Dr. Karunakaran S. is a veteran minimally invasive spine surgeon with over 25 years of surgical experience. He pioneered percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy under local anesthesia in his region and introduced the INSPACE interspinous implant for lumbar stenosis. Known for his preventive and patient-centric approach to spine care, he has successfully performed over 1,000 complex spine surgeries, including scoliosis corrections and disc replacements. Dr. Karunakaran is also actively involved in academic training and research, holding key faculty roles in national and international surgical workshops.

Educational Qualification:

• MBBS – Rajah Muthiah Medical College, Annamalai University (1995)
• MS (Orthopaedics) – Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute (2000)
• DNB (Orthopaedics) – National Board of Examinations (2001)

Notable Achievements & Awards:

• Mohandas Weller Gold Medal & Fellowship Award, Indo-German Orthopaedic Foundation (2017)
• ASSI Travelling Spine Fellowship Award (2005)
• Tamil Nadu Orthopaedic Association Travelling Fellowship (2006)
• Best Publication Award, TNOA Journal (2010) for morphometric evaluation of the cervical spine pedicle

Professional Memberships:

• Member, Tamil Nadu Orthopaedic Association
• Member, Orthopaedic Association of South Indian States
• Member, Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI)
• Member, Asian Academy of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
• Member, Asia Pacific Spine Society
• Member, AO Spine