Richard S. Lee, M.D.
- Accepting New Patients
- Primary Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
- Area of Expertise: Spine & Neck
About Dr. Richard S. Lee
A southern California native, Richard Lee, M.D. specializes in surgical treatment of spinal conditions. Dr. Lee’s interest in spinal surgery is a combination of several academic interests during his schooling. In college, he studied neurobiology and was intrigued by the complexity of the human nervous system. His laboratory research included work on the effects of microgravity on gene expression in bone and muscle cells in outer space. These early experiences as an undergraduate student and NASA researcher primed his interest in orthopedic and spinal surgery as a medical student.
“What I enjoy most about spinal surgery is the opportunity to combine science and art to help patients rehab from physically debilitating conditions.”
Dr. Lee attended the University of California at Berkeley for his undergraduate degree in molecular biology. He went on to attend medical school at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He completed his surgical internship and orthopedic surgery residency at the Yale School of Medicine, followed by a combined orthopedic and neurosurgical spinal surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Lee resides in Newport Beach and enjoys running and cycling in his spare time.
Please verify with your health plan and/or physician’s office.
- Aetna PPO
- Beech Street PPO
- Blue Cross Prudent Buyer PPO
- Blue Shield PPO
- CIGNA PPO
- Coventry/First Health
- Health Net PPO
- Medicare
- Multiplan/PHCS
- United Healthcare PPO
For HMO plan participation please call the physician's office.
Internship - Yale New Haven Hospital (General Surgery)
Residency - Yale New Haven Hospital (Orthopaedic Surgery)
Fellowship - Harvard Medical School (Spine Surgery)
- American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Spinal Infections (Spine & Neck)
- Osteoarthritis of the Spine / Spine Osteoarthritis (Spine & Neck)
- Neck Sprain (Spine & Neck)
- Spondylolisthesis (Spine & Neck)
- SI Joint Pain / Sacroiliac Joint Pain (Spine & Neck)
- Degenerative Back and Neck Disorders (Spine & Neck)
- Osteoporosis (Spine & Neck)
- Sciatica (Spine & Neck)
- Spinal Stenosis (Spine & Neck)
- Spinal Tumors (Spine & Neck)
- Ruptured Disc (Spine & Neck)
- Adolescent Spine Disorder (Spine & Neck)
- Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) (Spine & Neck)
- Compression Fracture from Osteoporosis (Spine & Neck)
- Kyphosis (Spine & Neck)
- Pediatric Orthopedics (Spine (Pediatric))
- Bulging Disc (Spine & Neck)
- Osteomyelitis / Bone Infection (Spine & Neck)
- Acute Spinal Fracture (Spine & Neck)
- Spine Fractures (Spine & Neck)
- Degenerative Disc Disease (Spine & Neck)
- Muscle Strain (Spine & Neck)
- Back Pain (Spine & Neck)
- Myelopathy / Spinal Cord Injury (Spine & Neck)
- Radiculopathy / Pinched Nerve (Spine & Neck)
- Thoracic Conditions (Spine & Neck)
- Failed Laminectomy Syndrome (Spine & Neck)
- Cervical Fracture (Spine & Neck)
- Whiplash (Spine & Neck)
- Slipped Disc (Spine & Neck)
- Spondylolysis (Spine & Neck)
- Herniated Disc (Spine & Neck)
- Neuropathic Pain (Spine & Neck)
- Traumatic Spinal Injury (Spine & Neck)
- Spinal Deformities (Spine & Neck)
- Facet Joint Syndrome (Spine & Neck)
- Cervical Stenosis (Spine & Neck)
- Scoliosis (Spine & Neck)
- Arthritis (Spine & Neck)
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) and Instrumentation
- Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)
- Cervical Laminectomy
- Cervical Spine Fusion
- Complex Spine Surgery
- Complex Surgical Reconstruction
- Disc Replacement
- Herniated Disc Surgery
- Kyphoplasty
- Laminectomy
- Laminotomy
- Lumbar Discography / Lumbar Discogram
- Lumbar Fusion
- Lumbar Microdiscectomy
- Microdiscectomy
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Reconstructive Surgery
- Spine Arthroplasty
- Spine Instrumentation Surgery
- Spine Stabilization
- Spine Surgery