Background
Dr. Devan Higginbotham grew up in Fresno. He trained in Chicago, Detroit and Sacramento, then came home to practice spine surgery in the Central Valley. Outside of work he spends time with his wife and three kids.
His practice focuses on four areas: endoscopic spine surgery, cervical disc replacement, navigated spine surgery and complex adult deformity correction.
Approach
Dr. Higginbotham sees the spine as the base of how you move. When it is not working, everyday life gets harder. He uses both surgical and nonsurgical care and works with each patient to find the option that fits their problem and their goals.
Education and training
- Spine surgery fellowshipUniversity of California, Davis, Sacramento · 2024 to 2025
- Orthopaedic surgery residencyDetroit Medical Center / Wayne State University, Detroit · 2019 to 2024
- Doctor of MedicineChicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science · 2019
- Master of Science, Biomedical ScienceRosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
- Bachelor of Science, Physiology and Developmental BiologyBrigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Licensed to practice medicine in California.
Recent work in Fresno
- 2025: performed what was reported as the first endoscopic spine surgery in Fresno.
- 2026: performed cervical total disc replacement at Saint Agnes Medical Center.
- 2026: performed the first spine procedure using the Mako 4 robotic system at Saint Agnes Medical Center, according to the hospital.
Hospital affiliations
Dr. Higginbotham performs surgery at Fresno Surgical Hospital. Our team will confirm the details for your surgery when we build your plan.
Professional memberships
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- AO Spine
- Mid-America Orthopaedic Association
- North American Spine Society
Research and publications
Dr. Higginbotham has authored or co-authored 22 papers indexed in PubMed, including work on spinal fusion, spinal stenosis and preparing patients for spine surgery. Links go to PubMed.
Spine
- Anterior Versus Posterior Lumbar Fusion for Adult Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
- Thoracolumbar Spine Trauma Outcomes: Effect of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis
- Perioperative Nutritional, Functional, and Bone Health Optimization in Spine Surgery: A National Investigation of Spine Surgeons' Perceptions and Practices
- #lowbackpain on TikTok: A New Frontier for Orthopaedic Medical Education
- Efficacy and Outcome Measurement of iFactor/ABM/P-15 in Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review
- Neuroforaminal Stenosis in the Lumbosacral Spine: A Scoping Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnostic Imaging, and Treatment
- Virtual and Augmented Reality in Spine Surgery: An Era of Immersive Healthcare
- Thoracic Spinal Stenosis From Calcified Ligamentum Flavum
- "Fantasy Points" associated with Professional Athlete Performance after Lumbar Discectomy or Microdiscectomy
Other orthopaedic and medical research (13 papers)
- Improving Total Joint Outcomes: A Survey of Surgeon Implementation of Perioperative Optimization Protocols
- Self-inflicted nail gun injury piercing the common peroneal nerve with no deficit: A case report
- The Impact of Financial Education on Stress Among Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Anatomic and Biomechanical Study of Thumb Carpometacarpal Dislocations: A Laboratory Study
- Refractory compartment syndrome after antivenom administration for an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake bite requiring fasciotomy for limb salvage: A case report
- Use of Fantasy Points in Evaluating Professional Athlete Performance After Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction
- Trigger Wrist Caused by a Rheumatoid Nodule on the Flexor Pollicis Longus Tendon
- Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for Shoulder Adhesive Capsulitis Are at Least Equivalent to Corticosteroid or Saline Solution Injections: A Systematic Review of Prospective Cohort Studies
- Systematic Review of Ligament Reconstruction of Traumatic Isolated Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Dislocation
- Single incision fasciotomy for acute compartment syndrome of the leg: A systematic review of the literature
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Experience
- Management of thumb carpometacarpal joint dislocations: A systematic review
- Development of a Predictive Model for Hyperglycemia in Nondiabetic Recipients After Liver Transplantation