Massachusetts General Hospital

Biography

John H. Shin, M.D., is an attending neurosurgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital and faculty member of the Harvard Medical School. He also has appointments with the MGH Cancer Center and the Stephen E. and Catherine Pappas Center for Neuro-Oncology. He completed his neurosurgery training at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Dr. Shin completed two fellowships at the Cleveland Clinic, Center for Spine Health, an internationally renowned comprehensive spine institute. He completed a combined neurosurgery and orthopaedic spine surgery fellowship with focused training in minimally invasive and reconstructive techniques for the full spectrum of spinal disorders including degenerative, tumor, trauma, rheumatologic, and infectious disorders. 

He also completed a fellowship in stereotactic spine radiosurgery, specializing in the comprehensive care of patients with metastatic spinal tumors.

He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society, AO Spine, and the AANS/CNS Joint Spine Section. He is the recipient of the prestigious Lars Leksell Radiosurgery Fellowship Award and the Ronald Apfelbaum Spine Research Award.

Dr. Shin provides personal and individualized care to patients with all complex spine conditions, specializing in applying innovative surgical techniques for the treatment of complex spinal disorders. Dr. Shin utilizes modern neurosurgery and orthopaedic spine techniques to provide patients with the most comprehensive treatment options. He has developed techniques to minimize complications and improve outcomes. He performs surgery (laminectomy, spinal fusion, spinal instrumentation, spinal reconstruction, deformity correction, tumor resection) for disorders affecting the spine. He also recently established new multidisciplinary programs for spinal metastases and spine radiosurgery at the MGH Cancer Center.

PublicationsSelect Publications

Shin JH, Benzel EC: Vertebral Metastases: Ventral and Dorsal Approach versus Lateral Extracavitary Transpedicular, in Jandial, Garfin, Ames, Deviren (eds): Best Evidence for Spine Surgery: 20 Cardinal Cases, 2012

Shin JH, Angelov L: Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Spinal Metastases, in Benzel EC (ed): Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complications, and Avoidance Management, 3rd edition, 2012

Shin JH, Chao ST, Angelov L: Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Spinal Metastases: Update on Treatment Strategies. J Neurosurg Sci (55)3:197-209, 2011

Refai D, Shin JH, Iannotti C, Benzel EC: Dorsal Approaches to Intradural Extramedullary Tumors of the Craniovertebral Junction. J Craniovert Jun Spine 1(1):49-54, 2010

Shin JH, Kalfas IH, Benzel EC, Steinmetz MP: Image Guidance in Fixation of the Craniovertebral Junction, in Dickman CA, Spetzler RF, Sonntag VKH, Bambikidis N(eds): Surgery of the Craniovertebral Junction, 2nd edition, 2012

Shin JH, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC, Krishnaney AA: Dorsal versus Ventral Surgery for Cervical OPLL: Considerations for Approach Selection and Review of Surgical Outcomes. Neurosurg Focus 30(3)E8, 2011

Shin JH, Krishnaney AA: Idiopathic Ventral Spinal Cord Herniation: A Rare Presentation of Tethered Cord. Neurosurg Focus 29(1):E10, 2010

Shin JH, Hoh DJ, Kalfas IH: Iliac Screw Fixation using Computer-Assisted CT Image Guidance: Technical Note. Neurosurgery, 2012

Lubelski D, Abdullah KG, Steinmetz MP, Benzel EC, Mroz TE, Shin JH: Lateral Extracavitary, Costotransversectomy, and Transthoracic Thoracotomy Approaches to the Thoracic Spine: Review of Techniques and Complications, J Spinal Disord, 2012