Surgeon known for success in minimally invasive and motion-sparing technologies starts in Vail on Feb. 15, moving to Colorado after decades of accomplished practice in Dallas
VAIL, Colorado, Feb. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — John Peloza, M.D., an award-winning orthopaedic spine surgeon from Dallas, will join The Steadman Clinic’s surgical team on Feb. 15. As a physician on the forefront of spine surgery advancement for over two decades, Dr. Peloza will be offering comprehensive surgical spine care for the neck and back. Dr. Peloza will also be devoting time to Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI) to continue his mission of advancing spine treatments, including regenerative medicine.
“We welcome Dr. Peloza to The Steadman Clinic and look forward to adding his level of expertise to our team,” said Marc J. Philippon, MD, managing partner of The Steadman Clinic and co-chair of SPRI. “Dr. Peloza is known throughout the industry as one of the leaders in minimally invasive spine surgery and is an advocate for the expansion of treatments like artificial disc replacement. I know that Dr. (Johnny) Huard (Chief Scientific Officer) and the staff at SPRI are excited about Dr. Peloza working with them in the lab and researching new spine-related techniques in regenerative medicine technology.” 
Dr. Peloza’s association with The Steadman Clinic goes back to the Clinic’s early years. He served as a sports medicine fellow for The Steadman Clinic founder Dr. J. Richard Steadman just prior to Dr. Steadman moving his practice from Lake Tahoe, Nevada, to Vail in 1990. Throughout the early years of The Steadman Clinic, Dr. Peloza traveled to Vail monthly to provide conservative and surgical spine treatments to patients, while establishing his practice in Dallas.
“My previous time at The Steadman Clinic was instrumental in my development and success as a physician,” said Dr. Peloza. “In addition to learning surgical techniques from Dr. Steadman, he taught me the importance of participating in research and the advancement of treatments, as well as continued personal growth in knowledge and skills as a surgeon. However, the most important thing Dr. Steadman instilled in me was that we are not just doing surgery; we’re taking care of people. I have continued to employ all of these philosophies daily in my career.”
With decades of experience in spine research, Dr. Peloza is a prime example of The Steadman Clinic’s belief in excellence “from the bench to the bedside.” Dr. Peloza is an investigator in FDA/IDE device trials, biologic trials, an inventor with 16 U.S. and international patents, and an evaluator of new technology. This affords his patients access to the most technologically advanced care possible. “I have been honored to work with accomplished practitioners, engineers, and scientists from around the world to further the advancement of spine treatments,” he said. “With these existing relationships I hope to bring a robust spine component to the excellent research already being done at SPRI.
Additionally, Dr. Peloza has long had a special interest in regenerative medicine. “I have utilized biologic tissues and therapies for years,” he said. “When I met Dr. Huard in 2019, I knew I wanted to be a part of his research team someday. I look forward to advancing the spinal applications of regenerative medicine with Dr. Huard and his team at the SPRI labs. Most importantly, I look forward to the opportunity to make use of these advancements in the treatment of my patients.”
Dr. Peloza is excited to continue the development of The Steadman Clinic’s spine program, joining Dr. Donald Corenman, who has been with The Steadman Clinic for over 20 years. “My goal as a minimally invasive surgeon is to treat the problem, leaving the normal spinal structure and musculature as intact as possible. This depends on targeted diagnoses through imaging and diagnostics.”
Eventually, Dr. Peloza hopes to help expand the spine service line, including adding a spine surgery fellowship to the Steadman Philippon Research Institute fellowship program.
Dr. Peloza graduated from the Northwestern University School of Medicine with honors, followed by a general surgery internship and orthopaedic residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He then completed his sports medicine fellowship with Dr. Steadman, followed by a spine fellowship under internationally recognized spine surgeon Dr. David Selby.
In 1996, Dr. Peloza opened The Center for Spine Care in Dallas with the goal of getting patients back to their active lifestyles through both non-operative and surgical spine treatments. Using the philosophies taught to him by Dr. Steadman and nationally respected spine surgeons in his training, Dr. Peloza quickly developed a premier spine practice in the Dallas community and beyond. Dr. Peloza has been honored to have patients come from all over the country and the world to receive treatment at his practice.
And, now, Dr. Peloza is returning to Vail. “Vail has held a special place in my family’s heart for the past 30 years. The time is right for my family to make a home in the Vail community.”
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Lynda Sampson The Steadman Clinic 970-479-1563 lsampson@sprivail.org
