Seyed Babak Kalantar, MD| Spine Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery | MedStar Health
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.
Learn about minimally invasive spine surgery.
Patient story
Sophisticated reverse shoulder replacement surgery brings relief.
Spinal Surgery Advancements: Translate Into Less Risk, Faster Recovery, Excellent Results
Back in The Saddle: Surgery Brings Immediate Relief to Back Pain
Delicate Neck Surgery Preserves Range of Motion and Active Lifestyle
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
- Thigh Fracture
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Abdomen, Lower Back, Pelvis, And Genital Injury
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Benign Neoplasm Of Bone And Articular Cartilage
- Benign Tumor
- Biomechanical Lesions
- Bone Density Disorder
- Bone Discontinuity
- Bone Disorders
- Bone Spur
- Brain Disorders
- Bursopathy
- Cervical Herniated Disc
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Congenital Malformations Of Musculoskeletal System
- Congenital Malformations Of Spine And Bony Thorax
- Congenital Musculoskeletal Deformities Of Head, Face, Spine And Chest
- Deforming Dorsopathies
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsopathies
- Fractures Of The Neck
- Hand And Wrist Fracture
- Head Injury
- Inflammatory Spondylopathies
- Intervertebral Disc Disorders
- Intraspinal Granuloma
- Joint Disorder
- Kyphosis
- Limb Deformity
- Lordosis
- Lower Back Pain
- Lumbar Disc Disease
- Lumbar Myelopathy
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Lumbar Spine Fracture
- Meningitis
- Mononeuropathy Of Lower Limb
- Muscle Disorders
- Musculoskeletal System Complications
- Neck Nerve And Spinal Cord Injury
- Neck Pain
- Neck Sprain
- Neoplasm Of Uncertain Behavior
- Nerve Root Disorders
- Nervous And Musculoskeletal Symptoms
- Nervous System Disorders
- Rib And Sternum Fracture
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain
- Scoliosis
- Secondary Malignant Neoplasm Of Brain
- Shoulder Burns
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Cord Diseases
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Disc Herniation
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Osteochondrosis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spine Deformity
- Spine Pain
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spondylopathies
- Spondylosis
- Thigh Fracture
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
- Fibula Osteotomy
- Flap Surgery
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Lumbar Laminectomy And Fusion
- Median Nerve Decompression
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Ostectomy
- 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
Practice locations
Distance from Change Location Enter your Location
1420 Beverly Rd
Ste 210 Fl 2
McLean, VA, 22101
5454 Wisconsin Ave
Ste 1100
Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
3800 Reservoir Rd NW
1 Gorman
Washington, DC, 20007
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.
-
List of insurance plans we accept
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- CareFirst EPO
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Classic 3500
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- Network OA
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- TRICARE for Life East
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Aetna VA Exchange
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna HMO
- Choice POS
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- HighMark
- CareFirst Administrators
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- Core Essential (HMO)
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- IH-PPO
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Choice POS II Open Access
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Blue Choice Advantage
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- BlueChoice Open Access
- First Health PPO
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- CIGNA PPO
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- TRICARE East Prime
- Optimum Choice
- TRICARE East Select
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- United Student Resources
- First Health PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- IH-Open POS Plus
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- HumanaChoice PPO
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- Tricare Reserve Select
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- IH-POS
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- Choice Fund PPO
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- IH-Open POS II
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Medicare Direct
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Sentara Health
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Aetna Basic
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Beech Street PPO
- IH-POS Plus
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- HealthyBlue PPO
- CareFirst NASCO
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- IH-HMO
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- IH-Open HMO
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- IH-EPO Plus
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- UHC Passport
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- POS OA
- Choice POS II
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Employee Health Plan
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- IH-Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Choice
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- Medicare FFS
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- Aetna Classic 5000
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- CIGNA Indemnity
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- CIGNA EPO
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- OA Plus
- Navigate
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