Jeffrey M. Hills, MD

Assistant Professor/Clinical

Spine Surgery

Dr. Jeffrey Hills, MD, MSCI is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and a fellowship-trained spine surgeon specializing in adult spinal deformity and complex revision spine surgery. He completed medical school at the University of Kansas, orthopedic surgical residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and a spine fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. His clinical practice focuses on the management of complex spinal deformity, revision spine surgery, and reconstructive cases, with an emphasis on patient education and individualized treatment planning.

Dr. Hills’ academic work centers on sagittal alignment, spinal biomechanics, and outcome-driven surgical planning. He is an active member of several national and international spine study groups and has published extensively in leading journals, including The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Spine, and European Spine Journal. He is the lead author of the T4–L1–Hip Axis, a novel framework for defining and achieving patient-specific sagittal alignment targets in adult spinal deformity surgery. His broader goal is to integrate biomechanics, predictive analytics, and clinical outcomes to improve surgical decision-making and reduce complications in complex spine care.

Professional Background

Education

2011 - BS - Biochemistry - University of Kansas
2015 - MD - Medicine - University of Kansas School of Medicine
2024 - MSCI-TS - Clinical Investigation & Translational Science - UT Health San Antonio

Training

2015 - Residency - Orthopaedic Surgery - Vanderbilt University
2021 - Fellowship - Spine Surgery - Washington University School of Medicine

Highlights

2025	Future Leaders Travel Grant, 20th Annual Meeting: State of Spine Surgery Think Tank Grant
2025	Early-Career Spine Surgeon Grant to attend The Masters in Spine Surgery Seminars: Advanced Spinal Deformity, Vail CO
2024	Academy of Educational Scholars Star Educator, UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine
2023	Best Paper Award, 9^th Annual International Spinal Deformity Symposium.
2023	Young Surgeon Travel Grant, 18^th Annual Meeting: State of Surgery Think Tank

Appointments

2021 - Present - Assistant Professor/Clinical - UT Health San Antonio, Department of Orthopaedics, Department of Neurosurgery

Clinical
Publications
Selection from the last 5 years:
1. Hills J, Molina C, Lenke LG, Sardar ZM, Le Huec JC, Hasegawa K, Wong HK, Dennis Hey HW, Diebo BG, Pallotta NA, Kelly MP. The T4-L1-Hip Axis Objectifies the Roussouly Classification Using Continuous Measures. J Bone Joint Surg Am. Jun 25 2025;doi:10.2106/JBJS.24.01489
2. Joseph K, Bui TT, Yahanda AT, Gupta VP, Vogl S, Yakdan S, Galla JT, Ruiz-Cardozo MA, Barot K, Chakladar S, Poulin ND, Challagundla A, Ng J, Krishnan A, Brehm SN, Benedict B, Clohisy JC, Jr., Pallotta N, Gupta MC, Neuman BJ, Hills J, Kelly MP, Hafez D, Greenberg JK, Ray WZ, Molina CA. Mechanical Failures as Predicted by Achieving Local vs Global T4-L1 Hip Axis Goals: A Single Center Experience. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). Jul 11 2025;doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000005450
3. Kelly MP, Lovecchio FC, Klineberg EO, Smith JS, Line B, Gum JL, Protopsaltis TS, Hamilton DK, Soroceanu A, Eastlack R, Nunley P, Kebaish KM, Lenke LG, Hostin RA, Jr., Gupta MC, Kim HJ, Mundis GM, Ames CP, Hills J, Shaffrey CI, Passias PG, Schwab FJ, Lafage V, Lafage R, Bess S, International Spine Study G. Conflating Disability, Frailty, and Multimorbidity in Adult Spinal Deformity Patients: Seeking a Continuous Measure of Vulnerability. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). Sep 16 2025;doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000005508
4. Pizones J, Hills J, Kelly MP, Alavi F, Nunez-Pereira S, Smith JS, Sardar ZM, Lenke LG, Lewis SJ, Pellise F, Deformity AOSKF. Alignment Goals in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery. Global Spine J. Jul 2025;15(3_suppl):108S-122S. doi:10.1177/21925682251331048
5. Joseph K, Bui T, Yahanda AT, Yakdan S, Vogl S, Ruiz Cardozo M, Galla JT, Leatherman Z, Poulin ND, Chakladar S, Brehm S, Benedict B, Gupta M, Pallotta N, Hills J, Kelly MP, Greenberg JK, Neuman BJ, Ray WZ, Molina CA. Validation and clinical application of the DeltaC2 pelvic angle - DeltaC2 tilt = Deltapelvic tilt equation for predicting pelvic tilt in spinal deformity surgery. Neurosurg Focus. Jun 1 2025;58(6):E6. doi:10.3171/2025.3.FOCUS2554
6. Cho C, Hills J, Anderson P, Annaswamy T, Cassidy RC, Craig C, DeMicco R, Easa J, Kreiner S, Mazanec D, O'Toole J, Rappard G, Ravinsky R, Schoenfeld A, Shin J, Whitcomb G, Reitman C. Appropriate Use Criteria for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures. Spine J. Mar 4 2025;doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2025.02.007
7. Cho CH, Hills JM, Anderson PA, Annaswamy TM, Cassidy RC, Craig CM, DeMicco RC, Easa JE, Kreiner DS, Mazanec DJ, O'Toole JE, Rappard G, Ravinsky RA, Schoenfeld AJ, Shin JH, Whitcomb GL, Reitman CA. Appropriate Use Criteria for Neoplastic Compression Fractures. Spine J. Jan 13 2025;doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2024.12.028
8. Hills J, Mundis GM, Klineberg EO, Smith JS, Line B, Gum JL, Protopsaltis TS, Hamilton DK, Soroceanu A, Eastlack R, Nunley P, Kebaish KM, Lenke LG, Hostin RA, Jr., Gupta MC, Kim HJ, Ames CP, Burton DC, Shaffrey CI, Schwab FJ, Lafage V, Lafage R, Bess S, Kelly MP, International Spine Study G. The T4-L1-Hip Axis: Sagittal Spinal Realignment Targets in Long-Construct Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: Early Impact. J Bone Joint Surg Am. Sep 18 2024;doi:10.2106/JBJS.23.00372
9. Pizones J, Hills J, Kelly M, Yilgor C, Moreno-Manzanaro L, Perez-Grueso FJS, Kleinstuck F, Obeid I, Alanay A, Pellise F, Group EESS. Which sagittal plane assessment method is most predictive of complications after adult spinal deformity surgery? Spine Deform. Apr 12 2024;doi:10.1007/s43390-024-00864-5
10. Prabhakar G, Kelly MP, Koslosky E, Eck A, Emukah C, Chaput C, Hills J. A Geometrical Explanation for Change in Pelvic Tilt (or Lack of Change) Following Long Spinal Fusions. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). Feb 19 2024;doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000004970
11. Moo Young JP, Savakus JC, Obey MR, Morris CA, Pereira DE, Hills JM, McKane A, Babcock SN, Miller AN, Mitchell PM, Stephens BF. Lumbopelvic fixation in the treatment of spinopelvic dissociation: union, complications, and neurologic outcomes of a multicenter case series. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol. Apr 11 2024;doi:10.1007/s00590-024-03928-4
12. Chanbour H, Roth SG, LaBarge ME, Steinle AM, Hills J, Abtahi AM, Stephens BF, Zuckerman SL. The postoperative course of mechanical complications in adult spinal deformity surgery. Spine Deform. Jan 2023;11(1):175-185. doi:10.1007/s43390-022-00576-8
13. Chanbour H, Waddell WH, Vickery J, LaBarge ME, Croft AJ, Longo M, Roth SG, Hills JM, Abtahi AM, Zuckerman SL, Stephens BF. L1-pelvic angle: a convenient measurement to attain optimal deformity correction. Eur Spine J. Sep 22 2023;doi:10.1007/s00586-023-07920-0
14. Hills J, Kelly MP. Defining Clinically Relevant Proximal Junctional Kyphosis. Int J Spine Surg. Oct 2023;17(S2):S4-S8. doi:10.14444/8516
15. Lazaro B, Sardi JP, Smith JS, Kelly MP, Yanik EL, Dial B, Hills J, Gupta MC, Baldus CR, Yen CP, Lafage V, Ames CP, Bess S, Schwab F, Shaffrey CI, Bridwell KH. Proximal junctional failure in primary thoracolumbar fusion/fixation to the sacrum/pelvis for adult symptomatic lumbar scoliosis: long-term follow-up of a prospective multicenter cohort of 160 patients. J Neurosurg Spine. Mar 1 2023;38(3):319-330. doi:10.3171/2022.9.SPINE22549
16. Moo Young JP, Savakus JC, Obey MR, Pereira DE, Hills JM, McKane A, Babcock SN, Miller AN, Stephens BF, Mitchell PM. Percutaneous Posterior Pelvic Fixation of Spinopelvic Dissociation: A Multicenter Series of Displaced Patterns. J Orthop Trauma. Aug 1 2023;37(8):371-376. doi:10.1097/BOT.0000000000002608
17. Morris CA, Moo Young JP, Savakus JC, Obey MR, Pereira DE, Hills JM, McKane A, Babcock SN, Miller AN, Stephens BF, Mitchell PM. Neurologic injury after spinopelvic dissociation: Incidence, outcome, and predictors. Injury. Feb 2023;54(2):615-619. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2022.10.008
18. Sardi JP, Lazaro B, Smith JS, Kelly MP, Dial B, Hills J, Yanik EL, Gupta M, Baldus CR, Yen CP, Lafage V, Ames CP, Bess S, Schwab F, Shaffrey CI, Bridwell KH. Rod fractures in thoracolumbar fusions to the sacrum/pelvis for adult symptomatic lumbar scoliosis: long-term follow-up of a prospective, multicenter cohort of 160 patients. J Neurosurg Spine. Feb 1 2023;38(2):217-229. doi:10.3171/2022.8.SPINE22423
19. Dial BL, Hills JM, Smith JS, Sardi JP, Lazaro B, Shaffrey CI, Bess S, Schwab FJ, Lafage V, Lafage R, Kelly MP, Bridwell KH. The impact of lumbar alignment targets on mechanical complications after adult lumbar scoliosis surgery. Eur Spine J. Jun 2022;31(6):1573-1582. doi:10.1007/s00586-022-07200-3
20. Hills J, Lenke LG, Sardar ZM, Le Huec JC, Bourret S, Hasegawa K, Wong HK, Hey HWD, Liu G, Riahi H, Chelli-Bouaziz M, Kelly MP. The T4-L1-Hip Axis: Defining a Normal Sagittal Spinal Alignment. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). Oct 1 2022;47(19):1399-1406. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000004414
21. Hills JM, Weisenthal BM, Wanner JP, Gupta R, Steinle A, Pennings JS, Stephens BF. A Patient-specific Approach to Alignment and Proximal Junctional Kyphosis Risk Assessment in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: Development and Validation of a Predictive Tool. Clin Spine Surg. Jul 1 2022;35(6):256-263. doi:10.1097/BSD.0000000000001296
22. Reitman CA, Hills JM, Standaert CJ, Bono CM, Mick CA, Furey CG, Kauffman CP, Resnick DK, Wong DA, Prather H, Harrop JS, Baisden J, Wang JC, Spivak JM, Schofferman J, Riew KD, Lorenz MA, Heggeness MH, Anderson PA, Rao RD, Baker RM, Emery SE, Watters WC, 3rd, Sullivan WJ, Mitchell W, Tontz W, Jr., Ghogawala Z. Cervical fusion for treatment of degenerative conditions: development of appropriate use criteria. Spine J. Sep 2021;21(9):1460-1472. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2021.05.023