About Dr. Karunakaran

• Dr. Karunakaran S is a leading Spine Surgeon with more than 30 years of experience in performing complex spinal surgeries using minimally invasive and motion-preserving techniques.
• He specializes in a range of procedures, including Sutureless Percutaneous Endoscopic Day-care Spine Surgery, Discography Facet Evaluation, Selective Nerve Root and Transforaminal Injections, PRP and Autologous Conditioned Serum Injections for Low Back Pain, Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF), and Scoliosis Correction.
• He is a pioneer in Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy under local anaesthesia and the first surgeon in South India to use the INSPACE Interspinous Implant for Lumbar Canal Stenosis, enabling keyhole spine surgery under local anaesthesia.
• His innovations have paved the way for safer, faster, and less painful recovery for patients undergoing spine surgery.
• Dr. Karunakaran has also contributed to 3D printing applications in spine surgery and has successfully performed over 1,000 spine surgeries, including scoliosis correction, cervical spine pathologies, thoracotomies, laparotomy-assisted disc replacements, and spinal fusion procedures.
• He completed his MBBS from Rajah Muthiah Medical College, Annamalai University in 1995, followed by an MS in Orthopedics from Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute in 2000, and a DNB in Orthopedics in 2001.
• He further enhanced his expertise through several international observerships and advanced trainings, including an Observership at Shriners Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, USA (2003), an Observership in the Spine Unit at the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, USA (2003), and an Observership at AIIMS, New Delhi (2004).
• In addition, Dr. Karunakaran underwent specialized training in Interlaminar Percutaneous Endoscopic Cervical & Lumbar Spine Surgery at St. Anna Hospital, Herne, Germany (2013), and Advanced Endoscopic Spine Surgery Training in Phoenix, USA (2013).
• His distinguished leadership in preventive spine care, clinical innovation, and surgical precision has earned him national and international recognition.
• Dr. Karunakaran is also an active academic contributor, with several publications in peer-reviewed journals and regular participation in national and international spine conferences.