Dr. Avery L. Buchholz, MD, FAANS, has been named a 2026 Castle Connolly Top Doctor, marking the third year he has received the prestigious designation. Only 7 percent of the nation's licensed physicians are chosen annually as Castle Connolly Top Doctors for their specialties in their regions, making this recognition a significant indicator of clinical excellence and peer respect.
Dr. Buchholz is a board-certified neurosurgeon and spine specialist with Capital Spine and Pain Institute, a leading interdisciplinary practice recognized for providing comprehensive, minimally invasive spine care and targeted pain management solutions. The recognition matters because it signals to patients, referring physicians, and the broader medical community that Dr. Buchholz has met rigorous criteria for medical education, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary history.
Dr. Buchholz evaluates and treats a range of complex spine disorders, adult spinal deformities, scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and spinal trauma. He utilizes an evidence-based approach to patient care, prioritizing conservative, non-surgical treatment protocols whenever appropriate. When surgical intervention is required, care plans are tailored to minimize tissue disruption, reduce recovery times, and optimize clinical outcomes.
Key procedures include minimally invasive lumbar discectomy and laminectomy, robotic-assisted spinal fusion and instrumentation, complex adult spinal deformity and scoliosis reconstruction, cervical artificial disc replacement, motion-preservation spinal surgery, and image-guided spinal decompression. These advanced techniques reflect a growing shift in spine care toward less invasive options that can reduce pain and speed recovery for patients facing debilitating spinal conditions.
Dr. Buchholz completed his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He completed his neurological surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina, followed by a specialized clinical fellowship in complex spinal deformity and pediatric scoliosis surgery at the University of Virginia. He is a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS) and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters focused on spinal surgery outcomes, biomechanics, and surgical safety.
Top Doctors are nominated by peer physicians and selected by the physician-led Castle Connolly research team. Castle Connolly publishes its Top Doctors list at castleconnolly.com and in a variety of print and online partner publications. Nominations are open to all board-certified MDs, DOs, and DPMs. The Castle Connolly team chooses honorees based on nominee criteria that includes their medical education, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary histories. Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor.
For patients in the Tallahassee area and beyond, this designation may serve as a trusted guide when seeking specialized spine care. It also underscores the importance of peer-reviewed recognition in helping patients navigate an increasingly complex healthcare landscape. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Buchholz, call (571) 399-6340 or visit his website at capitalspineinstitute.com/contact-us.
