Practice Locations
Affiliated Hospitals
- Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Areas of Expertise
- Spinal Surgery Including Minimally Invasive Techniques
- Spinal Disorders – Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar
Biography
Dr. Greg Brebach is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, fellowship trained in spinal surgery. His practice focuses on disorders of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. Originally from the Barrington area, he graduated from Barrington High School. He went to Northwestern for his undergraduate degree where he majored in European history before attending Rush Medical College, where he finished first in his class. He did his orthopedic surgery residency at Rush Medical Center in Chicago and completed his spine fellowship at William Beaumont Hospital near Detroit, Michigan. He began his career in 2003 and joined Illinois Bone & Joint Institute in 2016. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery and has been a yearly recipient of the Castle Connolly Top Doctor honor since 2018.
Dr. Brebach provides both operative and non-operative treatments for the spine. In addition to his clinical expertise, he takes the time to get to know his patients on a personal level, listening to their concerns and the effect on their lives. By understanding the patient as an individual, he is able to give clinical recommendations that are tailored to each person.
Dr. Brebach lives in the Barrington area with his wife Elissa, a local radiologist, and their children, Nina and Henry. He is a team physician for Barrington High School. He is currently the managing partner within his IBJI practice and has previously been in leadership positions at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, taking walks with his wife, reading, listening to music, and being involved in his children’s sports and extracurriculars.
The great majority of the patients I see are not surgical candidates. Most people respond to a designed regimen of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, exercise, oral steroid medications, and occasionally epidural steroid injections.”
Gregory Brebach, MDMy Team
Education
Medical School
Rush Medical College, Chicago IL
Internship
Rush Presbyterian - St. Luke's Medical Center - General Surgery
Residency
Rush Presbyterian - St. Luke's Medical Center - Orthopedic Surgery
Fellowship
William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak MI - Spine
Affiliations and Associations
- Lake County Medical Association
- Illinois Medical Association
- Lim, TH; Brebach, G; Renner, S; Kim, J; Anderson, G; An, H: Biomechanical Evaluation of an Injectable Calcium Phosphate Cement for Vertebroplasty: Spine, Vol 27, No 12, pp 1297-1302, June 2002
- Gitelis, S; Brebach, G: The Treatment of Cronic Osteomyelitis with a Biodegradable Antiobiotic-Impregnated Surgical Grade Calcium Sulfate Implant: J of Orthopaedic Surgery, Vol 10, No 1, pp 53-60, June 2002
- Marco, R; Gitelis, S; S; Brebach. G; Healy, JH: Cartilage Tumors: Evalution and Treatment: JAAOS. Vol 8, No 5, September/October 2000, pp 292-304
SOCIETY PRESENTATIONS:
- A Cadaveric Comparison of Grip Forces in the Hand Before and After Hook of the Hamatc Excision: Fifth Annual OREF Midwest Resident Research Competition and Symposium, Chicago, Illinois, May 2002
- The Effects of Pedicle Screw-Rod Distraction Posterior Lumbar Interbody Graft Distraction and Interbody Graft Plus Posterior Compression on Lumbar Foraminal Dimensions and Lordosis: NASS, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2000
RESEARCH ABSTRACTS:
- Brebach G; Montgomery D; Sengupta D: Pedicle Substraction Osteotomy for Flatback Syndrome: A Review of Nine Cases. 2003
- Brebach G; Herkowitz H; Montgomery D; Fischgrund J; Truumees E; Femoral Ring Allografts in Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusions: A Review of 32 Cases. 2003
- Brebach G;Beck P; Lim T; Kim J; Fernandez J; Cohen M: A Cadaveric Comparison of Grip Forces in the Hand Before and After Hook of the Hamate Excision. 2002
- Brebach G; Renner S; Lim T; An H: The Effect of New Calcium Sulfate Cement on the Compression Strength of Vertebroplasty. 2001
- Brebach G; Gitelis S; Piasecki P; Segretti J: The Use of Gentamycin Impregnated Calcium Sulfate Beads in the Treatment of Chronic Osteomyelitis: Eight Case Studies, 2001
BOOK CHAPTERS:
- Orthopaedic Surgery Essentials: Spine: Edited by C Bono and S Garfin, Cervical Spondylosis and Stenosis, G Brebach, J Fishgrund, H Herkowitz, Lippincott, 2004, pp. 106-113
- Orthopaedic Surgery Essentials: Spine: Edited by C Bono and S Garfin, Cervical Radiculopathy, G Brebach, H Herkowitz, Lippincott, 2004, pp.114-121
- The Adult Pediatric Spine, Edited by J Frymoyer and S Wiesel, Operative Techniques: Interbody Fusion, E Truumees, G Brebach, Lippincott, 2004 pp.1133-1152
- The Adult and Pediatric Spine, Edited by J Frymoyer and S Wiesel, Positioning and approaches to the Thoracolumbar Spine: Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Approaches, E Truumees, G Brebach, Lippincott, pp.1061-1080
- Jorge O. Galante, M.D., Excellence in Research Awarded, Effect of New Calcium Phosphate Cement on the Compression Strength of Vertebroplasty. Rush-Presbyterian-St.Lukes’s Medical Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, June 2001
- Valedictorian, Rush Medical College, Class of 1997 (1 of 120)
- Rush-Presbyterian-St.Luke’s Medical Staff Prize for Clinical Excellence (1997): Awarded to the outstanding senior medical student as selected by the medical staff
- Clark-Schmidt Medical Education Scholarship (1997): Awarded by the internal medicine and nursing staffs for demonstrated clinical and academic distinction
- Alpha Omega Alpha (1996): Vice President, Rush Medical College, Zeta Chapter, elected junior year
- Vice Chairman, Surgery Department, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
- Chairman-elect, Surgery Department, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital 2015
- Fellow American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery
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“I was turned down by two well known neurosurgeons in my search to have my neck fixed. Neither of the two neurosurgeons I consulted would operate on me because I have Multiple Sclerosis. A friend referred me to Dr. Brebach who saw that I had done every other thing to relieve the pain and numbness in my neck, arm and hand. He operated on me in September 2020 and the results were immediate! Don’t waste your time going anywhere else!” – Kathryn Y.
“Absolutely fantabulous! Dr. Brebach is truly a gift to his profession! Although I was extremely nervous at the prospect of having a lumbar spinal infusion operation during a National Pandemic, I was in good hands! Dr. Brebach explained what the complexion of the process looked like from the start of surgery through the recovery process. When he noted my apprehensiveness, he worked to set me at ease. His confidence and intimate knowledge helped to calm my fears. Additionally, Dr. Brebach’s medical staff is impressive! They are warm, friendly and pick up the phone when I have called. It’s rare to find a doctor that combines personal touches and care for a patient as a person with outstanding, high-quality medical care. I highly recommend Dr. Gregory Brebach, you won’t be disappointed!” – Anastasia E.
“Dr. Brebach answered all of my questions completely and provided the supporting logic for his recommendations.”
“Great doctor, great team!”