Meet Dr. Joshua Beckman
Dr. Beckman is a board-certified neurosurgeon and spine surgeon with Neurosurgery One in our Lakewood medical office. He has extensive experience in non-surgical treatments and minimally invasive spine surgery for conditions such as herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, failed back syndrome, scoliosis, fractures, and other spine problems that can cause pain or disability.
Dr. Beckman joined Neurosurgery One in August 2021 after serving as the director of spine surgery at San Antonio Military Medical Center, the nation’s largest military hospital and Level I trauma center where he developed special expertise in treating severe spinal and head injuries. As a spine surgeon in the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Beckman treated spinal conditions in military personnel who had some of the most physically demanding jobs in the military including infantry, rescue, and special operations forces.
Dr. Beckman’s Patient Philosophy
Dr. Beckman tries to treat patients with conservative therapies first. He has experience in spinal cord stimulation to reduce sensation of pain. If patients require surgery, he offers minimally invasive procedures when possible. Dr. Beckman has experience in treating most spinal conditions and takes a particular interest in adult degenerative scoliosis because so many people develop it later in life but don’t know they have it or that something can be done to treat it.
Dr. Beckman takes a step-by-step approach with his patients, recommending the least invasive and potentially reversible therapies as initial treatment. His philosophy is to create a patient-surgeon team to foster realistic expectations and modify treatments on an individual basis. He encourages second opinions and firmly believes the patient should have the utmost confidence in the surgical plan.
Dr. Beckman prides himself on communication with the patient and referring providers. Once surgery is decided on, he gets patients into the OR and recovery as quickly as possible. He believes recovery is as important as the surgical procedure and practices early recovery after surgery (ERAS protocol) to mobilize his patients the day of or day after surgery and typically does not use braces or collars.
Dr. Beckman is an incredible neurosurgeon and I could not recommend anyone more enthusiastically. I am a physician in the military, and following a deployment, I had an extruded L4-5 disc that caused significant sciatic nerve pain and spasmed muscles along my left posterior leg. Initially, I had calf atrophy and numbness on the bottom of my foot. I had temporary relief of symptoms with physical therapy and a chiropractor, but the symptoms came back without warning, leaving me almost unable to function (sitting, standing, anything was painful and I was suddenly on multiple pain medications that I didn’t want to be on). Thanks to Dr. Beckman, I am now 2 years out from a microdiscectomy with no symptoms. I actually woke up from surgery and all the muscles were relaxed. I never took another pain pill and I started walking 2 hours a day the day after surgery, swimming at 3 weeks, running after a few months, and skiing in less than 4 months. I’m back to skiing moguls all winter long, running, swimming, biking, and living my life with my kids and husband. You know this is who you want to do your surgery when the Radiologist, Pain Medicine physicians, and Anesthesiologists all tell you to call Dr. Beckman. So glad I did!
A Commitment to Public Education
Dr. Beckman enjoys and is committed to patient, community and professional education. He regularly presents education programs to both consumer and healthcare professional audiences in person or online. Recently he spoke to the Park County Search and Rescue about treating spinal trauma in the field.
Other recent presentations include:
Centura Health Grand Rounds (Nov. 11, 2021): Spinal Curvature Treatment Options
Community Webinar (Oct. 7, 2021): Neck Pain Causes and Treatment
Dr. Beckman also is featured in this video about adult onset scoliosis.
Education
- Neurosurgical Residency: University of South Florida
- Doctor of Medicine: University of Alabama School of Medicine
- Bachelor of Science Biology: Spring Hill College
Experience
- Vice Chair, Department of Neurological Surgery at San Antonio Military Medical Center
- Director of Complex Spinal Surgery at San Antonio Military Medical Center
- Director of Surgical Coding at San Antonio Military Medical Center
Certifications
- American Board of Neurological Surgery
- Colorado Medical License
Memberships
- Society for Lateral Access Surgeons (SOLAS)
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
Awards
- Best Abstract: Basic Science, Oct 2017 – John’s Hopkins/Ach Annual Research Symposium
- Golden Apple Teaching Award, Jun 2017 – University South Florida Department of Neurosurgery
- Voted by residents, given to top resident in program
- Student Scholarship, Aug 2007 – Arnold G. Diethelm
- Competitive summer program combining surgery, pathology, and anatomy
Publications
- Januszewski J, Beckman JM, Harris JE, Turner AW, Yen CP, Uribe JS. “Biomechanical study of rod stress after pedicle subtraction osteotomy versus anterior column reconstruction: A finite element study.” Surg Neurol Int. 2017 Sep 6.
- Januszewski J, Beckman JM, Bach K, Vivas AC, Uribe JS. “Indirect decompression and reduction of lumbar spondylolisthesis does not result in higher rates of immediate and long term complications.” J Clin Neurosci. 2017 Nov; 45:218-222.
- Uribe JS, Beckman JM, Mummaneni PV, Okondwo D, Nunley P, Wang MY, Mundis GM, Park P, Eastlack R, Anand N, Kanter A, Lamarca F, Fessler R, Shaffrey CI, Lafage V, Chou D, Deviren V, The MIS-ISSG Group. “Does MIS surgery allow for shorter constructs in the surgical treatment of adult spinal deformity?” Neurosurgery. 2017 Mar 1;80(3):849-497.
- Januszewski J, Keem SK, Smith W, Beckman JM, Kanter AS, Oskuian RJ, Taylor W, Uribe JS. “The Potentially Fatal Ogilvie’s Syndrome in Lateral Transpsoas Access Surgery: A Multi-Institutional Experience with 2930 patients.” World Neurosurg. Dec 2016.
- Chun-Po Y, Beckman JM, Vivas A, Bach K, Uribe JS. “The effect of intradiscal vacuum phenomenon on surgical outcome of lateral interbody fusion for degenerative lumbar disease.” J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Dec:1-7.
- Beckman JM, Vincent B, Park MS, Billys JB, Isaacs R, Pimenta L, Uribe JS. “Contralateral psoas hematoma after minimally invasive, lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas lumbar interbody fusion: a multicenter review of 3950 lumbar levels” J Neurosurg Spine, 2017 Jan; 26(1) 50-54.
- Beckman JM, Marengo N, Murray G, Bach K, Uribe JS. “Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Release From the Minimally Invasive Lateral Retroperitoneal Transpsoas Approach: Technical Note” Operative Neurosurgery 2016, Sept, 12 (3).
- Beckman JM, Murray G, Bach, K, Deukmedjian A, Uribe, JS. “Percutaneous Minimally Invasive (MIS) guide-wireless Self Tapping Pedicle Screw Placement in the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine: Safety and initial clinical experience. Technical note” Operative Neurosurgery 2015, Aug, 19.
- Gautschi OP, Garbossa D, Tessitore E, Langella F, Pecoraro MF, Marengo N, Bozzaro M, Beckman JM, Berjano P. “Maximal access surgery for posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with divergent, cortical bone trajectory (CBT) pedicle-screws: a good option for minimize spine access and maximize the field for nerve decompression.” J. Neurosurg Sci 2015, Jun 17.
- Beckman JM, Tetreault LL, Armankwah EK, Tuite GF. “Reduction in CSF shunt infection over a 10-year period associated with the application of concentrated topical antibiotic powder directly to surgical wounds prior to closure.” J. Neurosurgery Pediatrics, J. Neurosurgery Pediatr, 2015 Dec; 16(6): 648-61.
- Beckman JM, Amankwah EK, Tetreault LL, Perlman SA, Tuite GF. “Complications Associated with Bacitracin Powder in Surgical Wounds” J. Neurosurgery Pediatr, 2015 Dec; 16(6): 719-725.
- Murray G, Beckman JM, Bach K, Smith D, Dakwar E, Uribe JS. “Complications and Neurological Deficits following Minimally Invasive Anterior Column Release for Adult Spinal Deformity: a retrospective study” Eur Spine J. 2015 April.
- Uribe JS, Harris JE, Beckman JM, Turner A, Mundis GM, Akbarnia BA. “Finite Element Analysis of Lordosis Restoration with Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Release and Lateral Hyperlordotic Cage Placement.” Eur Spine J. 2015 March.
- Beckman JM, Van Gompel JJ, Kan P. “Sagittal Sinus Pseudo-Occlusion: A Case of Bilateral AVM.” Austin Neurosurg Open Access. 2014;1(1); 1002.
- Downs A, Beckman JM, Tuite G. “The Bucket and Straw Technique to Facilitate Passage of a Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Through the Distal Tunneling Sheath.” J. Neurosurg Pediatr. 2014 Dec; 14(6):662-4.
- Beckman JM, Vale FL. “Using the zygomatic root as a reference point in temporal lobe surgery.” Acta Neuro. 2013 Dec; 155(12):2287-91.
- Baaj AA, Beckman JM, Smith DA. “O-arm based image guidance in minimally invasive surgery: Technical Note.” Clin Neurol Neurosurg, 2012 Jun 4.
- Tubbs RS, Beckman JM, Loukas M, Shoja MM, Cohen-Gadol AA. “median nerve branches to the pronator teres: cadaveric study with potential use in neurotization procedures to the radial nerve at the elbow.” J Neurosurg. 2011 Jan; 114(1):253-5.
- Tubbs RS, Beckman JM, Naftel RP, Chern JJ, WellonsJC 3rd, Rozzelle CJ, Bount JP Oakes WJ. “Institutional experience with 500 cases of surgically treated pediatric Chiari malformation type I.” J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2011 Mar; 7(3):248-56.
Book Chapters
- Beckman JM, Chun-Po Y, Uribe JS. “Anterior Column Realignment (ACR): Sectioning of the Anterior Longitudinal Ligament through the Lateral Retroperitoneal Transpsoas Approach” Lateral Access Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Published 2016 – Springer.
- Beckman JM, Uribe JS. “Electrophysiological Studies and Monitoring” (Section 10 Spine: Part 2 Basic Science of the Spine: Electrophysiological Studies and Monitoring). Youman’s and Winn Neurological Surgery 7th Edition, Published Nov 2016 – Elsevier.
- Beckman JM, Uribe JS. “MIS Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion” (Section 4: Surgical Procedures: Decompression and Ventrolateral Thoracic and Thoracolumbar Spine: Chapter 77 MIS Lateral Interbody Fusion). Benzel’s Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance, and Management, Volume 2: Published Sept 1, 2016.
- Beckman JM. “Evaluation and Management of Concussions.” Handbook of Neurosurgery, 8th Edition. Mark Greenberg, Published May 2016.
Oral Presentations
- Beckman JM, Murray G, Bach K, Uribe JS. “Contralateral Complications Related to the Minimally Invasive Lateral Retroperitoneal Transpsoas Approach” – Oral presentation at Society of Lateral Access Surgery (SOLAS); San Diego, CA. April – 2015.
- Beckman JM, Uribe JS. “The Potentially Fatal Ogilvie’s Syndrome in Lateral Access Surgery: A Multi-institutional Experience with 1187 patients” – Oral presentation at Society of Lateral Access Surgery (SOLAS); San Diego, CA. April – 2015.
- Beckman JM, Bach K, Uribe JS. “Radiographic Analysis of the Vacuum Phenomenon in the Lumbar Spine: Evaluation of Disc Height Restoration and Segmental Lordosis using Less Invasive Anterior Interbody Fusion Techniques” – Oral presentation at Southern Neurosurgical Society; Naples, FL. March – 2015.
- Beckman JM, Amankwah E, Tetreault L, Perlman S, Tuite G. “Complications Associated with Bacitracin Powder in Surgical Wounds” – Oral presentation at Southern Neurosurgical Society; Naples, FL. March – 2015.
- Beckman JM, Tetreault L, Armankwah E, Tuite G. “Reduction in shunt infection rates by applying topical antibiotics to surgical wounds. A comparison of one surgeon’s experience over two separate five-year periods.” – Oral presentation at John’s Hopkins Annual Research Symposium. All Children’s Hospital, Tampa, FL. October – 2014.
- Beckman JM, Bach K, Murray G, Vivas, AC, Uribe JS. “Indirect decompression and closed reduction of lumbar spondylolisthesis using less invasive anterior column interbody fusion techniques: incidence of neurologic complication and clinical outcomes.” – Oral presentation at Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS); Miami, FL. September – 2014.
- Beckman JM, Vale FL. “Using the zygomatic root as a reference point in temporal lobe surgery.” – Oral presentation at Southern Neurosurgical Society; San Juan, Puerto Rico, February – 2014.
- Beckman JM, Tetreault L, Armankwah E, Tuite G. “Reduction in shunt infection rates by applying topical antibiotics to surgical wounds. A comparison of one surgeon’s experience over two separate five-year periods.” – Oral presentation at Pediatric Neurosurgery Joint Section AANS/CNS meeting; Toronto, December – 2013.
- Beckman JM. “Operative Neurosurgical Emergencies, Trauma Surgical Update.” Tampa General Hospital, Dec 3, 2011.
Patent
- Novel Shunt Catheter System
Patent No.: US 9,364,647 B1, June 2016
Team
Nick provides care to surgical patients at Neurosurgery One Lakewood.
Georgina provides care to neurosurgery and spine inpatients in Lakewood.
Kate is a surgical physician assistant supporting Dr. Beckman in spine and neurosurgical procedures.
Sara provides care for neurosurgery and spine inpatients at St. Anthony Hospital.
Tessa is optimizing bone health and surgery results for patients in Lakewood.
Lindsey is a physician assistant providing care for neurosurgery and spine inpatients at St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado.
Garkie provides care to our surgical patients at St. Anthony's Hospital.
