Derek Bui, BS, MA, DO

I have had extensive training in treating spinal conditions leading to back and neck pain, numbness and weakness including herniated disks, lumbar stenosis, sciatica, spine tumors, spinal deformity and scoliosis. I employ advanced techniques in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, including minimally invasive decompression and fusion, robotic spine surgery, and artificial disk replacement. I was also one of the few neurosurgeons in the country who specializes in the treatment of complex peripheral nerve disorders leading to extremity pain and weakness, including carpal tunnel, ulnar nerve compression, sciatic nerve compression, peripheral nerve tumors, thoracic outlet syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, brachial plexus injury and peripheral nerve injury, and nerve transfers for restoring limb function. I use techniques such as intraoperative ultrasound, electrical stimulation and endoscopy to treat patients.

My interest in Pain Medicine sparked from my desire to provide pain relief for patients to improve patient function and quality of life through interventional procedures. My philosophy in caring for patients entails improving patient function and quality of life through comprehensive patient-centered care. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors with family and friends.

I became a physical therapist after experiencing first hand the injuries that can occur while playing sports. Shortly after graduating college, I opened my private practice. During that time, I was the physical therapist of a first division basketball team and a provider at the international Diamond Racket tennis tournament. After moving to the United States 10 years later, I worked as the manager in an outpatient spine center, but after 2 years, I opened an outpatient clinic that specialized in orthopaedic manual therapy. The treatment approach was a combination of manual hands-on techniques, specific exercises for the targeted condition and patient education. In 2016, I teamed up with a national physical therapy company for 4 years, but in 2020, I joined UNC so I could give my patients the care they deserve.