About
Language(s): English, Spanish
Certification: Neurological Surgery
Merritt D. Kinon, M.D. is the section chief of spinal neurosurgery for the Westchester Medical Center Health Network and an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery. He is a board certified neurosurgeon and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Kinon’s practice specializes in the comprehensive surgical care of adult spinal conditions, including adult complex spinal neurosurgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, revision spine surgery, peripheral nerve surgery, and trauma neurosurgery. He also performs neuromodulation surgery including spinal cord stimulation.
Dr. Kinon received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed his postgraduate training in neurosurgery with an enfolded neuro-oncology fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center followed by an advanced adult spinal neurosurgery fellowship at Duke University Medical Center.
Dr. Kinon’s research focuses on improving the spine patient’s post-surgical pain experience, minimizing hospital length of stay, and optimizing physical function and activity after surgery. He actively collaborates with the departments of Anesthesia and Orthopedic Surgery in developing both pre-surgical and post-surgical protocols aimed at improving the patient’s overall surgical experience. His other research interests include spine surgery health outcomes and spinal biomechanics. Dr. Kinon’s research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and books, and he has been invited to lecture both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Kinon is patient focused offering his patients the most up-to-date surgical techniques including microscopic and minimally invasive spine surgery, the use of intraoperative spinal navigation, and motion preserving surgeries such as cervical disc arthroplasty surgery.
Dr. Kinon is a dedicated mentor and teacher to neurosurgical residents and medical students. He also mentors under-represented college students helping to provide them exposure to opportunities to pursue careers in medicine.
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- American Medical Association
- AOSpine
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- New York Society of Neurosurgery
- North American Spine Society
Awards/Recognition
- Castle Connolly, Top Doctor
- Author, co-author, reviewer, numerous peer-reviewed publications, journal articles and presentations
View a list of Merritt Kinon's publicationsInsurance: WMCHealth and WMCHealth Physicians accept most insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. Please confirm your insurance with your provider’s office and if necessary, with our hospitals and diagnostic testing services.
Education
Medical School: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Internship: General surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
Residency: Neurological surgery, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
Fellowship: Surgical neuro-oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
Primary Fellowship: Adult complex spinal surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
Specialties
Specialties: Neurosurgery
Spine Surgery
Special Clinical Interest:
- Artificial disc replacement surgery
- Adult degenerative spine surgery
- Adult deformity spine surgery
- Minimally invasive spine surgery
- Spinal oncology surgery
- Spinal cord tumor surgery
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Chiari Malformation
- Failed Back Syndrome
- Normal pressure hydrocephalus
- Revision spine surgery
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Spinal cord stimulators
- Spinal Trauma
- Traumatic brain injury
- Ulnar nerve decompression