Find a Top Orthopedic Surgeon Near Me in Mission Viejo, CA – Book an Appointment Instantly

Kushagra Verma, MD, MS, FAAOS, is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at Advanced Spine Care in Los Alamitos and Marina Del Rey, California. He is fellowship-trained in complex spine surgery and has many years of experience. He offers surgery when it’s the best option to ensure the highest quality of life for his patients.

Dr. Verma earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Cornell University School of Engineering in Ithaca, New York, and a master’s degree in molecular biology from the NYU Graduate School of Arts & Sciences in New York City. He completed medical school at NYU School of Medicine in New York City.

Dr. Verma also completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University’s Rothman Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and an adult and pediatric spine fellowship (with a focus on spinal deformities) at the University of California at San Francisco. 

Dr. Verma has been recognized many times for his expertise. He was selected by The Leading Physicians as a Top Orthopedic Surgeon of the Spine. He also received the Top Doctor Award in Los Alamitos and numerous other professional recognitions for his excellence. 

Dr. Verma is an experienced college educator with experience at the University of Washington in Seattle, Long Beach Memorial in Long Beach, California, and the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. 

He specializes in treating spinal anomalies, including spinal stenosis, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, disc herniation, and flatback syndrome. Dr. Verma is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS). He has contributed to nearly 50 peer-reviewed publications. 

Dr. Verma spends as much time as patients need to ensure they feel heard with all of their questions addressed. He fully explains their diagnoses, thoroughly reviews all imaging results, and discusses detailed treatment options — always giving patients a voice in their treatments. He uses the latest technological advances and procedures to ensure long-lasting outcomes.

Dr. Verma welcomes new and existing patients to Advanced Spine Care and looks forward to optimizing their spinal health and overall quality of life.

Dr. Kristofer J. Jones is a board certified, fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in sports-related musculoskeletal injuries of the knee, shoulder and elbow. As a former intercollegiate athlete, Dr. Jones understands the unique demands and concerns faced by athletes at all levels of participation (from professional to recreational) and his goal is to return patients back to their regular activities using evidence-based medicine to guide his treatment plan. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, where he was a four-year letter winner and All-Conference tailback for the varsity football team. He was awarded the Howell-Murray Alumni Medal upon graduation. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania where he received the Jonathan Rhoads Prize for Surgical Scholarship. Dr. Jones completed his orthopaedic residency training at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, frequently recognized as the #1 Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery by US News & World Report. He subsequently completed a traveling fellowship and acquired further expertise in shoulder and cartilage surgery at specialized centers across Europe, including Lyon & Paris France. Dr. Jones returned to HSS to complete another fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery. During this time, he served as assistant team physician for the Brooklyn Nets (NBA), New York Red Bulls (MLS), and Iona College Athletics as well as an orthopaedic consultant to the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and US Open Tennis Tournament. He is currently the Head Team Physician and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery for the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) and a Team Physician for the UCLA Bruins athletic teams.

Dr. Jones is accomplished in both clinical and laboratory research and has authored more than 100 scientific manuscripts and textbook chapters that have received national recognition and awards within the field of sports medicine. He is frequently invited to teach and lecture on these topics both nationally and internationally. Dr. Jones is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), a diplomat of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has been recognized as an "Emerging Leader" within the field of orthopaedic surgery/sports medicine by the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). He also holds memberships and committee positions in several professional organizations including the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), S.T.O.P (Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention) Sports Injuries Outreach Committee, the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA), the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS), Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), the NBA Team Physicians Society, and the NFL Musculoskeletal Injury Committee. He serves on the Board of Trustees for the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (Am). 

Dr. Jones currently provides care at the UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Westwood on the main hospital campus, as well as the UCLA Orthopaedic Center in Downtown Los Angeles. 

Brandon A. Ortega, MD, is a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon who provides comprehensive and personalized spinal care to adults in Torrance and Long Beach, California. His dedication to helping each patient regain mobility, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life has earned the respect of everyone in the community struggling with neck and back pain.

Dr. Ortega received his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. He stayed at USC to complete his orthopedic surgery residency, where he served as chief resident.

He pursued specialized training in spine surgery, completing a fellowship at the prestigious University of California, Davis. During his fellowship training, he learned traditional, minimally invasive, and image-guided techniques for treating complex adult and pediatric spinal deformities.

Dr. Ortega specializes in diagnosing and treating all cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), and lumbar (lower back) conditions. His areas of interest include motion-preserving and minimally invasive surgery and using advanced technologies like navigation, robotics, and endoscopy to improve patient safety and outcomes.

He has published many peer-reviewed articles and textbook chapters and presented his research at national and international medical conferences. 

Taking a compassionate and patient-centered approach, Dr. Ortega believes in treating each patient as a person and tailoring treatment to meet their specific needs and goals. 

He creates treatment plans that integrate nonoperative interventions, including lifestyle and activity changes, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and pain management. His whole-person approach addresses each patient’s spine condition, optimizing conservative treatments and helping them avoid surgery whenever possible.

Dr. Ortega welcomes new patients and looks forward to providing ongoing care to his current patients, working with them to restore an active, healthy life.

Dr. Rama E. Chandran, MD, is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with more than four decades of distinguished clinical experience in orthopaedic surgery and fracture care. A founding pillar of Chandran Orthopaedic Surgery, Dr. Chandran has dedicated his career to delivering exceptional musculoskeletal care to patients across the South Bay and greater Los Angeles communities.

Dr. Chandran received his medical degree (M.B.B.S. and M.D.) from the University of Madras in India, one of the subcontinent's most respected medical institutions. He then pursued advanced training in the United States, completing his internship and general surgery residency at New York Medical College, followed by his orthopaedic surgery residency at the prestigious Columbia University in New York. He earned board certification from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1980.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Chandran has been recognized as a physician-leader of the highest order. He served as President of the Medical Staff at Centinela Hospital Medical Center and as Chairman of Orthopaedics at both Centinela Hospital Medical Center and Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center. He also served on the Board of Directors of both institutions, reflecting the profound trust and respect he earned among his peers. Notably, Dr. Chandran served as President of the Society of Orthopedic Surgeons of India in North America (SOSINA), a testament to his standing within the broader orthopaedic community.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Chandran served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Charles R. Drew Medical School from 1983 to 2001, where he mentored and trained the next generation of surgeons. His commitment to advancing the field extends to research and innovation — he holds a United States Patent (No. 6,579,293) for an Intramedullary Rod with Interlocking Oblique Screw for Tibio-calcaneal Arthrodesis, a testament to his inventive contributions to orthopaedic surgical technology. He is also a published author, with work appearing in the Orthopedic Clinics of North America.

Dr. Chandran is affiliated with Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance and previously with Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood. He is a proud member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the California Orthopaedic Association.

With a career spanning over 45 years, Dr. Rama Chandran brings unparalleled experience, innovation, and compassion to every patient he serves — embodying a lifelong commitment to excellence in orthopaedic surgery.

Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
Specializing in Foot and Ankle Disorders & Hip and Knee Replacements

Medical Degree

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Sarah Graham Kenan Scholarship
John B. Graham Research Society

Internship

Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

Orthopedic Residency

Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

Orthopedic Fellowship

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina

Research Presentations

• Clinical and radiographic results of 227 consecutive primary total hip arthroplasties using a femoral component with proximal and distal precoating and built-on centralizers. Found significant association between initial cement mantle radiographic grade and mechanical loosening. Presentation at the 1999 North Carolina Orthopaedic Association Conference and at the 2000 John B. Graham Student Research Day.
• Effect of barium sulfate particle size on production of IL-1, IL-6. and TNF-alpha. Found no difference in cytokine production between micro- and nano-sized particles exposed to mouse macrophages. 2003. Presentation at 2003 MCV Resident's Day.
• Short term outcomes after tibial shaft fractures: a retrospective study at MCV hospital. Found that institutional data correlates with similar outcome studies in the trauma literature which included a low complication rate and a functional deficiencies in a majority of patients. 2005. Presentation at 2005 MCV Resident's Day.
• Open reduction and internal fixation of the symptomatic type II accessory navicular. Found no significant difference between excision and ORIF of symptomatic accessory navicular bones. 2006. Video poster presentation at 2006 Summer AOFAS meeting. Presentation at 2006 North Carolina Orthopaedic Society Meeting. Poster presentation at 2007 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Publications

• Scott A, Sabesan V, Saluta JR, Easley ME. Open reduction and internal fixation of the symptomatic type II accessory navicular. Foot Ankle Int. in press 2008.
• Saluta JR, Nunley JA. Chapter: Percutaneous open reduction and internal fixation of fifth metatarsal base fractures. MIS Techniques in Orthopaedics. Springer. 2009. In press.
• Saluta JR, Nunley JA. Ankle injuries in athletes. The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine. 23:195-201; 2006.
• Saluta JR, Nunley JA. Foot and ankle rehabilitation success hinges on screening accuracy: Biomechanics. June, 2006.

Lectures

• Grand Rounds: Five foot and ankle problems every doctor should know. Good Samaritan Hospital 4/05/2007. California Hospital Medical Center 4/08. St. Vincent Medical Center 5/08.
• Grand Rounds: My Experience with Hip, Knee, and Ankle Arthritis. Good Samaritan Hospital. 1/16/2008.
• Foot and Ankle Injuries in Running. Speaker at McDonalds Expo. Los Angeles Marathon. 2/29/08 and 3/01/08.
• Advancements In Orthopaedics: Hip, Knee, and Ankle Technologies. Speaker. Stryker International. 3/19/08

Media

• Care of the Foot and Ankle. Radio Manila. Consultant, Orthopaedic Surgeon. Health segment of one hour international radio talk show. Dec 2006.
• Governor Schwarzenegger recovering from surgery. KABC-TV Los Angeles evening news. Consultant, Orthopaedic Surgeon. Dec 2006.
• What Happens Next: When a Bone Breaks. Banner Caswell Productions. Television documentary. Consultant, Orthopaedic Surgeon. Veria channel, Dish network. Dec 2007.

Professional Affiliations

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
• Piedmont Orthopaedic Society
• California Orthopaedic Association

Community

• 2008-2010 Official Medical Team Los Angeles Marathon
• 2008-2010 National Youth Leadership Forum Volunteer Speaker
• January 2010 Medical Mission at California Medical Center in San Fernando, La Union, Philippines
• 2006 Member of Orthopaedic Trauma Team at California Hospital, Level 2 Trauma Center

About Us

Carlos Uquillas, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in adult and pediatric sports medicine as well as arthroscopy. He serves patients across Southern California and Los Angeles at his office in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Uquillas received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he had a scholarly concentration in clinical research and received a Leland Stanford Junior University Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award. Dr. Uquillas completed his residency at the prestigious Hospital for Joint Diseases at New York University Langone Medical Center, where he received the Eleanor Kauffman Award for Research in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery. He continued his training with a fellowship in sports medicine at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic and a pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital – Los Angeles.

Areas of special interest to Dr. Uquillas include sports medicine, joint preservation, and fracture care. To better serve his patients, Dr. Uquillas is fluent in English and Spanish.

Dr. Uquillas is Assistant Professor at the Cedars Sinai and is a team physician for the Los Angeles Angels. Dr. Uquillas is also the head team physician for the Los Angeles Black Storm. He has been an orthopaedic consultant to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Kings.  Dr. Uquillas was previously the director of Sports Medicine at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Pasadena, CA. 

He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine and the Arthroscopy Associations of North America. He is Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine. 

Dr. Uquillas is active in research and education. He is part of the Kerlan-Jobe Fellowship academic staff as well as the Cedars Sinai Orthopedic residency program core faculty.