Speciality Neck and Low Back Disc Herniations
Degrees D.O. in Medicine
Areas of Expertise
  • Disc Arthroplasty
  • Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
  • Pediatric and Adult Scoliosis
Board Certification American Board of Osteopathic Surgery
Languages English, Spanish

Dennis Cramer, D.O. is a Board Certified Neurological Surgeon who specializes in both adult and pediatric deformity. He remains active in medical research and publications, with a special interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques.

— HSC

Dr. Cramer has been working at Haider Spine Center for over the last 10 years. He feels very fortunate that he has been able to work in the county of Riverside, the place where he grew up and went to school.

After obtaining his bachelor’s degree from U.C.L.A., he continued with medical school in Pomona at Western University of Health Sciences and then went on to complete a neurological surgery residency at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in San Bernardino. He continued his training at the University of Cincinnati-Mayfield Clinic and Spine Institute where he completed an Orthopedic and Neurosurgery Spine Fellowship, learning the most advanced skills, techniques, and cutting edge technology to fully treat spine problems that are seen in adults and children.

Dr. Cramer holds various leadership positions in the hospitals having served recently as the Vice-Chairman of Neurological Surgery and part of the Treatment and Surveillance committee. Currently he is co-medical director of the Spine Department at the local university affiliated hospital and working with doctors, nurses, staff and administrators to develop a Spine Center of Excellence.

He also serves as medical director of Children’s Spine Foundation, which allows him to help underprivileged children who suffer from severe cases of scoliosis. Through this non-profit foundation, Dr. Cramer has brought together numerous neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons from all around the United States to Guadalajara, Mexico to perform scoliosis surgeries free of charge. After their initial 2013 surgery experience, Dr. Cramer has been able to make this an annual mission trip having performed over 30 major spine surgeries on mostly children.

Dr. Cramer enjoys teaching and often has medical students and residents routinely train with him. He serves as Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of California Medical School, Riverside and also as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Western University of Health Sciences.

In addition to his clinical experience, Dr. Cramer’s fellowship research project was selected for the international American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Mayfield Clinic Science Award in 2008, presented in Orlando, FL. He became the first osteopathic surgeon to receive this award.

Because of his academic background and surgical experience where his opinion is greatly valued, he has been involved in many surgical and biological implant discussions and testing with major healthcare companies. Dr. Cramer is a leader in state of the art technology and delivers only gold standard treatments. .

Curriculum Vitae

Complex Spine Orthopedic & Neurosurgery Fellowship

University of Cincinnati
Mayfield Clinic & Spine Institute, Department of Neurosurgery
Cincinnati, OH

Neurological Surgery Residency

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Colton, CA

Medical Internship

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Colton, CA

Doctorate Osteopathic Medicine

Western University of Health Sciences
Pomona, CA

Bachelor of Arts Degree

University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

Corona Regional Medical Center

Department of Surgery

Riverside Community Hospital

Department of Neurosurgery, Vice Chairman

Parkview Community Hospital

Department of Surgery

Riverside University Health Sciences

Department of Neurosurgery

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

Department of Neurosurgery

Medical Director

Children’s Spine Foundation

Alternate Delegate

Riverside County Medical Association

Co-Director

Corona Regional Medical Center Spine Program

Examiner

American Osteopathic Board of Neurosurgery

Member

American Osteopathic Association

Past Professional & Volunteer Affiliations

Chairman of Residency Advisory Committee

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center

Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery

UCR School of Medicine

Riverside, California

Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery

Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona, California

  • Artificial Disc Replacement Certified
  • Sacral-Iliac (SI) joint fusion Certified
  • Board Certified Neurological Surgery by the American Board of Osteopathic Surgery
  • Qualified Medical Examiner for the state of California
  • California state medical license
  • California Fluoroscopy X-ray Supervisor & Operator permit
  • Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical & Lumbar spine
  • Disc Herniations
  • Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
  • Disc Arthroplasty
  • Compression Fractures
  • Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty
  • Scoliosis
  • Traumatic Brain & Spinal Cord Injury

Private Practice

Honors

Cramer D
Effect of Pedal Pump and Thoracic Pump Techniques on Intracranial Pressure in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injuries
J Am Osteopath Assoc
Apr
2010
110: 232 - 238
Cramer DE, Maher PC, Pettigrew DB, Kuntz C
Major Neurologic Deficit Immediately After Adult Spinal Surgery: Incidence and Etiology Over 10 Years at a Single Training Institution
Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques
December
2009
22(8):565-570
Cramer D, Muilli D, Siddiqi J
Neurosurgical Intensive Care
Cerebral Protection Measures
Siddiqi J
Thieme Publishers
New York
June
2008
Cramer D, Muilli D, Siddiqi J
Neurosurgical Intensive Care
Neurophysiology in the NeuroICU: Options/Indications/Interpretation
Siddiqi J
Thieme Publishers
New York
June
2008
DePowell JJ, Cramer D, Jaramillo J, Kuntz C
Vertebral Osteomyelitis: a review
International Proceedings of the 13th European Congress of Neurosurgery
Bologna, Medimond S.r.l.
2007
169-184
Cramer D
The Effects of Osteopathic Manipulation on Intracranial Pressure in Patients with Severe Closed Head Injuries
2007
Research manuscript, publication pending
Cramer D, Panchal R, Miller B, Miulli D, Siddiqi J
Treatment of Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage with Intraventricular Extension using Tissue Plasminogen Activator
AANS
April
2007
electronic poster
Cramer DE, Maher PC, Pettigrew DB, Kuntz C
Major Neurological Deficits Immediately Following Adult Spinal Surgery: Incidence and Etiology Over 10 Years at One Institution
Lecture presented at the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves
March 1
2008
Cramer D
Treatment of Brain Infections
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
guest lecturer
September
2006
Cramer D, Hutton D, Do N, Qandah N, Siddiqi J
Association between INR Value and Intracerebral Hemorrhage Complicated from External Ventricular Catheter Placement
CNS
oral presentation
October
2006
Do N, Cramer D, Hutton D, Qandah N, Siddiqi J
Cauda Equina Syndrome: Correlation between timing of surgical decompression and neurological outcome
CNS
electronic poster presentation
October
2007
Cramer D
Iatrogenic Hemorrhage with External Ventriculostomy and Relation to INR
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
guest lecturer
September
2006
Qandah N, Cramer D, Miulli D
The Use of Intraoperative MRI Co-Registration Navigation System for Evaluating Precise Resection Borders for Gliomas & Prognosis
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists (ACAOS) Conference
poster presentation
October
2005
Hutton D, Cramer D, Do N, Qandah N, Siddiqi J
Clinical Impact of Axial Load- Bearing Radiographs on Thoracolumbar Fractures
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists (ACAOS) Conference
poster presentation
October
2005
Do N, Cramer D, Hutton D, Qandah N, Siddiqi J
Cauda Equina Syndrome: Correlation of Time to Surgery and Outcome
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
poster presentation
October
2005
Cramer D, Qandah N, Do N, Hutton D, Miulli D
Grading Scale for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A Guide to Treatment
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
poster presentation
October
2005
Cramer D, Miller B, Siddiqi J, Miulli D
The Current State of Aneurysm Treatment: Meta-analysis of Endovascular Coiling
American Society of Neuroradiology
scientific poster presentation
May
2005
Cramer D, Spitalieri J, Houck E, Miulli D, Siddiqi J
Prognostic Factors for Patients Undergoing Decompressive Hemicraniectomy for Massive Cerebral Infarction
AANS
scientific poster presentation
2005
Cramer D, Siddiqi J, Miulli D, Cantando J
Mucopyocele Involving the Frontal Sinus and Lateral Orbit & Progressive Proptosis
North American Skull Base Society
accepted abstract presentation
April
2005
Cramer D
Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Evaluation and Treatment
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
guest lecturer
October
2004
Spitalieri J, Cramer D
Initial Serum Glucose of Traumatic Brain Injured Patients and Outcome as it relates to Patient Age
AANS
scientific poster presentation
2005
Cramer D, Siddiqi J
Relationship among Admission Blood Sugar, INR Value and Neurologic Outcome of Severely Brain Injured Patients
CNS
scientific poster presentation
October
2004
Cramer D, Spitalieri J, Siddiqi J
Early Prediction of Outcome Following Head Injury: An Assessment of GCS Score and INR Value
CNS
scientific poster presentation
October
2003
Cramer D, Spitalieri J, Siddiqi J
Demographics and Outcome of Closed Head Injured Patients
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
poster presentation
2003
Cramer D, Siddiqi J, Spitalieri J
Patient Presentation and Outcome of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and/or Corpectomy with Fusion
AANS
scientific poster presentation
2003
Cramer D, Spitalieri J, Siddiqi J
Complication Management in Anterior Cervical Surgery
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
poster presentation
2001
Cramer D, Cantando J, Siddiqi J
A Three Year Review of 105 Patients with Cervical Spine Fusion and Instrumentation
Annual Clinical Assembly of Osteopathic Specialists Conference
poster presentation
2001