Biography

Dr. Fabien D. Bitan is an ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SURGEON in private practice in Manhattan. He is the director of Spine Surgery services at Lenox Hill Hospital. Dr. Bitan was trained in Paris, France where he gained his Medical Degree and his Board Certification in Orthopedic Surgery.

His orthopedic training in the 80s was from the outset oriented towards spinal surgery. One of the most important periods of his training years was the twelve months spent at the "Institut Calot" in Berk-sur-mer in northern France. The "Institut Calot" is one of the most prominent centers for the treatment of spinal deformities (SCOLIOSIS AND KYPHOSIS) in Europe. Dr. Cotrel has been the chief surgeon of this institution where he designed the "Cotrel-Dubousset Instrumentation" in the mid 19080s. Dr. Bitan had the privilege of training during these years and acquired extensive experience in the use of this revolutionary technique well before it became wide-spread in the orthopedic world. (Today, this technique is recognized throughout the world as one of the most influential breakthroughs in spinal surgery of the last decades). Enriched by a personal experience of more than a thousand surgical cases, Dr. Bitan is recognized as one of the experts in spinal instrumentation, especially for SCOLIOSIS AND KYPHOSIS.

Since his residency Dr. Bitan has also gained much experience with ARTIFICIAL DISC REPLACEMENT technology (Charite Disc). Originally, this procedure was used only in France at one institution (Hopital Beaujon, Clichy, France).

Dr. Bitan practiced spine surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children in Paris, France from 1989 to 1996. He specialized in SCOLIOSIS AND KYPHOSIS on pediatric and adult patients.

After ten years of combined academic and private practice in France, he came to New York. Dr. Bitan completed two fellowships - one at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York (Pediatric Orthopedic Department) and the second at Beth Israel Medical Center (Spine Institute). He received his Board certification from the American Association of Physician Specialists. His activity is divided between direct patient care and clinical research. His clinical field is exclusively Spinal Surgery including spinal deformities and various spine diseases.

Dr. Bitan's most enlightening professional experience was to be part of Dr. Fred Epstein's neurosurgical team, treating children suffering from SPINAL DEFORMITIES DUE TO NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE (SPINAL CORD TUMORS) until 2001.

He was the principal investigator for the FDA trial for Artificial Disc procedure and was the only surgeon in the North-East United States designated to use this technology for over four years until the FDA approved the technology in 2004.

Dr. Bitan's department became one of the most experienced centers in the country using this technology. Since FDA approval in 10/2004, he has participated in surgeons training in Cincinnati, Ohio every month.

Dr Bitan also adopted new MINIMALLY INVASIVE TECHNOLOGIES due to the importance of these techniques in patients' recovery. He has become a tutor to other surgeons helping in the adoption of these innovative methods. The use of minimally invasive techniques in spine surgery requires extensive training. Today Dr Bitan uses MIS for most of his spinal fusions.

He adopted recently the new X-LIF technique that allows the surgeon to perform anterior spinal fusion with opening of the abdomen.

Dr. Bitan organizes and supervises research projects in the field of scoliosis, artificial discs, minimally invasive spinal surgery and treatment of OSTEOPOROTIC SPINAL FRACTURES using KYPHOPLASTY.

Medical and Scientific Societies membership:

• Scoliosis research Society
• North American Spine Society
• The Spine Arthroplasty Society
• The New York Academy of Science
• The American Back Society
• The American Association of Physician Specialists
• The International Spinal Deformity Study Group
• American College of Spine Surgery
• Argos International
• Société Française de Chirurgie Rachidienne
• Association of French Speaking Physician