Developed Narcotic-sparing recovery protocol
A recovery protocol built around whole-body healing and opioid-free recovery — designed to minimize, and often eliminate, narcotics after spine surgery.
Meet Dr. Melamed
Dr. Hooman Melamed, MD
Board-Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon
Board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (2007)
A Beverly Hills orthopedic spine surgeon focused on ultra-minimally-invasive, muscle-sparing endoscopic surgery — smaller procedures, faster recovery, and far less reliance on narcotics.
Background
Trained where the hardest cases go
Dr. Hooman Melamed brings a rare combination of advanced surgical skill, leading-edge innovation, and genuine compassion to every patient he treats. He graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a degree in neuroscience, earned his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, completed his orthopedic surgical residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and pursued a spinal-surgery fellowship at the Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders.
Since founding his private practice in 2005, Dr. Melamed has pushed the boundaries of spinal care — developing approaches that minimize narcotics, favor outpatient procedures, and focus on full-body healing. He treats the whole person, not just the symptoms.
He also reviews the clinical pages on this website. Our editorial policy explains how that review works and where our sources come from.
Training & affiliations
Education & credentials
A path built around the hardest spinal cases — deformity, revision, and complex minimally invasive reconstruction.
Education & training
- Undergraduate
Summa cum laude, UCLA (Neuroscience)
- Medical school
MD — University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- Residency
Orthopedic Residency — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Fellowship
Spinal Fellowship — Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders
- Leadership
Former Director of Scoliosis — Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital
Board certification
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Certified 2007Professional affiliations
- FellowAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
- MemberScoliosis Research Society
- Former Director of ScoliosisCedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital · 2013–2021, including complex adult deformity
As featured & recognized
Trusted on national television and by the profession.
- The Doctors (national TV)
- KTLA 5
- KCAL 9
- Super Doctors
Authority & leadership
Two decades of leadership in minimally invasive spine care
Two decades spent pushing spine surgery toward smaller incisions, fewer fusions, and less reliance on narcotics — with the procedures, research, and recognition to back it.
Signature · pioneering procedure
Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery
Performing ultra-minimally-invasive biportal endoscopic spine surgery since 2019 — two sub-centimeter incisions, muscle spared rather than cut, and same-day discharge for most patients. It’s the technique the entire practice is built around.
- < 1 cmtwo working portals
- Same-dayoutpatient for most
- Muscle-sparingnothing cut through
Developed 
Champions Motion-preserving alternatives to fusion
Favors procedures that keep the spine moving, led by artificial disc replacement and supported by regenerative therapies, over one-size-fits-all fusion. Patients told they need a fusion are evaluated for disc replacement first.
Teaches Research & thought leadership
Lead author on peer-reviewed spine research and a presenter to the North American Spine Society, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the Scoliosis Research Society.
Leadership Former Director of Scoliosis, Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey (2013–2021)
Recognition Repeat Castle Connolly Top Doctor & Super Doctors honoree
Credentials Fellow, AAOS · Member, Scoliosis Research Society · Board-certified, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (2007)
National media The Doctors · KTLA 5 · KCAL 9
On YouTube
Spine surgery, explained on camera
Dr. Melamed has built one of the most in-depth spine-education libraries on YouTube — 200-plus tutorials, explainers, and real patient stories, in plain language.
How to avoid spinal fusions with BESS
3 myths about endoscopic surgery, debunked
A life-changing scoliosis correction
The patient saved from potential paralysis
- 200+videos on YouTube
- Tutorialsexplainers & how-it-works
- Real patientsstories & Q&A
Patients, in their words
What patients say on Google
The newest reviews from Google, quoted as posted. The row scrolls on its own. To stop it, use the Pause scrolling button under it, hover over it, tap a review or tab into it.
- Rated 5 out of 5. Google review
“Dr. Melemed is truly the best! He genuinely cares about his patients, and it shows in every aspect of the care he provides. I recently had an outpatient procedure, and I cannot say enough about how impressed I was with the surgery center. …”
Renee Smith
- Rated 5 out of 5. Google review
“Dr. Melamed is an exceptional physician. I initially came to him for my spine concerns, but he took the time to look at the bigger picture, truly listen, and help me find the right resources and specialists for a separate, complex medical condition outside his specialty. …”
Melina Rodriguez
- Rated 5 out of 5. Google review
“I had a disc replacement almost a year ago. I feel much better. I chose him to be my surgeon because he came highly recommended from several different sources. Last month, Dr. Melemed Noticed something wrong in the current x-ray compared to a few months ago. …”
mk4uandme
- Rated 5 out of 5. Google review
“I was incapacitated, couldn’t stand, sit or walk. The pain was excruciating. I’ll spare you the diagnosis, but it was serious. I could only lie down with my foot up to reduce the pain. It required EMERGENCY surgery. …”
Mark Myers
- Rated 5 out of 5. Google review
“I had a great experience at The Spine Pro with Dr. Hooman Melamed. From the moment I arrived, the staff (Paty, Sarah and Nelly) were welcoming, professional, and attentive. Everyone took the time to answer my questions and made me feel comfortable throughout the entire process. …”
EDMUNDO TORRES
Individual results vary.
As seen on national television
TV Appearances
Dr. Melamed has appeared on national and Los Angeles broadcast television dozens of times — explaining spine surgery, real patient outcomes, and his opioid-sparing approach.
Corrects a Patient's Flatback Pain
Do Medical Devices Need More Regulation?
Example of Microscopic Spine Surgery
Donates to Project Alive
Project Angel Food
Why I Stopped Prescribing Opioids
How to Get in Shape Without Hurting Yourself
How Healthcare Is Denied & Delayed in California
Philosophy
"The best operation is the smallest one that solves the problem — and sometimes the best operation is none at all. My job is to find that line for each patient, honestly."
— Dr. Hooman Melamed, MD