Dr. Michael A. Pahl

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Dr. Pahl is a Southern California native. He earned his undergraduate degree with honors from Chapman University. He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. He did a research fellowship and completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and went on to serve as chief resident. During his time there he trained under world-renowned surgeons of the prestigious Rothman Institute.

After completing his residency, Dr. Pahl received fellowship training in Sports Medicine at the Southern California Center for Sports Medicine and the Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group. Following his fellowship training Dr. Pahl was invited to join the Memorial Orthopaedic Surgical Group in Long Beach, CA. There he served as Chairman of Orthopaedic Surgery at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Chairman of the Board at the Memorial care Surgery Center, and was the first surgeon to perform Computer-assisted shoulder replacement in Los Angeles County. He also served as team physician for Long Beach State University Athletics and Cerritos College Football and worked with the World Surf League.

After greater then 9 years in practice, Dr Pahl and his wife decided that they wanted a change of pace and when an opportunity arose they decided to move to Cookeville, Tennessee and join Tier 1 Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Institute.

Dr. Pahl specializes in treatment of complex shoulder pathology as well as knee and Sports Medicine injuries, and orthopaedic trauma. He performs arthroscopic, reconstructive, and replacement surgery of the shoulder and knee. He also focuses on conservative and preventative treatments of shoulder, knee and sports injuries, and is trained in the treatment of orthopaedic trauma including operative and non-operative fracture management.

Dr. Pahl has authored numerous book chapters and peer review journal articles and has presented at several national conferences.

Dr. Pahl has extensive experience caring for sports teams and working with athletes. He has worked with a wide variety of athletes during his training including working with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball, Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League, WWE professional wrestling, and the Philadelphia Crush of the LFL. He has also cared for several different local high school teams. He has served as team physician of the LFL, Long Beach State Athletics, Cerritos College Football, and the World Surf League. He has also cared for several different highschool teams.

He is an active member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Dr Pahl sees patients at Tier 1 Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Insitute in both Cookeville and Crossville, TN, and operates at Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

In his free time, Dr. Pahl enjoys spending time with his family and participating in outdoor sports and spending time at the lake.

• Undergraduate: Chapman University, Orange, CA
• Medical: Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA

• Orthopaedic Surgery Residency: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
• Spine Research Fellowship: Rothman Institute, Philadelphia, PA
• Sports Medicine Fellowship: Southern California Center for Sports Medicine, Long Beach, CA

• Arthroscopy Association of North America
• American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

• Cookeville Regional Medical Center

Peer Reviewed

Scuderi G, Sherman D, Brusovanik GV, Pahl MA, et al: Symptomatic Cervical Disc Herniation Following a Motor Vehicle Collision: Return to Work Comparative Study of Worker's Compensation vs. Personal Injury Insurance Status. The Spine Journal 2005; 5(6):639-44; discussion 644.

Pahl MA, Brislin B, Boden S, et al: The Impact of Four Common Lumbar Spine Diagnoses Upon Overall Health Status. The Spine Journal 2006; 6(2):125-30. Epub 2006 Feb 3.

Vaccaro AR, Sahni D, Pahl MA, et al: Long-term magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of bioresorbable anterior cervical plate resorption following fusion for degenerative and traumatic disk disruption. Spine 2006; 15;31(18):2091-4.

Non-Peer Reviewed Publications

Simon SL, Pahl MA, Marcotte PJ, Vaccaro AR, Grady MS: Cervico-Thoracic Junction Infections. Seminars in Spine Surgery 2004; 16(3): 206-213.

Web Based Journal Articles

Elias I, Pahl MA, Vaccaro AR, et al: Recurrent burner syndrome due to presumed cervical spine osteoblastoma in a collision sport athlete – a case report. Journal of Brachioplexis and Peripheral Nerve Injury 2007; 2:13. Epub.

Book Chapters

Anderson DG, Vaccaro AR, Pahl MA: The Foundation of Complication Identification, Prevention and Management. in Vaccaro AR, Regan JJ, Crawford AH, Benzel EC, Anderson DG (eds.) Complications of Pediatric and Adult Spinal Surgery. Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, 2004

Regan JJ, Anad N, Khoo LT, Virella A, Pahl MA, Vaccaro AR: Complications of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery: Part II: Thoracoscopy. in Vaccaro AR, Regan JJ, Crawford AH, Benzel EC, Anderson DG (eds.) Complications of Pediatric and Adult Spinal Surgery. Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, 2004

Regan JJ, Anad N, Khoo LT, Virella A, Pahl MA, Vaccaro AR: Complications of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery: Part III: Laparoscopy. in Vaccaro AR, Regan JJ, Crawford AH, Benzel EC, Anderson DG (eds.) Complications of Pediatric and Adult Spinal Surgery. Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, 2004

Yeung AT, Savitz MH, Khoo LT, Virella A, Pahl MA, Vaccaro AR: Complications of Minimally Invasive Spinal Procedures and Surgery: Part IV: Percutaneous and Intradiscal Techniques. in Vaccaro AR, Regan JJ, Crawford AH, Benzel EC, Anderson DG (eds.) Complications of Pediatric and Adult Spinal Surgery. Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, 2004

Pahl MA, Lebwohl NH, Vaccaro AR: Posterior Thoracic Spine, Monarch Spine System: in Kim D, Vaccaro AR, Fessler R (eds.) Spinal Instrumentation. Thieme, New York, April 2005

Goyal N, Vaccaro AR, Pahl MA: Minimal Access Exposure for Posterior Lumbar Instrumented Fusions: in Kim D, Dickman C, Henn, Vaccaro AR (eds.) Surgical Anatomy and Techniques to the Spine. Elsevier, Philadelphia, 2006.

Singh K, Vaccaro AR, DiMartino A, Pahl MA: The Management of Complications Associated With Treatment of Post-traumatic Deformity of the Thoracolumbar Spine. in An HS, Jenis LG (eds.) Complications of Spine Surgery – Treatment and Prevention. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2006.

Albert TJ, Pahl MA: Cervical Kyphosis, in Vaccaro AR, Anderson DG (eds) Decision Making in Spinal Care. Thieme, New York, 2007.

Pahl MA, Anderson DG: High-Grade Spondylolisthesis, in Vaccaro AR, Anderson DG (eds) Decision Making in Spinal Care. Thieme, New York, 2007.

Pahl MA, Tanourey C, Anderson DG: C1 Ring Fractures, in Vaccaro AR, Anderson DG (eds) Decision Making in Spinal Care. Thieme, New York, 2007.

Tanourey C, Pahl MA, Anderson DG: Imaging for Back Pain and Spinal Infection, in Vaccaro AR, Anderson DG (eds) Decision Making in Spinal Care. Thieme, New York, 2007.

Pahl MA, Lee JY, Vaccaro AR: Nucleus Pulposus Replacement: Basic Science and Indications for Clinical Use, in Szpalski M, Gunzburg R, Le Huec JC, Brayda-Bruno M (eds.) Non Fusion Technologies in Spine Surgery. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2007.

Oguz E, Hammouri QM, Grauer JN, Pahl MA, Vaccaro AR: Patient Selection Issues For Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in Vaccaro AR, Bono CM (eds.) Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. Marcel-Dekker, New York, 2007.

Published Multimedia

Graduate Education Foundation Lecture: Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, 2005

Graduate Education Foundation Lecture: Degenerative Conditions of the Lumbar Spine, 2005