Awards & Recognition
- Brigham Young University Dean’s List 1990, 1991, 1993 – 1996
- International Student Honor Roll 1990, 1991, 1993 – 1996
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society 1996
- Washington University Research Fellowship 1997
- Washington University School of Medicine Outstanding Academic Performance 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
- Finalist, Health Care Champion Award for Innovation and Research in San Diego 2008
- America’s Top Surgeons: Neurological Surgery 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
- Top Doctors – Castle Connolly 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Top Doctors – San Diego Magazine: Neurological Surgery 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025
Professional Memberships
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery
CME Committee Member
2011 ISASS Program Committee-Clinical Reviewer
2012 ISASS Program Committee-Clinical Reviewer
2014 ISASS Program Committee-Clinical Reviewer
North American Spine Society
San Diego County Medical Society-California
Medical Association
American Association of Neurological Surgeons – Pending
Research Studies & Experience
PREVIOUS CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDIES
1. Principal Investigator, Activ-L™ Artificial Disc Replacement: “Clinical Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of the Aesculap Activ-L Artificial Disc in the Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease” April 2009 – June 2017
2. Principal Investigator, coflex™ Interspinous Stabilization Device: “A multi-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial comparing stabilization with coflex vs. pedicle screw fixation and fusion after decompression for at least moderate lumbar spinal stenosis” August 2008 – May 2015
3. Principal Investigator, “The Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Using A Novel Stand-Alone Interbody Fusion Device – (ROI-A) A prospective, non-randomized multi-centered study” November 2010 – December 2011
4. Fellowship in Spinal Surgery: “A Randomized Trial of the Link Orthopaedics, Inc. SB CHARITE III Intervertebral Dynamic Disc Spacer vs. the Spine-Tech, Inc. BAK Interbody Fusion System for Treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease.” Principal Investigator: John Regan, MD, 2005-2006
5. Fellowship in Spinal Surgery: “A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Investigation of the Cervitech, Inc. Porous Coated Motion Artificial Disc for Stabilization of the Cervical Spine.” Principal Investigator: John Regan, MD, 2005- 2006
6. Fellowship in Spinal Surgery: “A Randomized, Multi-Center Study to Establish the Safety and Effectiveness of the Wallis Mechanical Normalization System vs. Receiving a Course of Conservative Management for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine.” Principal Investigator: John Regan, MD, 2005- 2006
7. Fellowship in Spinal Surgery: “A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of the Kineflex Spinal System Compared to CHARITE for the Treatment of Subjects with Single Level Degenerative Disc Disease with Related Pain at Level L4/L5 or L5/S1.” Principal Investigator: John Regan, MD, 2005-2006
8. Fellowship in Spinal Surgery: “A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Multi-Center Pivotal Clinical Trial of the Artificial Cervical Disc, Prestige-LP, at Two Levels for Symptomatic Cervical Disc Disease.” Principal Investigator: Todd H. Lanman, MD, 2005-2006
PREVIOUS LABORATORY RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
1. Cranial nerve deficits associated with pituitary adenomas over a 40-year institutional experience. With Michael R. Chicoine, MD, Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. 1999 – 2000
2. Effects of experimental gliomas on cortical structure and function in mouse barrel cortex. With Thomas A. Woolsey, MD, and Michael R. Chicoine, MD, Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. 1999 – 2000
3. Electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry of cultured hippocampal neurons infected with GFP-labeled pseudorabies virus. With Arthur D. Loewy, Ph.D., Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. 1997 – 1998
4. Infrared and NMR spectroscopy of novel organic compounds. With Noel L. Owen, Ph.D. and Chairman, Department of Chemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT. 1993 – 1996
Publications
1. Michael J. Musacchio, MD, Carl Lauryssen, MD, Reginald J. Davis, MD, Hyun W. Bae, MD, John H. Peloza, MD, Richard D. Guyer, MD, Jack E. Zigler, MD, Donna D. Ohnmeiss, DrMed, Scott Leary, MD: Evaluation of Decompression and Interlaminar Stabilization Compared with Decompression and Fusion for the Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: 5-year Follow-up of a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial. International Journal of Spine Surgery DOI: 10.14444/3006, 26 January 2016
2. Garcia R, Yue JJ, Blumenthal S, Coric D, Patel VV, Leary SP, Dinh DH, Buttermann GR, Deutsch H, Girardi F, Billys J, and Miller LE. Lumbar Total Disc Replacement for Discogenic Low Back Pain: Two-year Outcomes of the activL Multicenter Randomized Controlled IDE Clinical Trial. Spine. 40(24):1873-81. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000001245, Dec 2015
3. Bae HW, Lauryssen C, Maislin G, Leary S, Musacchio MJ Jr. Therapeutic sustainability and durability of coflex interlaminar stabilization after decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: a four year assessment. International Journal of Spine Surgery; 9:15. DOI: 10.14444/2015.
eCollection 2015. PubMed PMID: 26056630; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4442626, 11 May 2015
4. Scott P. Leary, John J. Regan, Willis H. Wagner, Todd H. Lanman: Revision and Explantation Strategies Involving the CHARIT Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement. Spine 32:1001-1011, 2007
5. Willis H. Wagner, John J. Regan, Scott P. Leary, Todd H. Lanman, J. Patrick Johnson, Rajeev K. Rao, David V. Cossman: Access Strategies for Revision or Explantation of the CHARIT Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement. Journal of Vascular Surgery 44: 1266-1272, 2006
6. Scott P. Leary, Charles Y. Liu, Michael L.J. Apuzzo: Toward the Emergence of Nanoneurosurgery: Part III – Nanomedicine: Targeted Nanotherapy, Nanosurgery and Progress Toward the Realization of Nanoneurosurgery. Neurosurgery 58: 1009-1026, 2006 (Article featured on journal cover)
7. Scott P. Leary, Charles Y. Liu, Michael L.J. Apuzzo: Toward the Emergence of Nanoneurosurgery: Part II – Nanomedicine: Diagnostics and Imaging at the Nanoscale Level. Neurosurgery 58: 805-823, 2006 (Article featured on journal cover)
8. Scott P. Leary, Charles Y. Liu, Cheng Yu, Michael L.J. Apuzzo: Toward the Emergence of Nanoneurosurgery – Part I: Progress in Nanoscience, Nanotechnology, and the Comprehension of Events in the Mesoscale Realm. Neurosurgery 57: 606-634, 2005 (Article featured on journal cover)
9. Michael Wang, Daniel J. Hoh, Scott P. Leary, Pamela Griffith, J. Gordon McComb: High Rates of Neurological Improvement Following Severe Traumatic Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury. Spine 29(13): 1493-1497, 2004
10. K. Sohlberg, S.P. Leary, N.L. Owen, B. Trofimov: The infrared spectrum and conformation of acetone oxime vinyl ether. Vibrational Spectroscopy 1997: 227-234
11. K Sohlberg, B. Baker, S.P. Leary, N.L. Owen: Infrared spectrum of divinyl telluride and theoretical analysis of divinyl group VI compounds. Journal of Molecular Structure 1995: 55-69
Presentations
1. Scott P. Leary: Symposium Moderator, “8th M.O.R.E. International Symposium – Spine Session”. Medacta Orthopaedic Research and Education Institute, Lugano, Switzerland. April 2016
2. Scott P. Leary: Anterior vs Posterior vs Combined Approaches for Cervical Spine Deformity Correction. Presented at the 8th M.O.R.E. International Symposium – Spine Session. Lugano, Switzerland. April 2016
3. Scott P. Leary: The Debate: Motion vs. Fusion. Presented at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting Section Specialty Day Session. Chicago, Illinois. October 2015
4. Scott P. Leary: Therapeutic Sustainability and Durability of coflex® Interlaminar Stabilization After Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Four-Year Assessment. Presented at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting. Chicago, Illinois. October 2015
5. Scott P. Leary: coflex® Case Presentations. Presented at the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery Annual Meeting. San Diego, California. April 2015
6. John Miksa, Gail Tominaga, and Scott P. Leary: “Lasting Impact – Recovery From Paralysis”. Presented at the Trauma Grand Rounds, Scripps Memorial Hospital. La Jolla, California. September 2014
7. Scott P. Leary: coflex® Case Presentations. Presented at the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery Annual Meeting. Miami, Florida. May 2014
8. Scott P. Leary: coflex® Interlaminar Stabilization Presentation and Clinical Trial Review. Presented at the Spine on the Mountain: Global Spinal Balance Meeting. Vail, Colorado. February 2013
9. Scott P. Leary: Occipitocervical Fixation: Techniques, Tricks and Complications. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Chicago, Illinois. June 2011 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
10. Scott P. Leary: Lumbar Case Study-Degenerative Spondylolisthesis. Moderated at the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery 2011 Annual Meeting. Las Vegas, Nevada. April 2011
11. Scott P. Leary: “2010: A Spine Odyssey” Novel Treatment for Spine Disorders. Presented at the Alvarado General Staff Meeting, Alvarado Hospital. San Diego, California. September 2010
12. Scott P. Leary: MACS TL Cadaver Workshop. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Dallas, Texas. September 2010 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
13. Scott P. Leary: Transitioning to Minimally Invasive Lumbar Fusion. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. San Diego, California. July 2010 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
14. Scott P. Leary: “2010: A Spine Odyssey” Novel Treatment for Spine Disorders. Presented at the Surgery Grand Rounds, Scripps Memorial Hospital. La Jolla, California. March 2010
15. Scott P. Leary: Correction of Kyphosis: Osteotomies and Corpectomies. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Henderson, Nevada. April 2009 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
16. Scott P. Leary: Correction of Kyphosis: Osteotomies and Corpectomies. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Science Care January 2009 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
17. Scott P. Leary: Posterior Cervical Instrumentation and the CTJ. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Chicago, Illinois. June 2008 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
18. Yoo K, Coufal F, Leary S: Cervical Disc Arthroplasty in Conjunction with Cervical Fusion. Presented at 1st Triennial World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Techniques. Honolulu, Hawaii. June 2008
19. Scott P. Leary: Management of Spine Trauma. Presented at the Scripps Memorial Hospital Annual Trauma Symposium. La Jolla, California. May 2008
20. Scott P. Leary: Posterior Cervical Instrumentation and the CTJ. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Irvine, California. April 2008 (Surgeon Education and Cadaver Lab Demonstrations)
21. Scott P. Leary: Artificial Disc Replacement Vs. Fusion: The Differences in Post Operative Management. Presented at Grossmont Hospital Rehabilitation Center. San Diego, California. February 2008
22. Scott P. Leary: Posterior Cervical Instrumentation Across the Cervico-Thoracic Junction. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Miami, Florida. October 2007 (Surgeon Education and Lab Demonstrations)
23. Scott P. Leary: Duraplasty with DuraMatrix. Presented at Stryker Mid-Year National Meeting. Dallas, Texas. June 2007
24. Scott P. Leary: Spectrum Anterior Cervical Plating Technique. Presented at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Snowbird, Utah. March 2007 (Surgeon Education and Lab Demonstrations
25. Scott P. Leary: Posterior Cervical Instrumentation. Presented at the Aesculap National Meeting. Scottsdale, Arizona. March 2007
26. Scott P. Leary: Classification and Management of Spine Trauma. Presented at the Department of Trauma Surgery Grand Rounds, Los Angeles County Medical Center. Los Angeles, California. February 2007
27. Scott P. Leary: Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fixation Techniques. Demonstrated at the Aesculap Academy Meeting. Garmisch, Germany. January 2007 (Surgeon Education and Lab Demonstrations)
28. Scott P. Leary: Spine Anatomy and Common Spinal Procedures. Presented at Depuy Spine Educational Meeting. Irvine, California. October 2006
29. Scott P. Leary: Spine Arthroplasty and Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery of the Spine. Presented at Department of Neurosurgery Grand Rounds, Los Angeles County Medical Center. Los Angeles, California. June 2006
30. Scott P. Leary and John J. Regan: Revision and Explantation Strategies Involving the CHARITE Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement. Presented at the Spine Arthroplasty Society Meeting. Montreal, Canada. May 2006
31. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Gordon Murray Lecture: Nanotechnology and the Emancipation of Surgery. Presented at the 32nd Annual Gallie Day, University of Toronto. Toronto, Canada. May 2006
32. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Keynote Lecture I: Nanotechnology: There is Plenty of Room at the Bottom of Neurosurgery. Presented at the Hong Kong Neurosurgical Society Meeting, Queen Mary Hospital. Hong Kong, China. December 2005
33. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Guest Speaker: Neuro-Oncology Symposium: Emergence of Nano-Neurosurgery. Presented at the Red Cross Hospital. Athens, Greece. November 2005
34. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Keynote Address: Principal Honored Guest: Foundations of Nanoneurosurgery. Presented at the Mexican Society of Neurological Surgery Meeting. Merida Yucatan, Mexico. July 2005
35. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Keynote Address: Foundations of Nanoneurosurgery. Presented at the World Federation of Neurological Societies, 13th World Congress of Neurological Surgery. Marrakesh, Morocco. June 2005
36. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Visiting Professor: Brigham and Women’s Hospital Harvard Medical School: Thought, Originality and Veritas in Neurosurgery. Boston, MA. May 2005
37. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: The Future of Neurosurgery. Presented at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. New Orleans, LA. April 2005
38. Scott P. Leary, Mark Krieger, Tien Nguyen, J. Gordon McComb: The Management of Cysts in Pediatric Craniopharyngiomas.Presented at the Joint Section Meeting of American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Salt Lake City, UT. December 2003
39. Scott P. Leary, Mark Krieger, Tien Nguyen, J. Gordon McComb: The Management of Cysts in Pediatric Craniopharyngiomas.Presented at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. Denver, CO. October 2003
40. Tien Nguyen, Scott P. Leary, Mark Krieger: Ventriculopleural Shunt: Evaluation and Outcome. Presented at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. Denver, CO. October 2003
41. John Wanebo, Michael R. Chicoine, Scott P. Leary, L. O’Halloran, William M. Coxe, Ralph G. Dacey: Pituitary Adenomas, Apoplexy and Cavernous Sinus Syndromes. Presented at the Southern Neurosurgical Society Meeting. Jacksonville, FL. June 2000
42. John Wanebo, Michael R. Chicoine, Scott P. Leary, L. O’Halloran, William M. Coxe: Apoplexy and Cranial Neuropathies associated with Pituitary Adenomas. Presented at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. San Francisco, CA. April 2000
43. Scott P. Leary, John Wanebo: Apoplexy and Cranial Neuropathies Associated with Pituitary Adenomas. Presented at Barrow Neurological Institute. October 1999
44. Scott P. Leary, Arthur D. Loewy: Electrophysiology and Immunohistochemistry of Cultured Hippocampal Neurons Infected with GFP-labeled Pseudorabies Virus. Presented at Washington University Medical Student Research Conference. St. Louis, MO. August 1997
45. Scott P. Leary, K. Sohlberg, N.L. Owen, B. Trofimov: The infrared spectrum and conformation of acetone oxime vinyl ether. Presented at Brigham Young University Spring Research Conference. Provo, UT. March 1996
46. Scott P. Leary K Sohlberg, B. Baker, N.L. Owen: Infrared spectrum of divinyl telluride and theoretical analysis of divinyl group VI compounds. Presented at Regional American Chemical Society Symposium. Park City, UT. June 1995
Abstracts
1. Scott P. Leary: Long Term Durability of Interlaminar Stabilization: 5-year results of a Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter Clinical Trial. Presented at the Lumbar Spine Research Society Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. April 2016
2. Michael J. Musacchio, MD, Carl Lauryssen, MD, Reginald J. Davis, MD, Hyun W. Bae, MD, John H. Peloza, MD, Richard D. Guyer, MD,
Jack E. Zigler, MD, Donna D. Ohnmeiss, DrMed, Scott P. Leary: Evaluation of Decompression and Interlaminar Stabilization Compared with Decompression and Fusion for the Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: 5-year Follow-up of a Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial. Presented at the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Global Forum. Las Vegas, NV. November 2015
3. Scott P. Leary: Correlation of the Ratio of “Translation Per Degree of Rotation” with Clinical Outcomes for Decompression with Interlaminar Stabilization vs. Posterolateral Fusion at Four Years Post-op. Presented at the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA. April 2015
4. Joshua D. Auerbach, Scott P. Leary, Frank Kuwamura, Justin Field: Two-Level Coflex Interlaminar Stabilization Compared To Two-Level Lumbar Spinal Fusion For The Treatment Of Spinal Stenosis With Low-Grade Spondylolisthesis. AANS/CNS Section On Disorders Of The Spine And Peripheral Nerves Annual Meeting. Phoenix, AZ. March 2013
5. Scott P. Leary and John J. Regan: Revision and Explantation Strategies Involving the CHARITE Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement. Spine Arthroplasty Society Meeting. Montreal, Canada. May 2006
6. John J. Regan, Scott P. Leary, Willis H. Wagner, Todd H. Lanman: Return to Work and Medication Use Following Lumbar Arthroplasty as Part of a Clinical Controlled Trial. Spine Arthroplasty Society Meeting. Montreal, Canada. May 2006
7. Michael L.J. Apuzzo and Scott P. Leary: Foundations of Nanoneurosurgery. World Federation of Neurological Societies, 13th World Congress of Neurological Surgery. Marrakesh, Morocco. June 2005
8. Scott P. Leary, Mark Krieger, Tien Nguyen, J. Gordon McComb: The Management of Cysts in Pediatric Craniopharyngiomas. Joint Section Meeting of American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Salt Lake City, UT. December 2003
9. Scott P. Leary, Mark Krieger, Tien Nguyen, J. Gordon McComb: The Management of Cysts in Pediatric Craniopharyngiomas. Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. Denver, CO. October 2003
10. Tien Nguyen, Scott P. Leary, Mark Krieger: Ventriculopleural Shunt: Evaluation and Outcome. Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. Denver, CO. October 2003
11. John Wanebo, Michael R. Chicoine, Scott P. Leary, L. O’Halloran, William M. Coxe: Apoplexy and Cranial Neuropathies associated with Pituitary Adenomas. American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. San Francisco, CA. April 2000
12. John Wanebo, J. Erinjeri, Scott P. Leary, Eric W. Sherburn, S. Song, Michael R. Chicoine, Thomas A. Woolsey: Gliomas in rodent whisker barrel cortex: radiological, functional and histological results from a new brain tumor model. Twelfth Annual Barrels Meeting. Miami, FL. October 1999
Dr. Leary was designated as a Fellow of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in recognition of his professional standing and commitment to excellence in the specialty of neurosurgery.
San Diego’s Physician of Exceptional Excellence
Dr. Leary has been peer nominated and awarded by San Diego County Medical Society SDCMS multiple times.
San Diego Magazine, Top Neurosurgeon // 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Dr. Leary is honored to be featured as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in the Official PGA Tour Guide
LOCATION
SCOTT P. LEARY, MD, FCNS
7625 Mesa College Drive, Suite 305A
San Diego, CA 92111
HOURS
Monday – Friday: 7:30am – 4:00pm