Board-Certified · Fellowship-Trained Spine Surgeon
Spine care in Manhattan, driven by real results.
Dr. Vikas V. Varma diagnoses complex spine conditions and builds precise, patient-first treatment plans — relieving pain, restoring function, and improving long-term outcomes.
Academic
Icahn School of Medicine
Assistant Clinical Professor, Spine Surgery
Certification
Board Certified
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Training
Fellowship-Trained
Specialized spine surgery fellowship
Approach
Minimally Invasive
Muscle-sparing techniques, faster recovery
“A successful spinal fusion, lower lumbar 4-5, took care of the sciatica that radiated down my leg. Fast recovery too!”
“The office was huge, clean, modern, and inviting. Dr. Varma was professional and answered all my questions — he made me feel at ease and comfortable. I highly recommend Dr. Varma and his office.”
“I was very nervous for a cervical spine surgery consultation. Dr. Varma made me feel very comfortable, was very patient with my questions, and gave me the best and worst scenario.”
“I was in so much pain for 25-plus years. I went from constant pain to immediate relief. Thanks so much Dr. Varma for giving me a chance to live my life pain free.”
“Dr. Varma is the best. He performed a spine fusion on me and relieved my back and neck pain. I would highly recommend him to all my friends and family.”
“He mentioned surgery, but suggested physical therapy first, hoping to avoid surgery. He was attentive, interested, informative and friendly. I would recommend him in a flash!”
“He has your back, pun intended. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He genuinely cares about his patients — don’t hesitate to make an appointment.”
“He is one of the best doctors I have ever seen. Patient, caring, thorough, down to earth — he makes sure you understand everything and answers all questions.”
“Surgery was a breeze — much less dramatic than I feared it would be, and Dr. Varma has been fantastic at following up and answering all my post-op questions.”
Google Reviews
“A successful spinal fusion, lower lumbar 4-5, took care of the sciatica that radiated down my leg. Fast recovery too!”
“The office was huge, clean, modern, and inviting. Dr. Varma was professional and answered all my questions — he made me feel at ease and comfortable. I highly recommend Dr. Varma and his office.”
“I was very nervous for a cervical spine surgery consultation. Dr. Varma made me feel very comfortable, was very patient with my questions, and gave me the best and worst scenario.”
“I was in so much pain for 25-plus years. I went from constant pain to immediate relief. Thanks so much Dr. Varma for giving me a chance to live my life pain free.”
“Dr. Varma is the best. He performed a spine fusion on me and relieved my back and neck pain. I would highly recommend him to all my friends and family.”
“He mentioned surgery, but suggested physical therapy first, hoping to avoid surgery. He was attentive, interested, informative and friendly. I would recommend him in a flash!”
“He has your back, pun intended. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He genuinely cares about his patients — don’t hesitate to make an appointment.”
“He is one of the best doctors I have ever seen. Patient, caring, thorough, down to earth — he makes sure you understand everything and answers all questions.”
“Surgery was a breeze — much less dramatic than I feared it would be, and Dr. Varma has been fantastic at following up and answering all my post-op questions.”
“A successful spinal fusion, lower lumbar 4-5, took care of the sciatica that radiated down my leg. Fast recovery too!”
“The office was huge, clean, modern, and inviting. Dr. Varma was professional and answered all my questions — he made me feel at ease and comfortable. I highly recommend Dr. Varma and his office.”
“I was very nervous for a cervical spine surgery consultation. Dr. Varma made me feel very comfortable, was very patient with my questions, and gave me the best and worst scenario.”
“I was in so much pain for 25-plus years. I went from constant pain to immediate relief. Thanks so much Dr. Varma for giving me a chance to live my life pain free.”
“Dr. Varma is the best. He performed a spine fusion on me and relieved my back and neck pain. I would highly recommend him to all my friends and family.”
“He mentioned surgery, but suggested physical therapy first, hoping to avoid surgery. He was attentive, interested, informative and friendly. I would recommend him in a flash!”
“He has your back, pun intended. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He genuinely cares about his patients — don’t hesitate to make an appointment.”
“He is one of the best doctors I have ever seen. Patient, caring, thorough, down to earth — he makes sure you understand everything and answers all questions.”
“Surgery was a breeze — much less dramatic than I feared it would be, and Dr. Varma has been fantastic at following up and answering all my post-op questions.”
Vikas V. Varma, MD
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon
Dr. Vikas V. Varma
Orthopedic Spine Surgeon · New York City
Dr. Varma is a board-certified, fellowship-trained spine surgeon. He holds an appointment at the Icahn School of Medicine, where he is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Spine Surgery in the Department of Orthopedics, and serves as an attending spine surgeon in Manhattan.
Diagnosis firstX-ray, CT and MRI-based workups for a definitive diagnosis before any treatment plan.
Surgery as last resortConservative care — therapy, injections, rehabilitation — is always considered first.
Minimally invasiveSmall incisions and muscle-sparing techniques for less pain and faster recovery.
Complex & revisionDeformity, osteotomy and revision surgery for the most challenging cases.
Patient Testimonial Videos
Watch more patient stories →The diagnosis index
Lasting relief,
precisely diagnosed.
Seventeen conditions, one approach: confirm the exact source of your symptoms before treating anything. Browse by region of the spine.
Back Pain
One of the most common complaints among adults — from a short-lived strain to a sign of a deeper spinal disorder.
Cervical Stenosis & Myelopathy
Narrowing in the neck that compresses the spinal cord, with symptoms that tend to worsen over time.
Cervical Radiculopathy
Nerve damage from compressed nerve roots in the neck, causing pain and numbness in the arms and hands.
Spinal Stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses the cord or nerves.
Cervical Strain
A stretched or torn neck muscle or tendon, often from whiplash or another sudden trauma.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Age-related wear that thins the spinal discs and reduces their shock-absorbing capacity.
Degenerative Spondylolisthesis
A vertebra slipping out of alignment as arthritis and wear destabilize the spine.
Neck Pain
From muscle strain to disc degeneration in the cervical spine.
Flatback Syndrome
Loss of the lower spine’s natural curve, pushing the body’s balance forward.
Spondylolisthesis
A vertebra slipping forward over the one beneath it.
Herniated Disc
One of the most common spine issues, caused by disc material pushing through a tear in its outer casing.
Scoliosis & Spinal Deformity
Abnormal curvature of the spine in adolescents and adults.
Kyphosis
An abnormal, forward-facing rounded curvature of the back, also known as Scheuermann’s disease.
Synovial Cyst of the Spine
A fluid-filled sac from a facet joint pressing on spinal nerves.
Lumbar Radiculopathy
Pain and inflammation from a compressed nerve root in the low back, often radiating down the sciatic nerve.
Vertebral Compression Fractures
Collapsed vertebrae, most often from osteoporosis.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Narrowing of the low-back spinal canal that compresses nerves and the spinal cord.
Post-Laminectomy Syndrome
An unsatisfactory outcome after laminectomy surgery — also called failed back syndrome.
Sciatica
Radiating pain along the sciatic nerve, from the lower back through the hips and down the leg.
Scoliosis
An abnormal, sideways curvature of the spine that tends to worsen if left untreated.
Spinal Deformities
Abnormal alignment or curvature of the spine — including scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, and spondylolisthesis.
Synovial Cyst of the Spine
A fluid-filled sac from a degenerating facet joint that can compress nearby nerves.
Post-Laminectomy Syndrome
Persistent pain after previous back surgery — also called failed back syndrome.
Featured procedures
View all treatments →
Featured procedure · 01
Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF)
A lateral-approach spinal fusion that reaches the disc from the side, sparing the back muscles.
Learn about this procedure →
Featured procedure · 02
Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
Removes a damaged cervical disc and fuses the vertebrae with a spacer device through a front-of-neck approach.
Learn about this procedure →
Featured procedure · 03
Cervical Disc Replacement
Replaces a damaged cervical disc with an artificial device that preserves natural neck motion.
Learn about this procedure →
Featured procedure · 04
Minimally Invasive Microdiscectomy
A laparoscopic procedure that relieves nerve root compression from a herniated disc or spinal stenosis.
Learn about this procedure →
Featured procedure · 05
Spinal Osteotomy
Reconstructive correction of rigid spinal deformity through bone realignment — PCO, PSO, or VCR.
Learn about this procedure →
“My goal is the least surgery necessary for a lasting, successful outcome. Experience plus technology makes for the best care.”
— Dr. Vikas V. Varma
Begin your recovery
Visit us in Midtown Manhattan.
57 West 57th Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Between 5th & 6th Avenues — two blocks from Carnegie Hall, three from Central Park.
Subway
N
Q
R
F
57 St stations · 2 min walk
Mon – Thu8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday8:00 am – 4:00 pm
SaturdayBy request only
