Nicholas Cormas
University of Virginia undergraduate researcher Nicholas Cormas, mentored by Xudong Li, MD, PhD, a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, made history at the Cervical Spine Research Society’s (CSRS) 53rd Annual Meeting and 30th Instructional Course as the youngest-ever presenter to showcase original research at the conference. CSRS is one of the most selective forums for cervical spine research, bringing together more than 600 neurosurgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons, and trainees from around the world.
Cormas, a third-year UVA student studying Neuroscience and Health Equity, was selected to deliver a podium presentation of his first-author clinical research — presenting alongside attending surgeons and fellows. He was the only undergraduate presenter at the meeting, which took place December 3 – 6 in Washington, D.C.
His research, conducted with Dr. Li, leveraged a national claims database to compare perioperative outcomes between cervical disc replacement and posterior cervical foraminotomy: two leading surgical interventions to treat patients with cervical radiculopathy, a neurologic condition caused by compression of cervical nerve roots. The study assessed short-term complications, readmissions, and healthcare utilization patterns, offering insight into the relative safety and efficacy of these procedures. Cormas found that cervical disc replacement was associated with lower overall rates of wound-related complications, revision surgery, and hospital readmission compared with posterior cervical foraminotomy, though each approach carried distinct procedure-specific risks. His findings clarify how these approaches differ in early postoperative risk, helping surgeons weigh procedural tradeoffs when selecting individualized approaches for cervical radiculopathy patients.
Abstracts accepted for podium presentation at CSRS undergo competitive peer review, with selection based on scientific rigor, originality, and relevance to contemporary spine care. Cormas’s selection highlights both the strength of his research and the depth of faculty mentorship opportunities available at the School of Medicine.
Cormas’s associated manuscript, “A large-scale database comparison of contemporary surgical complications in cervical radiculopathy: Cervical disc replacement versus posterior cervical foraminotomy,” has recently been published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Orthopaedics.
Ultimately, Cormas plans to pursue a joint MD/PhD degree to practice academic medicine, integrating clinical practice with patient-centered research.
Filed Under: Research