Sunny S Kim MD

Dr. Sunny S. Kim has performed thousands of minimally invasive surgeries and is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon with 25 years of experience. Dr. Kim is very skilled in treating all types of spinal issues but is also one of the few spinal surgeons in the nation who is able to treat complicated spinal deformity cases that require vertebral column resections and pedicle subtraction osteotomies.

As mentioned, Dr. Kim averages hundreds of surgical spinal cases each year. He is among a select number of surgeons in the United States who can take out a thoracic disc herniation in a minimally invasive manner. He also specializes in performing spine surgeries which require a high degree of expertise, including OLLIF, Kyphoplasty, SI joint fusion, and artificial disc replacement.

Education

Medical School

• The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

Residency

• Orthopedic Surgery
  • Columbia UniversityNew York, NY1985

Fellowship

• Spine Surgery Fellowship
  • Minnesota Spine CenterMinneapolis, MN1988

Internship

• Internal Medicine
  • Evanston HospitalEvanston, IL1984

• General Surgery

  • Loyola UniversityChicago, IL1983

Board Certification

• American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Certified 1991-2021

• American Board of Spine Surgery

  • Certified 1999 - 2024

Publications

• Revision surgery for failed back surgery syndrome, 1992
  • Author: Kim, S. S.
    •  VIEW PUBLICATION
• Herniated cervical disc resulting from discography J. of Spinal Disorders 3 (4), 392-395, 1990
  • Author: Smith, M.D. & Kim, S. S.
    • VIEW PUBLICATION
• Factors affecting fusion rate in adult spondylolisthesis Spine 15 (9), 1990
  • Author: Kim, S. S.
    • VIEW PUBLICATION
• Spondylolisthesis. A Review. 3 (4), 14-23, 1982
  • Author: Kim, S. S.
  • Publisher: Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
• Small angle neutron scattering study of Bence-Jones protein mcg: comparison of structures in crystal and solution. Biochemistry 21, 2874-2878, 1982
  • Author: Kim, S. S.
    • VIEW PUBLICATION

Medical Interests

Areas of Interest:

• Orthopedic Spine Surgeon (2009-current): Inspired Spine – Tri-State Brain Spine Institute
• Chief of Surgery (2007 to 2009): Douglas County Hospital, Alexandria, Minnesota
• Orthopedic Spine Surgeon (2002-2013): Central Minnesota Spine Center, Alexandria, Minnesota
• Orthopedic Spine Surgeon (1990-2002): Institute for Low Back and Neck Care, Minneapolis
• Orthopedic Spine Surgeon (1989-1990): St. Croix Orthopedics, Stillwater, Minnesota

Research Interests:

• American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
• North American Spine Society
• Korean American Spine Society
• American College of Spine Surgery
• Society of Lateral Access Surgeons