University of Maryland Spine Program

Our Doctors

Please select the doctor you would like to learn more about:

Steven C. Ludwig, M.D. | Daniel E. Gelb, M.D. | Kornelis A. Poelstra, M.D., Ph.D.

Steven C. Ludwig, M.D.
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
Co-Director, University of Maryland Spine Program
Chief of Spine Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics

Dr. Ludwig graduated from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University/Jefferson Medical College of Pennsylvania.

Following his residency, Dr. Ludwig completed further specialized training in Spine Surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He then became an Assistant Professor for the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation at Penn State University College of Medicine. Dr. Ludwig is board certified in orthopaedic surgery.

Dr. Ludwig has received many awards and honors including the Jefferson Orthopaedic Award for Outstanding Research, the Cervical Spine Research Society’s Award for Outstanding Research, and the American Orthopaedic Association Award for Outstanding Research. He currently serves as the editor for cervical spine in Current Opinion in Orthopaedics.

Dr. Ludwig specializes in a full range of adult spinal disorders. His clinical interests include degenerative diseases of the cervical and lumbar spine, spinal tumors, infections, traumatic injuries to the cervical spine, sports-related spine injuries, minimally invasive surgical techniques, as well as disc replacement surgeries.

Clinical Interests:		Internship and Residency:
•	Adult reconstructive spine surgery	•	Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA/General Surgery
•	Minimally invasive spine procedures
•	Traumatic spinal injuries	•	Combined Thomas Jefferson University - Jefferson Medical College/Pennsylvania Hospital-Rothman Institute, Philadelphia, PA/Orthopaedic Surgery
•	Degenerative conditions of the cervical and lumbar spine
•	Spine tumors
•	Spine infections	Fellowships:
•	Sports related spine injuries	•	Emory University/Spine Surgery
•	Spinal stenosis	•	Department of Orthopaedic Surgery; Atlanta, GA
•	Disc herniations
•	Myelopathy	Hospital Affiliation:
•	Radiculopathy	•	University of Maryland/Shock Trauma
•	Disc replacement	•	Kernan Hospital

Board Certification:		Medical Licensure:
•	American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery	•	Pennsylvania
		•	Georgia
Education:		•	Massachusetts
•	University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)	•	Maryland
•	Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (formerly known as Rutgers Medical School)

Daniel E. Gelb, M.D.
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
Co-Director, University of Maryland Spine Program

Dr. Gelb received his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine, and afterward completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Rochester. He then completed an Orthopaedic Spine Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and an Yves Cotrel Fellowship for the study of surgery of the spine in Paris, France.

Prior to coming to the University of Maryland, Dr. Gelb spent eight years as Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics at Penn State University College of Medicine. He is board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Dr. Gelb is a member of the AOA medical honor society. He is a recipient of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Grant for Research in Autocrine Regulation of Chondrocyte Maturation, and was awarded the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Vincent D. Pellegrini, Jr., M.D. Teaching Award in June of 2001.

His areas of clinical interest include: Adult and pediatric spinal deformity, including scoliosis and kyphosis, spinal tumors and infections, spinal trauma as well as a full range of degenerative spinal conditions.

Clinical Interests:		Hospital Affiliation:
•	Spinal reconstructive surgery	•	University of Maryland/Shock Trauma
•	Adult and pediatric deformity	•	Kernan Hospital
•	Spinal trauma
•	Spinal tumors and infections	Medical Licensure:
•	Spinal stenosis	•	Pennsylvania
•	Disk herniation	•	New York
•	Radiculopathy	•	Missouri
•	Myelopathy	•	Maryland

Board Certification:		Fellowships:
•	American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons	•	Washington University/Orthopaedic Spine Fellow; St. Louis, MO

Education:		Achievements & Awards:
•	New York University School of Medicine	•	Daniel Webster Scholoarship, Dartmouth College
		•	Phi Beta Kappa Society
Internship and Residency:		•	Alpha Omega Alpha Society
•	University of Rochester/Department of Surgery; Rochester, NY	•	Recipient Orthopaedic Research and Eduational Foundation Fellowship Grant
•	University of Rochester/Department of Orthopaedics; Rochester, NY	•	Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation - Vincent D. Pellegrini, Jr., M.D. Teaching Award

Kornelis A. Poelstra, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics

Dr. Poelstra comes to Baltimore from Philadelphia where he completed his orthopaedic and neurosurgical spine fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University - The Rothman Institute.

Educated in the Netherlands, Dr. Poelstra received both his medical degree and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Groningen. He came to the United States in 1998 to complete a research fellowship in Herndon, Virginia focusing on immunoglobulins to reduce post-operative infections. This was followed by a Masters program at the University of Virginia (UVA) in "Science in Surgery." He then went on to complete a residency in orthopaedic surgery at UVA followed by the fellowship in spine surgery.

Dr. Poelstra's research interest includes the investigation of novel therapeutics to prevent and improve treatment of infections associated with surgical procedures and implants. He has published multiple basic science texts, chapters and clinical articles on this, as well as the treatment of spinal cord injuries and procedures to improve the care for patients with spinal causes of arm and leg pain.

Dr. Poelstra's clinical practice includes all areas of the spine. He treats both traumatic and degenerative/arthritic conditions using conventional surgery, minimally-invasive procedures and disc replacements.

Clinical Interests:		Internship and Residency:
•	Spine Care	•	University of Virginia, Orthopaedic Surgery
•	Traumatic and Degenerative Arthritic Conditions
•	Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery	Fellowships:
•	Disc Replacements	•	Thomas Jefferson University - The Rothman Institute/orthopaedic and neurosurgical spine
•	Oncologic Conditions
•	Motion Preservation Surgery	Hospital Affiliation:
		•	University of Maryland/Shock Trauma
Board Certification:		•	Kernan Hospital
•	American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons
		Medical Licensure:
Education:		•	Maryland
•	University of Groningen, Netherlands	•	Virginia
•	University of Virginia, Science in Surgery	•	Pennsylvania
		•	Netherlands

This page was last updated on: April 1, 2008.

If you are a patient of a referring physician and would like to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, please call 410-448-6400.