-C2 Fusion with Instrumentation. Operative Techniques in Spine Surgery. Ed. Rhee, Boden, Flynn, Wiesel. 2013
- Adult Scoliosis: Etiology and Management. Orthopaedic Knowledge Online. February 2012.
- Injury Scene Assessment, Extrication, and Transport. Spine Trauma 2. 2nd Ed. Zigler, Eismont, Garfin, Vaccaro. 2011
- Pathophysiology of Cervical Myelopathy. Orthopedic Knowledge Update: Spine 4. Editor Raj D. Rao, MD. Sep 2011.
- Stephen D Lockey 1 , Seyed Babak Kalantar 1 , John G Heller 2 Historical Perspective: Thomas E. Whitesides, Jr. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2020 Nov 1;45(21):1537-1539. PMID: 32796466. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000003609.
- Radcliff K, Smith H, Kalantar B, Isaacs R, Woods B, Vaccaro A, Brannon J. Feasibility of Endoscopic Inspection of Pedicle Wall Integrity in a Live Surgery Model. Int J Spine Surg. 2018 Apr 12 (2), 241-249. PMID: 30276081 PMCID: PMC6159636 DOI: 10.14444/5030
- Stewart JJ, Fayed I, Henault S, Kalantar B, Voyadzis JM. Use of a Smartphone Application for Spine Surgery Improves Patient Adherence With Preoperative Instructions and Decreases Last-minute Surgery Cancellations. Cureus. 2019 Mar. 11 (3), e4192. PMID: 31106092 PMCID: PMC6504025 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.4192
- Paulus MC, Kalantar SB, Radcliff K. Cost and Value of Spinal Deformity Surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Mar. 39 (5), 388-93. PMID: 24573071 DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000150.
- Triantafillou KM, Lauerman W, Kalantar SB. Degenerative Disease of the Cervical Spine and Its Relationship to Athletes. Clin Sports Med. 2012 Jul. , 31 (3), 509-20. PMID: 22657999 DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2012.03.009.
- Kalantar SB, Hipp JA, Reitman CA, Dreiangel N, Ben-Galim P. Diagnosis of Unstable Cervical Spine Injuries: Laboratory Support for the Use of Axial Traction to Diagnose Cervical Spine Instability. J Trauma. 2010 Oct. 69 (4), 889-95. PMID: 20130489 DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181bbd660.
- Ben-Galim P, Dreiangel N, Mattox K, Reitman CA, Kalantar SB, Hipp JA. Extrication Collars Can Result in Abnormal Separation Between Vertebrae in the Presence of a Dissociative Injury. J Trauma. 2010 Aug. 69 (2), 447-50. PMID: 20093981 DOI: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3181be785a.
- Radcliff K, Kalantar SB, Reitman CA. Surgical Management of Spondylolysis and Spondylolisthesis in Athletes: Indications and Return to Play. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2009 Jan-Feb. 8 (1), 35-40. PMID: 19142078 DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e318194f89e