Education & Training
- MD, G.S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital Program, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India
- Residency: G.S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital Program, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, India
- Fellow, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mumbai, India
- Fellowship: Children’s Hospital Boston, Beth Israel Deaconess, New England Baptist, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Fellowship: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Fellowship: University of Minnesota and VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN
- Fellowship: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, The Christ Hospital and Mayfield Neurosurgical Society, Cincinnati, OH
Representative Publications
- Dalton JF, Oyekan A, Ridolfi D, Gannon E, Ruh E, Sharma V. Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion with Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS): Early Experience with Initial Consecutive Cases at a Spine Naïve Community Hospital. Journal of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Technique DOI: 10.21182/jmisst.2022.00507
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Sharma V, Oyekan A, Dalton J. The Implementation of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at a UPMC Peripheral Community Hospital. Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Journal. 2022.
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Tang MY, Oyekan AA, Setliff J, Dalton J, Sharma V. Early Experience with single paraspinal incision, single-level minimally invasive TLIF with 3D printed cage and Unilateral Pedicle Screw Construct. Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Journal. 2023.
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Setliff JC, Tang MY, Lee JY, Shaw JD, Sharma V. Intraoperative Plan Change in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: A comparison of outcomes among posterior decompression, posterior fusion, and single-level TLIF. Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Journal. 2023.
Research Interests
Special Interest in the clinical application and teaching aspect of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. I have been involved in arranging anatomy labs, clinical lectures, cadaver labs and technique demonstrations of various surgical techniques for minimally invasive lumbar spine surgery procedures, to teach residents and fellows. Planning to expand the learning opportunities for residents and fellows in the field of minimally invasive spine surgery. This training is currently lacking at the University of Pittsburgh Orthopaedic Residency and Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship programs.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery allows application of cutting-edge technology with state-of-the-art techniques for faster post-operative recovery with less intraoperative blood loss, shorter hospital stay and less post-operative pain in patient undergoing spinal surgery.
Current Ongoing Clinical Research in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery:
- Single Paraspinal Access microscope-assisted Unilateral Lumbar Laminectomy Bilateral Decompression (ULLBD) with/without posterior fusion via beveled non-expandable slotted tube: Early Clinical Experience with Initial Consecutive Cases at a University-Affiliated Peripheral Community Hospital.
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Program Implementation at a University-Affiliated Acute Care Peripheral Non-Teaching Rural Community Hospital: Early Clinical Experience with Initial Consecutive Cases After Launch
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) + ERAS protocols enable "Direct Hospital to Home" disposition with lower opioid prescriptions; but may not alter chronic narcotic dependence.
- Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MITLIF) using 3D printed titanium cage+ Unilateral Pedicle Screws (UPS) construct: Early Experience with Initial Consecutive Cases
- Minimally invasive spine surgery techniques+ osseointergration implant technology can safely and effectively lower spine hardware density in short segment lumbar spine fusions. [one year follow-up]
- Radiation exposure beyond surgeon learning curve in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at Community Hospital: Relevant, low but remains directly proportional to patient BMI and Complexity of Surgery.
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery can mitigate COVID-19 transmission risk by minimizing the perioperative Institutionalized Care duration. (Length of hospital stay plus discharge to SNF/ inpatient rehab)