Consultant spinal surgeon | back & neck pain specialist
Mr Balaji Purushothaman is a highly experienced consultant spinal surgeon based in the UK, specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of complex neck and back pain conditions. He offers both non-surgical and surgical treatments for spinal disorders, with a focus on personalised, patient-centred care.
Mr Purushothaman completed his medical degree (MBBS) in India before moving to the North East of England in 2005 to pursue higher surgical training in Trauma and Orthopaedics. During his specialty training, he gained wide-ranging experience in orthopaedic trauma and subspecialties, ultimately focusing on spine surgery. He completed the prestigious AO Spine Fellowship in Brisbane, Australia, where he received advanced training in treating spinal conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spinal trauma, spinal infections, and spinal tumours.
Mr Purushothaman offers comprehensive assessment and treatment for a wide range of spinal conditions, including:
- Herniated discs
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative spine disease
- Spinal fractures
- Cervical and lumbar radiculopathy (brachialgia)
- Spinal deformity and instability (sciatica)
- Spinal deformity
- Spondylolisthesis
Research and Publications
Committed to advancing Orthopaedic and spinal surgery research, Mr Purushothaman has presented at national and international conferences and published extensively in peer-reviewed orthopaedic and spine journals.
Education and Medical Teaching
A passionate educator, Mr Purushothaman is actively involved in medical education and orthopaedic training:
- Associate Clinical Lecturer – Newcastle University
- Undergraduate Co-Lead, Sunderland Orthopaedic Unit – Newcastle University
- FRCS (Tr & Orth) Examiner, Royal College of Surgeons
- Chair, OrthNorth Teaching and Education Association (ONTEA)
- Former Convenor, Northern FRCS Orthopaedics Revision Course (2017–2019)
- Member, National ST3 Trauma & Orthopaedics Selection Design Group (UK)
Professional Memberships
Mr Purushothaman provides expert care using both non-surgical and surgical techniques for spine-related issues:
Non-surgical Treatments
- Physiotherapy for back and neck pain
- Image-guided spinal injections/nerve root blocks and facet joint injections
- Lumbar discectomy
- Lumbar decompression
- Lumbar decompression and posterolateral fusion
- Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)
- Cervical spine surgery
- Anterior cervical discecotmy and fusion (ACDF)
- Posterior cervical decompression (PCD)
- Posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF)
- Cervical disc replacement
- Minimally invasive spinal procedures
- Surgery for spinal trauma (fractures), tumours, and infections
Outside of medicine, Mr Purushothaman enjoys time with family, travel, and exploring new places.