Christopher DijanicMD

Meet Your Expert Orthopedic Spine Surgeon

Dr. Christopher Dijanic is a fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in the management of complex spinal conditions, including deformity correction, trauma, and minimally invasive procedures. He completed his Orthopedic Spine Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, and his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey. Dedicated to precision, innovation, and patient-centered care, Dr. Dijanic combines advanced surgical expertise with a compassionate approach to restore mobility and quality of life.

About

Dr. Christopher Dijanic is an orthopedic spine surgeon with advanced fellowship training in complex spinal disorders, including trauma, deformity correction, degenerative conditions, and minimally invasive and robotic spine surgery. He completed his Orthopedic Spine Fellowship at the University of California, San Diego, where he honed his expertise in advanced surgical innovations designed to enhance safety and optimize patient recovery.

Dr. Dijanic completed his Orthopedic Surgery Residency at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, New Jersey, where he also served as a team orthopedic surgeon for local high school athletic programs. His approach to care emphasizes the least invasive solutions that deliver the best long-term outcomes for each patient.

In addition to his surgical practice, Dr. Dijanic has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed orthopedic and spine publications and presented at national conferences. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Northeast Ohio Medical University and a Bachelor of Arts in Cellular and Molecular Biology from New Paltz University.

With a strong background in engineering and biomechanics, Dr. Dijanic has co-designed commercial exercise equipment and continues to apply his passion for innovation to the field of spine health. He is board-eligible with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and licensed to practice in New Jersey and California.

Specialties

Complex and minimally invasive spine surgery
Spinal deformity and trauma correction
Degenerative spine disorders
Robotic and image-guided spine procedures

Experience

Team Orthopedic Surgeon, Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ

Education

Orthopedic Spine Fellowship — University of California, San Diego
Residency, Orthopedic Surgery — Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, NJ
Doctor of Medicine — Northeast Ohio Medical University
B.A. in Cellular and Molecular Biology — New Paltz University

Board Certifications

Certification in Orthopaedic Surgery - American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (Board Eligible)
Medical Licenses: New Jersey, California
CDS License, BLS, ACLS Certified

Distinctions

F&J Orthopedics Award, Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition
Best Overall Paper, Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
Iota Epsilon Alpha International Medical Honor Society

Memberships

Eastern Orthopedic Society

Extras

Hobbies

Engineering and fitness equipment design
Rugby, football, soccer, hockey
Scuba diving, snowboarding, and skiing

Publications

Dr. Christopher Dijanic has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed studies in The Spine Journal, Cureus, JSES Reviews, and others focusing on spine surgery innovation and outcomes.

Peer Reviewed Publications
Smith, T., Sudah, S., Manzi, J., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Kerrigan, D., Constantinescu, D., Menendez, M., Plyler R. The Relative Citation Ratio: Evaluating a New Measure of Scientific Influence Among Academic Sports Medicine Surgeons. The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine (Accepted 8/22 pending publication)

Michel, C., Sudah, S., Dijanic, C., Kerrigan, D., Yalamanchili, P. Significant Variability in Spine Fellow Exposure to Trauma, Degenerative and Tumor Cases. The Spine Journal (Accepted 5/22 pending publication)

Sudah, S., Faccone, R., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Kerrigan, D., Menende, M., Namdari, S., Nicholson, A. The Number of Shoulder and Elbow Questions on the Orthopedic in-Training Examination Is Increasing with Greater Emphasis on Critical Thinking over Recall. JSES Reviews, Reports, and Techniques, vol. 2, no. 3, 2022, pp. 340-344., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xrrt.2022.03.006.

Dijanic, C., et al. "Evaluation of the National Institutes of Health-Supported Relative Citation Ratio among American Orthopedic
Spine Surgery Faculty: A New Bibliometric Measure of Scientific Influence." North American Spine Society Journal (NASSJ), vol.
11, 2022, p. 100143., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xnsj.2022.100143.

Nasra, M., Michel, C., Sudah, S., Dijanic, C., Torpey, B. Anterior Hip Dislocation After Hip Arthroscopy Complicated by Iliopsoas
Bursitis. Cureus. 2021 Aug 10;13(8):e17044. doi: 10.7759/cureus. 17044. PMID: 34522522; PMCID: PMC8428167.

Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Abdelmalek, G., Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., Gorgy, G., Yalamanchili, P. Readability assessment of patient educational materials for pediatric spinal deformity from top academic orthopedic institutions. Spine Deform. 2022 Jul 11. doi: 10.1007/s43390-022-00545-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35819724.

Michel, C., Abdelmalek, Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., Dijanic, C., Ali, S. Septic Tenosynovitis and Rupture of the Tibialis Anterior Tendon: A Case Report and Review of the Literature." Foot & Ankle Surgery: Techniques, Reports & Cases, vol. 2, no. 2, 2022,p. 100188., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fastrc.2022.100188.

Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Abdelmalek, G., Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., Yalamanchili, P. Upper cervical spine instability systematic review: a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most influential publications. J Spine Surg 2022. doi: 10.21037/ jss-21-132

McNamara, J. K., 3rd, Henderson, M. N., Sudah, S. Y., Faccone, R., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Menendez, M., Ruskin, B. Evaluation of the Relative Citation Ratio Among Academic Orthopedic Hand Surgeons: A Novel Measure of Research Impact. Cureus: e. doi: 10.7759/cureus.

Sudah, S., Constantinescu, D., Nasra, M., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Kerrigan, D., Plyler, R. Wide Variability of Pediatric Knee Arthroscopy Case Volume in Orthopedic Surgery Residency. Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, 2021, ISSN 2666-061X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2021.08.005.

Sudah, S., Nasra, M., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Curatolo, E. Patella Sleeve Fracture with Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Tear and Lateral Femoral Condyle Fracture in an Adolescent. JBJS Case Connector: October-December 2021 - Volume 1 - Issue 4 - e21.00232 doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.21.00232

Michel, C. R., Dijanic, C., Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., & Cohen, J. Has Public Interest in Elective Spine Surgery Returned to Pre-COVID 19 Levels? A Google Trends Analysis." Cureus, 2022, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus. 22858.

Nasra, M., Dijanic, C., Sudah, S., Michel, C., Cohen, J. Simultaneous Bilateral Patellar Tendon Rupture in a Patient with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. (June 05, 2021). Cureus 13(6): e 15466. doi: 10.7759/cureus. 15466
Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Woernle, M., et al. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Secondary to Fibrolipomatous Hamartoma of the Median Nerve. (June 01, 2021) Cureus 13(6): e 15363. doi: 10.7759/cureus. 15363

Sudah, S., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Kerrigan D, Gesell M. Bullous Pemphigoid After Total Knee Arthroplasty. Arthroplasty Today, Volume 9, 2021, Pages 53-57, ISSN 2352-3441, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artd.2021.04.009.

Dijanic, C., Nickerson, J., Shakya, S., Dijanic, A., & Fabbri, M. (2018, March 11). Relapsing malaria: A Case Report of Primaquine Resistance. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9720823, Pub Status: Published.

Sogomonian, R., Alkhawam, H., Zaiem, F., Vyas, N., Jolly, J.P., Nguyen, J., Moradoghli, E.A., Dijanic, C., Lieber, J.J. (2016, April 25). Isolated supra-cardiac partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection causing right heart failure. https://doi.org/10.3402/jchimp.v6.30817, Pub Status: Published.

Other Research
Dijanic, C., Michel, C., Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., Gesell, M. Has COVID-19 Influenced Future Post-Operative Protocols for Patients Undergoing a Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty? A Retrospective Review. 2020 Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition.

Dijanic, C., Michel, C., Grossman, J., Dolitsky, R., Parker, G., Gorgy, G., Woernle, M., Fernicola, J., Awad, F., Gesell, M. Clinical Efficacy of Tourniquet Use During a Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Review. Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition

Kutzarov, K., Giliberti, B., Grossman, J., Dolitsky, R., Gorgy, G., Parker, G., Woernle, M., Fernicola, J., Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Cohen J. Variability in Resident Perception of the Cost of Radiology Studies. Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition

Giliberti, B., Parker, G., Kutzarov, K., Grossman, J., Dolitsky, R., Gorgy, G., Woernle, M., Fernicola, J., Dijanic, C., Michel, C., Cohen J. Efficacy of Code Smart (Sepsis Management Alert Response Team) in Determining Sepsis in Postoperative Orthopaedic Population. Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition.

Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Fernicola, J., Woernle, M., Gorgy, G., Parker, G., Dolitsky, R., Grossman, J., Cohen, J. Systemic Effects of Vancomycin Powder Use in Spine Surgery. Ellen Cosgrove Research Competition.

Posters & Presentations
Michel, C., Dijanic, C., Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., Cohen, J. Podium presentation: Effect if Psychiatric Comorbidities on Perioperative Outcomes following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. New Jersey Orthopedic Society 2022 Annual Meeting New Brunswick, NJ.

Gorgy, G., Dijanic, C., Michel, C., Sudah, S., Kerrigan, D., Cohen, J. Epidemiology, Incidence, and Survival of Ependymoma of the Spinal Cord: A study of the SEER Database. Orthopedics Today 2021. 2021 September. Wailea, HI.

Gorgy, G., Dolitsky, B., Dijanic, C., Michel, C., Cohen, J. Nephrotoxic Effects of Vancomycin Powder in Spine Surgery Patients. Orthopedics Today 2021. 2021 September. Wailea, HI.

Dijanic, C., Michel, C., Grossman, J., Dolitsky, R., Gesell, M. Poster: Clinical Efficacy of Tourniquet Use During a Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Review. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons 2021 Annual Meeting. 2021 Aug. San

Kerrigan, D., Michel, C., Sudah, S., Dijanic, C. Dislocation after Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty. New Jersey Orthopedic Society 2022 Annual Meeting. 2022 May. New Brunswick, NJ.

Michel, C., Nasra, M., Sudah, S., Dijanic, C., Kerrigan, D., Grossman, J., Torpey, B. Podium Presentation: Anterior Hip Dislocation following arthroscopy. New Jersey Orthopedic Society 2021 Annual Symposium. 2021 May. Trenton, NJ.

Dhawan, N., Lin, J., Dijanic, C. Northeast Ohio Infant Mortality and Racial Disparities: A County-based Approach to Identifying Preventive Strategies for Primary Care. NEOMED Research Symposium. 2018 Aug. Akron, OH.

Dhawan, N., Lin, J., Dijanic, C. A Comparative Regional Profile of Cancer in Northeast Ohio: Incidence, Mortality, and Primary Care-based Preventive Health Opportunities. NEOMED Research Symposium. 2018 Aug. Akron, OH.

Dhawan, N., Lin, J., Dijanic, C. Northeast Ohio Infant Mortality and Racial Disparities: A County-based Approach to Identifying Preventative Strategies for Primary Care. 36th Annual AAPI Convention 2018 July. Columbus, OH.

Dhawan, N., Shakya, S., Lin, J., Dijanic, C., & Zoltan, J. Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Northeast Ohio: A Comparative Regional Profile and Potential Preventive Health Opportunities. Sth annual AAPI Winter Conference. 2018 Feb. Las Vegas, NV.

Dijanic, C., Krupko, T., Myer, C., Dean, E., Miller, E., Kovacik, M., Davis, B., Junko, J. Effects of Physical Therapy on Functional Outcomes In Operatively Treated Ankle Fractures: A prospective study. Sth annual AAPI Winter Conference. 2018 Feb. Las Vegas, NV.

Dijanic, C., Ball, H.C., Skrinyer, A., Mullins, M., Vinyard, C., Cooper, L. A Comparison of Bone Matrix Structural Performance Between Bats and Mice. American Association of Anatomists Regional Meeting 2017 Nov. Pittsburgh, PA.

Dijanic, C., Krupko, T., Myer, C…, Dean, E., Miller, E., Kovacik, M., Davis, B., Junko, J. Effects of Physical Therapy on Functional Outcomes In Operatively Treated Ankle fractures: A Prospective Study. 3]s Annual Akron Combined Orthopaedic Resident Research Day. 2017 Sept. Akron, OH.