Robert F. McLain
Cleveland Clinic, Community Health Systems - Lutheran Hospital
Papers
4
Total Citations
105
H-Index
4
About
Robert F. McLain is a spine surgery researcher whose work sits at the intersection of biomechanics and surgical innovation, with a particular focus on lumbar and thoracic spinal stabilization techniques. His most influential contributions examine how dynamic and hybrid stabilization constructs affect spinal mechanics, most notably through rigorous cadaveric and biomechanical laboratory studies. His 2012 investigation into hybrid dynamic stabilization — evaluating adjacent and supraadjacent spinal levels using human specimens from T-12 to the sacrum — alongside his contemporaneous work on interspinous fixation devices, each garnered 41 citations, reflecting strong uptake within the orthopedic and neurosurgical communities. McLain has also advanced understanding of thoracic fracture biomechanics by challenging conventional models: his 2014 study on simulated T-9 burst fractures was notably distinguished by preserving the intact rib cage, offering more clinically realistic mechanical insights that had previously been overlooked. His cervical spine research further demonstrates a breadth of interest in fixation configurations and their comparative stability. Collectively, McLain's body of work provides surgeons with empirically grounded guidance for instrumentation decisions, making him a valued contributor to evidence-based spinal surgery literature.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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