Meet Dr. Carl Lauryssen

Carl Lauryssen, MD, is a leading spinal neurosurgeon and ADR Top Doctor in Arthroplasty, who recently completed his tenure as director of neurosurgery at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, and is certified by both the American and Canadian Boards of Neurological Surgery.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Dr. Lauryssen received his medical school training at the University of Cape Town. He completed his neurosurgical residency at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, and his spinal neurosurgical surgery fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

Dr. Lauryssen was on the Washington University School of Medicine faculty in St. Louis for seven years. While there, he directed the advanced neurosurgical spine program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He was then recruited to lead research and education at Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders, where he served until 2005.

As a leading spinal neurosurgeon, he was the co-director of spine research and development at Olympia Medical Center. His research and surgical interests have focused on minimally invasive surgery, motion preservation, and sports-related spinal injuries. He was previously the team neurosurgeon for the NFL's St. Louis Rams.

Dr. Lauryssen has also specialized in patients whose previous spinal surgeries have failed. He has twice been awarded the Young Investigator Award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons for his work on cervical disorders and stem cell research. Dr. Lauryssen was the first neurosurgeon to inject stem cells into a human spinal cord as part of an FDA trial.

Invited by the president of Botswana, Dr. Lauryssen and his Austin-based team performed the first spinal neurosurgery procedures at the country’s esteemed Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital earlier this year.

Dr. Lauryssen sees patients at Central Texas Brain and Spine’s five locations: Austin (main), Hutto, Leander, Fredericksburg, and Round Rock. In addition to his medical practice, he shares his expertise and vision by writing medical publications, giving presentations, and developing surgical devices to improve surgical outcomes. He holds several patents and inventions that are used in spinal surgery throughout the world. Dr. Lauryssen has served on the boards of several companies, including a company researching a new unique material to be used in sports helmets to reduce the impact of brain injuries in sports-related concussions.

In his personal life, Dr. Lauryssen always makes family a priority and has a heart for helping others. He started and led a much-needed neurosurgery program in Kenya. In his free time, Dr. Lauryssen enjoys sailing.