Dr. Hee Hwan Tak

Adj A/Professor Hee  is an orthopaedic spine surgeon who specializes in degenerative (including slipped disc),
traumatic (spine fracture), neoplastic (spine tumour), and congenital disorders of the spine, as well as spinal
deformities (including scoliosis). His practice is solely dedicated to conservative as well as surgical treatment of
various spinal disorders. His special areas of interests are in surgery for congenital and acquired spinal
deformity, minimal access spinal surgery, spinal tumor surgery, cervical spine surgery, and artificial disc replacement
(non-fusion) surgery.

Adj A/Professor Hee Hwan Tak is the Medical Director and Senior Consultant of Pinnacle Spine & Scoliosis Centre
which is based in Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre (Orchard).
Adj A/Professor Hee completed his medical degree at the National University of Singapore in 1990. He obtained his
postgraduate degrees in surgery in Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow and Edinburgh in 1995 and completed the
advanced surgical training in Orthopaedics in 1999. In 2000, he spent a year on a Clinical Fellowship in Spinal Surgery
in the USA. Prior to starting his own private practice, he was a Senior Consultant and the Deputy Head of the
University Spine Centre, National University Hospital. He was also Associate Professor and Clinical Director of the
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National University Hospital.

 Chuah YJ, Wu YN, Cheong MLS, Chia YQ, Tee CA, Hee HT, Xu CJ, Kang YJ, Wang DA.
Development of annulus fibrosus tissue construct with hydrogel coils containing pre-
conditioned mesenchymal stem cell. Journal of Materials Science & Technology 2021;63: 27-
34.
 Chuah,YJ, Tan JR, Wu YN, Lim CS, Hee HT, Kang YJ, Wang DA. Scaffold-Free Tissue Engineering
with Aligned Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Sheets to Recapitulate the Microstructural and
Biochemical Composition of Annulus Fibrosus. Acta Biomaterialia 2020; 107: 129-37.

 Lim JL, Hey HWD, Kumar N, Teo AQA, Lau LL, Hee HT, Ruiz JN, Kumar NS, Thambiah JS, Liu GKP,
Wong HK. A 10-year radiographic study comparing anterior versus posterior instrumented
spinal fusion in patients with Lenke type 5 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine 2020; 45(9):
612-20.
 Ho KY, Gwee KA, Cheng YK, Yoon KH, Hee HT, Omar AR. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
in chronic pain: implications of new data for clinical practice. Journal of Pain Research
2018;11: 1937-48.
 Chuah YJ, Peck Y, Lau JEJ, Hee HT, Wang D. Hydrogel based cartilaginous tissue regeneration:
recent insights and technologies. Biomaterials – Science 2017, 5(4): 613 – 631.
 Chuah YJ, Lee WC, Wong HK, Kang YJ, Hee HT. Three- dimensional development of tensile
pre-strained annulus fibrous cells for tissue regeneration: an in-vitro study. Exp Cell Res 2015;
331(1): 176-82.
 Hey HWD, Tan JH, Tan HMB, Lau PHB, Hee HT. Subsequent vertebral fractures post cement
augmentation of the thoracolumbar spine. Does it correlate with level-specific bone mineral
density scores? Spine 2015; 40(24): 1903-9.
 Ashwin A, Hey HW, Subramaniam R, Rehman AU, Hee HT. Clinical and radiological results of
the Discover cervical disc replacement with minimum two-year follow-up. Journal of Spine
and Neurosurgery 2014; 3:4.
 Chuah YJ, Hee HT, Kang YJ. Cellular mechanotransduction in microfluidic systems. In: Li DQ
ed. Encyclopedia of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. New York/Heidelberg: Springer, Inc 2013.
 Hey HWD, Hong CC, Long AS, Hee HT. Is hybrid surgery of the cervical spine a good balance
between fusion and arthroplasty? Pilot results from a single surgeon series. Eur Spine J 2013
Jan; 22(1):116-22.
 Hey HW, Lau PH, Hong CC, Hee HT. Post-laminectomy spondylolisthesis – a review of the
posterior elements and their contribution to the stability of the lumbar spine.The Open Spine
Journal 2012; 4: 5-9.
 Hee HI, Tan YS, Hee HT. Postoperative analgesia after lumbar laminectomy: Is there a role for
single shot epidural fentanyl? The Spine J 2012 Aug; 12(8): 652-5.
 Kumar N, Chen Y, Nath C, Hee HT, Thambiah J. Anterior only decompression and
instrumentation of stable thoracolumbar burst fractures: introduction of concept of hemi-
corpectomy. J Bone Joint Surg Br 2012; 94-B (suppl): 130

 Soh RC, Hee HT. Scoliosis. Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. In: Absolon Bessette, Coralie M
Rousseau eds., Scoliosis. Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment. NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc
2012: pp 91-104.
 Oh JY, Louange D, Rahmat R, Hee HT, Kumar VP. Paradoxical movement of L5S1 lumbar
segment in spondylolytic spondylolisthesis. Eur Spine J 2012; 21(2): 262-7.
 Mishra A, Deng R, Loo Y, Chua YJ, Hee HT, Ying J, Hauser CAE. Ultrasmall natural peptides self-
assemble to strong temperature-resistant helical fibers in scaffolds suitable for tissue
engineering. Nano Today 2011; 6: 232-9.
 Hey HW, Hee HT. A Review of Thoracolumbar Spine Fracture Classifications. Journal of
Orthopaedics and Trauma 2011; 1: 1-5.
 Wang LS, Hee HT, Wong HK. Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy: A brief review of its
pathophysiology, presentation, assessment, natural history and management. Orthopaedics
and Trauma 2011; 25(3): 181-9.
 Hee HT, Chuah YJ, Tan BHM, Setiobudi T, Wong HK. Vascularization and morphological
changes of the endplate after axial compression and distraction of the intervertebral disc.
Spine April 2011; 36(7): 505-11.
 Hee HT, Ismail, Lim CT, Goh J, Wong HK. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation
and intervertebral disc distraction reverse intervertebral disc degeneration in a rabbit model.
J Bone Joint Surg Br 2010 May; 92(5): 726-36.
 Hee HT, Zhang JT, Wong HK. Effects of cyclic dynamic tensile stress on pre-compressed
annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus cells of human intervertebral disc- an in vitro study. J
Orthop Res April 2010: 503-9.
 Hee HT, Zhang JT, Wong HK. Effects of dynamic cyclic compression on human annulus
fibrosus and nucleus pulposus cells -an in vitro stud. The Spine J Sep 2010; 10(9): 795-801..
 Lim CT, Hee HT. Stem cell therapy in Orthopaedic Surgery. Advances in Orthopaedics 2010;
2(3): 81-8.
 Tan BHM, Hee HT. Treatment of osteoporotic compression fractures with vertebroplasty. In: BE
Mattingly, AC Pillare eds. Osteoporosis: Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Hauppauge, NY:
Nova Science Publishers, Inc 2009.
 Zhu L, Chan YC, Hee HT, Wong HK. Paraspinal magnetic stimulation cerebral evoked

potentials in treatment follow-up of low back pain. Journal of the Neurological Sciences,
October 2009, Volume 285, Supplement 1, page S141.
 Hee HT, Yu ZR, Wong HK. Comparison of segmental pedicle screw instrumentation versus
anterior instrumentation in adolescent idiopathic thoracolumbar scoliosis. Spine 2007; 32:
1533-42.
 Hee HT. Current concepts in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. In: Lewandrowski, Yaszemski,
Kalfas, Park, McLain, Trantolo eds. Spinal Reconstruction: clinical examples of applied basic
science, biomechanics, and engineering. New York, London: Informa healthcare, Inc, 2007: pp
381-94.
 Kulkarni A, Hee HT, Wong HK. Solis cage (PEEK) for anterior cervical fusion: Preliminary
radiological results with emphasis on fusion and subsidence. Spine J 2007; 7(2): 205-9.
 Kulkarni A, Hee HT. Adjacent level discitis after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion
(ACDF): a case report. Eur Spine J 2006;15 Suppl 17: 559-63.
 Hee HT, Khan MS, Goh JC, Wong HK. Insertion torque profile during pedicle screw insertion of
the thoracic spine with and without violation of the pedicle wall – comparison between
cylindrical and conical designs. Spine 2006; 31: E840-6.
 Hee HT, Whitecloud TS III, Myers L. SF-36 Health Status and Oswestry Disability Index in
Worker’s Compensation       Patients with Neck Pain. In: Lewandrowski KU, Wise DL, Trantolo DJ,
Yaszemski MJ, White AA III eds. Advances in Spinal Fusion. Molecular Science, Biomechanics,
and Clinical Management. New York, Basel: Marcel Dekker, Inc, 2004: pp 279-91.
 Wong HK, Hee HT, Yu ZR, Wong D. Results of thoracoscopic instrumented fusion versus
conventional posterior instrumented fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing
selective thoracic fusion. Spine 2004; 29: 2031-8.
 Hee HT, Whitecloud TS, Myers L. The effect of previous low back surgery on general health
status – results from the National Spine Network initial visit survey of patients with low back
pain. Spine 2004; 29: 1931-7.
 Hee HT, Majd ME, Holt RT, Whitecloud TS, Pienkowski D. Complications of multilevel cervical
corpectomies and reconstruction with titanium cages and anterior plating. J Spinal Disord
Tech 2003; 16: 1-8.
 Hee HT, Singh S, Chong SM, Myers L. Protective effects of growth hormone on physeal
distraction – an experimental study on rabbits. J PediatrOrthop Part B 2003; 12: 332-7.

 Hee HT, Majd ME, Holt RT, Myers L. Do autologous growth factors enhance transforaminal
lumbar interbody fusion? Eur Spine J 2003; 12: 400-7.
 Hee HT, Majd ME, Holt RT, Pienkowski D. Better treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis by using
posterior stabilization and titanium mesh cages. J Spinal Disord Tech 2002; 15(2): 149-56.
 Hee HT, Whitecloud TS, Myers L. Poor physical, mental health linked with worker’s comp.
Orthopedics Today 2002; 5(1): 35.
 Hee HT, Whitecloud TS, Myers L, Roesch W, Ricciardi JE. Do worker’s compensation patients
with neck pain have lower SF-36 scores? Eur Spine J 2002; 11(4): 375-81.
 Hee HT, Whitecloud TS, Myers L, Gaynor J, Roesch W, Ricciardi JE. SF-36 health status of
worker’s compensation cases with spinal disorders. Spine J 2001; 1: 176-82.
 Hee HT, Wong HP, Low YP, Myers L. Predictors of outcome of floating knee injuries in adults.
Acta OrthopScand 2001; 72(4): 385-94.
 Hee HT, Castro FP, Majd ME, Holt RT, Myers L Anterior/posterior lumbar fusion versus
transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: analysis of complications and predictive factors. J
Spinal Disord 2001; 14(6): 533-40.
 Hee HT, Lee EH, Lee GSM. Gait and pedobarographic patterns of surgically treated clubfeet. J
Foot Ankle Surg 2001; 40(5): 287-94.
 Nather AZ, Hee HT. New Frontiers in Spinal Surgery. In: Nather AZ, ed. Research Methodology in
Orthopaedics and Reconstructive Surgery. Singapore, New Jersey, London, Hong Kong: World
Scientific, 2001: pp 551-74.
 Singh S, Hee HT, Low YP. Significance of the lateral epiphysis of the acetabulum to hip joint
stability. J PediatrOrthop 2000; 20(3): 344-8.

• HMDP Fellowship Award (Spine Surgery), 1999 to 2000
• TTSH 9th Annual Scientific Meeting (Overall Best Paper Award), 2001
• Singapore Orthopaedic Association Hong Kong Ambassador, November 2001
• 5 Year Long Service Award – National University Hospital, 2002
• Yahya-Cohen Lecture, 36th Singapore-Malaysia Congress of Medicine, August 2002
• Star Award, Quality Convention, National University Hospital, January 2004
• Biographical Sketch in 23rd Edition of Who’s Who in the World, 2006
• Star Award, Quality Convention, National University Hospital, March 2006
• Young Orthopaedic Investigator Award 29th Annual Scientific Meeting of Singapore Orthopaedic Association, November 2006
• 10 Year Long Service Award – National Universital Hospital, 2007
• 1st prize, Doctoral Category in Research Presentation Contest, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, May 2007
• Star Award, Quality Convention, National University Hospital, May 2007
• Best Poster Award – Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation and intervertebral disc distraction reverse intervertebral disc degeneration in a rabbit model. 15th Triennial Congress of APOA, Seoul, Korea, September 2007
• JOA Congress 2008 Travel Award Winner – Effects of dynamic tension on degenerated human annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus cells: An in vitro study. The 81st Annual Congress of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, Sapporo, Japan, May 2008
• Excellent Service Award (Star Award), 2008
• Excellent Service Award (Gold), 2009
• Long Service Award – National University of Singapore

North American Spine Society
Cervical Spine Research Society Asian Pacific Section
International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine
Scoliosis Research Society
Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
AO Spine International
Singapore Spine Society