Accessibility Tools

Dr. Payam Moazzaz Orthopedic Surgeon

Dr. Payam Moazzaz
"Dr. Moazzaz personally strives to contribute to the health and well-being of each of his patients by providing the best care possible using the most advanced techniques in spinal surgery. He is passionate about his patients and their potential to regain mobility and get back to an active lifestyle. As a pioneer of robotic spine surgery in California, he has performed over 655+ robotic spine surgeries with more than 4,500 spinal implants yielding exceptional patient outcomes with improved accuracy"

For more information visit www.sandiegospinesurgeon.com

Educational Background

  • 2010-2011
    San Diego Spine Fellowship
    • Comprehensive spinal training in degenerative, trauma, adult/pediatric deformity, and minimally-invasive spine surgery.
    • San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders and Scripps Green Clinic.
    • Drs. Akbarnia, Eastlack, Bruffey, Mundis, Bagheri.
    La Jolla, CA
  • 2006-2010
    Orthopaedic Surgery Residency
    University of California, Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, CA
  • 2005-2006
    General Surgery Internship
    University of California, Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, CA
  • 2001-2005
    University of California, Davis School of Medicine
    • Junior AOA
    • Ernest M. Gold Award for Excellence: given to two students with highest academic performance in medical school
    Sacramento, CA
  • 1996-2000
    University of California, Berkeley
    • Bachelor of Arts, Molecular and Cell Biology
    Berkeley, CA
  • 1992- 1996
    Rancho Bernardo High School
    • Palomar Medical Center 500 hour junior volunteer award
    • Palomar Medical Center junior volunteer scholarship
    San Diego, CA

Presentations

  • 2011
    Can LIFTAR (Lateral Interbody Fusion with Transpsoas ALL Release) Replace Three Column Osteotomy for the Correction of Focal Sagittal Plane Deformity? Akbarnia B, Mundis G, Eastlack B, Moazzaz P. The Spine Study Group - 22nd Symposium: Mastering the Art of Spine Care. Palm Beach, FL (May 19-22).
  • 2011
    Selective Non-Operative Treatment of Type II Supracondylar Humerus Fractures. Silva M, Spencer HT, Dorey F, Zionts LE, Moazzaz P, Dichter D, Wong M. Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America 2011 Annual Meeting. Montreal, Quebec (May 11-14).
  • 2011
    Segmental Correction of Adult Focal Sagittal Plane Deformity Using "LIFTAR", a Novel Lateral Interbody Approach with Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Release. Akbarnia B, Mundis G, Eastlack B, Moazzaz P. International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. Las Vegas, NV (April 26-29).
  • 2011
    Contribution of Round vs. Rectangular Expandable Cage Endplates to Corpectomy Stability in a Cadaveric Model. Mundis G, Eastlak B, Moazzaz P, Turner A, Cornwall B. 4th Annual Society of Lateral Access Surgery Research Meeting. San Diego, CA (March 31-April 2).
  • 2011
    Can LIFTAR (Lateral Interbody Fusion with Transpsoas ALL Release) Replace Three Column Osteotomy for the Correction of Focal Sagittal Plane Deformity? Akbarnia B, Mundis G, Eastlack B, Moazzaz P. 4th Annual Society of Lateral Access Surgery Research Meeting. San Diego, CA (March 31-April 2).
  • 2010
    Can LIFTAR (Lateral Interbody Fusion with Transpsoas ALL Release) Replace Three Column Osteotomy for the Correction of Focal Sagittal Plane Deformity? Akbarnia B, Mundis G, Eastlack B, Moazzaz P. 4th Annual Society of Lateral Access Surgery Research Meeting. San Diego, CA (March 31-April 2).
  • 2010
    Association of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis and Risk for Subsequent Slip with BMI for-age. Moazzaz P, Barba D, Scaduto AA, Otsuka NY. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery 77th Annual Meeting. New Orleans, CA (March 9-13).
  • 2009
    On the Field Evaluation of Cervical and Lumbar Spine Injuries. Moazzaz P. UCLA Combined Sports Medicine Conference Lecture. (September 9).
  • 2009
    Engaging Versus Non-Engaging Hill-Sachs Lesions: Clinical Evaluation of the Glenoid Track. Crow SA, Moazzaz P. Western Orthopaedic Association's 73rd Annual Meeting. Seattle, WA (July 29-August 1).
  • 2009
    Supracondylar Humerus Fractures in Children: A Prospective Review. Silva M, Moazzaz P, Alyeshrnerni AM, Penman A. Western Orthopaedic Association's 73rd Annual Meeting. Seattle, WA (July 29-August 1).
  • 2009
    Factors Predicting the Decision to Operate for Children With Type 2 Supracondylar Humeral Fractures. Silva M, Moazzaz P, Wong M, Zionts L. Western Orthopaedic Association's 73rd Annual Meeting. Seattle, WA (July 29-August I).
  • 2008
    Assessing Community Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Correlations Between the GMFCS and SFA. Moazzaz P, Caron C, McGee J, Gates PE, Otsuka NY. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery 75th Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA (March 5-9).
  • 2008
    Assessing Community Function in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Correlations Between the GMFCS and SFA. Moazzaz P, Caron C, McGee J, Gates PE, Otsuka NY. American Academy of Pediatrics Meeting, Boston, MA (Oct. 11-14, 2008).
  • 2007
    Positional MRI: a valuable tool in the assessment of cervical disc bulge. Moazzaz P, Hong SW, Miyazaki M, Ashkan M, Wang J. Twenty Second Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society, Austin, TX (October23-27).
  • 2004
    rhBMP-7 Induced Posterior Spinal Fusion in Female Rats is Dependent on Estrogen Status. Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Fourth International Workshop on Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions, Chalkidiki, Greece (May 28-31).
  • 2003
    Estrogen Deficiency: A Negative Influence on Spine Fusion with rhBMP-7. Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Eighteenth Annual Meeting of the North American Spine Society, San Diego, California (October 21-25).
  • 2003
    rhBMP-7 Induced Posterior Spinal Fusion in Female Rats is Dependent on Estrogen Status. Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Thirty-eighth annual meeting of the Scoliosis Research Society, Quebec, Canada (September 10-13).
  • 2003
    rhBMP-7 Induced Posterior Spinal Fusion in Female Rats is Dependent on Estrogen Status. Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Thirty third annual International Sun Valley Hard Tissue Workshop, Sun Valley, Idaho (Aug. 3-7). *recipient of Alice L. Jee Memorial Young Investigator Award*
  • 2003
    Medial Malleolar Stress Fracture in an Intercollegiate Football Player. Moazzaz P, Chang CJ. Twelfth annual meeting of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, San Diego, California (April 5-9).
  • 2003
    Effects ofBMP-7 on Posterior Spinal Fusion in Female Rats: Preliminary Results for an Osteoporotic Model. Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Forty-fourth annual National Student Research Forum, Galveston, Texas (April 3-5). *recipient of University of Texas Center on Aging Research Award*
  • 2003
    Effects of BMP-7 on Posterior Spinal Fusion in Female Rats: Preliminary Results for an Osteoporotic Model. Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Thirty-first annual Western Student Medical Research Forum, Carmel, California (Jan. 28-Feb. 1).

Publications

  • Silva M, Moazzaz P. Coronal Shear Fracture of the Distal Humerus in an Eleven-Year-Old Patient. J Pediatr Orthop B 2011;20(1)50-5.
  • Moazzaz P, Wang JC. Lumbar Disc Herniation and Degenerative Disc Disease in Athletes. Semin Spine Surg 2010; 4: 206-09.
  • Moazzaz P, Otsuka NY. "Complications in the Management of Talipes Equinovarus." Drennan's The Child's Foot and Ankle. Ed. James J McCarthy, James C Drennan. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009. 98-116.
  • Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Gilotra M, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Estrogen-Dependent Actions of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 on Spine Fusion in Rats. Spine 2005; 30:1706-11.
  • Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Martin RB, Reddi AH. rhBMP-7 Induced Posterior Spinal Fusion in Female Rats is Dependent on Estrogen Status. J Musculoskel Neuron Interact 2003; 3: 425.
  • Moazzaz P, Gupta MC, Maitra S, Martin RB, Reddi AH. Effects of BMP-7 on posterior spinal fusion in female rats: preliminary results for an osteoporotic model. J Investig Med 2003; 51: S181.
  • Moazzaz P, Chang CJ. Two unusual cases of acetabular fractures sustained during sports. Clin J Sport Med 2002; 12: 127-9.

Honors and Awards

  • Outstanding Student in Surgery 2005
  • Paul Lipscomb Award for Excellence in Orthopaedics 2005
  • AOA Co-President, selected as junior medical student 2004-2005
  • UC Davis Ernest M. Gold Award for Excellence 2004
  • 33rd International Sun Valley Hard Tissue Workshop Young Investigator Award Aug. 2003
  • University of Texas Center on Aging Research Award April 2003
  • UC Davis Predoctoral Research Fellowship 2002-2005
  • University of California Sports Medicine Apprenticeship Scholarship 1998- 2000
  • UC Alumni Scholar's Association Roy B. Christie Endowment 1998- 2000
  • University of California, Berkeley Alumni Scholarship 1996- 2000
  • Palomar Medical Center Junior Volunteer Scholarship 1996

Research Grants

  • UC Davis Predoctoral Research Fellowship
    $6,000
    July 2004 - May 2005

    P. Moazzaz, Munish Gupta, R. Bruce Martin, and Hari Reddi. Lumbar Spinal Fusion Using Recombinant Human Growth and Differentiation Factor-5 in a Rabbit Model: Implications of Estrogen-Deficiency.
  • UC Davis Predoctoral Research Fellowship
    $6,000
    Jan. 2003 - Jan. 2004

    P. Moazzaz, Mark Lee, Hari Reddi. Effect of Exogenous Noggin on Fracture Healing in the Rat
  • UC Davis Predoctoral Research Fellowship
    $7,000
    June 2002-June 2003

    P. Moazzaz, Munish Gupta, R. Bruce Martin, and Hari Reddi. Effect of BMP-7 on Spinal Fusion in Ovariectomized Rats.

Current Research Projects

  • 2011
    Incidence and risk fracture for compression fractures and graft subsidence after lumbar anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Moazzaz P, Akbarnia B, Eastlack R. San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders.
  • 2011
    Focal sagittal deformity correction using a minimally invasive XLIF technique. Moazzaz P, Akbarnia B, Mundis G, Eastlack R. San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders.
  • 2011
    Contribution of Round vs. Rectangular Expandable Cage Endplates to Corpectomy Stability in a Cadaveric Model. Mundis G, Eastlak B, Moazzaz P, Turner A, Cornwall B. San Diego Center for Spinal Disorders, Scripps Green Clinic.
  • 2011
    Bone morphogenetic protein-related seromas with lateral interbody fusion surgery. Moazzaz P, Bruffey J.
  • 2010
    Brake Reaction Time Following Cervical and Lumbar Spine Surgery. Moazzaz P, Wallach CJ, Wang JC. UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center & Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
  • 2009
    Influence of radiographs on patient-reported outcomes following spinal fusion for idiopathic scoliosis. Moazzaz P, Scaduto AA, Bowen RE. Shriners Hospital for Children- Los Angeles, UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
  • 2009
    Type II Supracondylar Humerus Fractures in Children: Prospective Analysis of Operative vs. Nonoperative Treatment. Silva M, Moazzaz P, Zionts LE. Orthopaedic Hospital, UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
    * Currently submitted for publication
  • 2007
    Assessing community function in children \Yith cerebral palsy: correlations between the GMFCS and SFA. Moazzaz P, Caron C, McGee J, Gates PE, Otsuka NY. Shriners Hospital for Children- Los Angeles, UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
    * Currently submitted for publication
  • 2007
    Positional MRI: a valuable tool in the assessment of cervical disc bulge. Moazzaz P, Hong SW, Miyazaki M, Ashkan M, Wang J. UCLA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
    * Presented at 2007 North American Spine Society 22nd Annual Meeting, Austin, TX (Oct. 23-27, 2007)
    ** Currently submitted for publication

Dr. Moazzaz's Reviews

I had a disc replaced by robotic surgery its been 30 days I feel very good my doctor did a great job and I think hes really one of the best at robotic surgeries of the back his name is dr Payam Moazzaz. if you have any doubt about this surgery talk to him. His staff did really well in caring for me. and therapist who really care about my health. thanks again north county orthopedics.

~ Roy Williams ~

OSNC is the best for what ever is hurting. I had a very big back fusion surgery by Dr Moazzaz that turned out great. I had a great experience with all of the office employees and Dr Moazzaz's "team" of assistants. I'm 74 & he opened me in the front and the back to install the ""screws, etc"". I will definitely go back to OSNC even for my physical therapy.

~ polite lion ~

Read More Reviews

  • Oceanside Office

    3905 Waring Road
    Oceanside, CA 92056

  • Carlsbad Office

    6121 Paseo Del Norte
    Carlsbad, CA 92011

  • Physical Therapy – Vista

    1958 Via Centre Drive
    Vista, CA 92081

  • Physical Therapy – Carlsbad

    6121 Paseo Del Norte
    Carlsbad, CA 92011

  • MRI Facility – Carlsbad

    6121 Paseo Del Norte
    Carlsbad, CA 92011