KOC Welcomes Spine Surgeon
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) has welcomed Dr. Patrick Albright, an accomplished spine surgeon and researcher, to its team of specialists serving patients across East Tennessee.
Drawn to the spine’s intricate, elegant anatomy, Dr. Albright is motivated to improve patients’ lives through thoughtful evaluation and technical innovation.
“Spine surgeries can be extremely gratifying because they are so impactful as some patients wake up in post-operative recovery and experience immediate pain relief,” Dr. Albright said. “There aren’t many areas within healthcare where you can make such a dramatic improvement in someone’s quality of life and see that almost immediately.”
He recalled a college-age patient who had endured chronic back and leg pain and cried with joy when she awoke pain-free after a lumbar discectomy.
Dr. Albright is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon who treats a wide range of spinal conditions and believes in beginning with nonsurgical, conservative treatment whenever appropriate.
“Back conditions can be painful and complex, so we are proud to have surgeons like Dr. Albright who provide advanced expertise and patient-centered care,” said Dr. Jay Crawford, president of Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic. “We welcome him to our team of spine specialists, and we know he can help make a difference for our patients.”
Dr. Albright has clinical expertise in minimally invasive spine surgery, cervical motion preservation, anterior and posterior cervical procedures, lumbar fusion techniques and repairing traumatic spine injuries.
“The spine is the body’s structural foundation, with interconnected parts that protect the spinal cord and nerve roots,” Dr. Albright said. “Because pain can have many causes, identifying its source often requires detective work. The challenge is rewarding when we can provide relief and help patients return to the activities they enjoy.”
Dr. Albright earned a Bachelor of Science in science-business and a Master of Science in global health from the University of Notre Dame. He received his medical degree with a distinction in global and public health from Western Michigan University. During medical school, he served as an international research fellow at the University of California, San Francisco Institute for Global Orthopaedics and Traumatology. He completed his residency at the University of Minnesota and an advanced fellowship at Norton Leatherman Spine in Louisville, Kentucky.
A prolific researcher, Dr. Albright has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and presented his work at conferences worldwide.
Although he grew up in Iowa and moved to East Tennessee from Kentucky, Dr. Albright is at home in Tennessee orange. He became a Vols fan after visiting family in Knoxville during the team’s 1998 national championship season. He even has a Black and Tan Coonhound named Luna who resembles Smokey.
Outside the office, Dr. Albright enjoys spending time with his wife, Clare, and their two young sons, Kieran and Rowan. The family is exploring East Tennessee’s mountains and lakes, and he also enjoys traveling, listening to audiobooks and trying new restaurants. Patients can schedule an appointment now with Dr. Albright. He is seeing patients at KOC’s Powell, Weisgarber and West locations.