How to choose a Spine Surgeon

When is a good time as your last option to get a Neurosurgeon, guidance or advise that you need this kind of surgery. Well explained. but I still in doubt with spinal surgery. I don't want my mother getting worst after a spinal surgery. Have read a lot of reviews saying don't get the spinal surgery just for your sciatica pain. Thank you, for the info.

Had an Ortho mess up the lower spine. Neuro got me walking again. Currently looking for any surgeon I can see in less than 3 months currently.

Many good suggestions here. I would definitely recommend getting two or even three opinions. Get your surgeons independently from each other. In other words, do not ask one of your surgeons to recommend another surgeon for a second opinion. You want these surgeons to be objective and non-prejudicial.
Another source for physician recommendations would be Castle Connolly.

I didn't have a choice for my spine surgeon. I had an emergency Laminectomy and then a spinal fusion 5 days later. I've been told that both surgeons are great doctors.

Great suggestions. I have done most of these already just in my own thinking and trying to understand my very best next steps. Thanks for codifying.

Hi Doctor, I always learn from you. You suggested that I call and make a virtual appointment with you and when the time is right I definitely will be doing so. However, I am getting shots in my back and they have completely stopped the the pain in my legs. I have no idea how long that will work. When I asked I was told until they don't. Once they don't I will be scheduling a virtual visit. The pain was really bad in my legs. I just want to say thank you for what you do. At this time we only have 1 spine surgeon. The other one was killed here in Tulsa. Oklahoma by a disgruntled patient. I don't know if you saw that on the news or not. Anyway, just wanted to tell you that you are a Godsend as none of my doctors so far have explained anything. Without you I wouldn't understand or know what to do. Much love, Terri

I'm having two level Cervical disc replacement in two weeks. Hope I have the chosen the correct surgeon! I interviewed 4 different surgeons and choose the one with the best reviews and the only one offering ADR instead of fusion. He is fellowship trained at the Cleveland clinic. Dr. Su is too far away or I would have chosen him. I have watched all his videos, twice!

Thanks, help a lot when my surgeon is actually on the fence and I should ask for a second opinion

May God bless you as you bless so many. Thank you. I have learned so much. It has taken some of the fear of having surgery. Thank you.

Thank you for valuable information! It is great to know that you can see either kind of surgeon. In 2018 I had ALIF 360 and my surgeon told my the pain should go away. Now we are in 2023 the pain still here! Yes fixed rupturing disc and I have cage but the pain is still will 24/7! I have done and used medication, therapy with little to no results! I am seeing surgeon but he seems like there not much can be done. I feel the patient loses and the surgeon goes on live his or life. But what about all patients that are still suffering with no answers?

That’s so right! Ask the staff. That’s what I did.

Hi Dr Su, I wish that your video was available 4 weeks ago. I went to see Dr Deuk on 26 Aug due to all his good reviews and testimonials. I had C5-C6, C6-C7 disc laser repair and C5-C6, C6-C7, C7-T1, L4-L5, L-S1 bilateral rhizotomies. Now I am in a lot worse pain than before with painful head drop, excruciating chronic pain referring in shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, legs and feet. I wish I never went.

I've got to get an appointment with this guy he sounds legit

Your videos are great and informative. Thank you.

Thank You Dr. Su. God bless You!

My son has to have C2 to the T rods and screws... we did a second opinion and now he has put us on hold.... surgery was suppose to be June 6 th and here we are looking for a new neurosurgeon ...

When is a nerve stimulator implant an option? Two lumbar surgeries, and still have leg pain from the first surgery.

Dear Dr - you are doing a gr8 job and i was wanting to have a virtual appointment with you for consultation (will connect to your clinic). Im a cervical stenosis patient and will need ir expert opinion.

Tsouvien cmnt mum m avé acompagné douff a lhostol

Hi can you Please help me I'm scared to have surgery.


L4-L5: Diffuse disc bulge and bilateral facet hypertrophy resulting in mild
bilateral neural foraminal stenosis.
L5-S1: Grade 1 anterior listhesis of L4 on L5. Fatty degenerative endplate
signal changes and degenerative endplate irregularity at L5-$1. Chronic
appearing anterior wedging and $1. Disc space narrowing at L5-S1. There is
unroofing of the disc with diffuse disc bulge, central disc protrusion, and
pilateral facet hypertrophy. There is resulting severe canal stenosis with
compression of the cauda equina, and moderate-severe bilateral neural foraminal
stenosis.
IMPRESSION:
Listhesis at L5-S1 with chronic degenerative changes resulting in severe canal
stenosis with cauda equina compression and moderate-severe bilateral neural foraminal stenosis.

My question is about disc replacement. When does a Pt need one? Does having a large caudal disc extrusion with a fissure require a replacement

Can you please address the effects of stenosis on anxiety and depression?

Dr. Su. Wonderful advice and I thank you.

Dear Dr Brian would it be possible for your expert opinion? After being messed around by NHS physiotherapists (UK) with exercises for the last year, I got a private x-ray from a local chiropractor and it looks like I have severe DDD in the l5s1 disc with the left hand facet joint transversed to the sacrum. my symptoms are throbbing paint in the l5 vertebrae and facet joints with tightness from l5 into buttock left hand side I get an intermittent shooting pain in this area LH with puts my lower back muscles into spasm. what treatment would you recommend for this problem surgery or pain management as i'm getting nowhere with my local health service. many thanks

I endorse the recommendation to seek a fellowship trained spine surgeon. They are not hard to find in metropolitan areas, and for spine surgery, it is worth traveling to a major medical center. I write this as a professor who works in this area at a major medical school and School of Public Health, with a doctoral degree and 40 years of experience.

How can I contact you dr I need a one and one with you

Thank you for sharing your expertise. I can’t begin to tell you how timely it is for me to hear your suggestions about finding the right surgeon and the right to ask for a second opinion. THANK YOU!!

Dr. Su….. how do I get a consultation with you??, how do I get my MRI to you so we can at least do a tel a visit?.. I would greatly appreciate you professional opinion, Charlene

Could i get in touch with you send you a irm scan, i have a surgery 2 motnhs ago and i tink is a fail my pain is still there.

I ask people who used that surgeon. But still in pain!

What about opll?

I asked for the reports and the doctor said nobody does this anymore. He also was completely against anterior surgery, said it doesn't make sense to cut you open from the front. Orthopedic surgeon for 24 yrs with fellowship only does spine

in reality most surgeons will get offended if you ask them about their experience and success rates. That has been my experience.

i was wondering if surgeons put anything on the screws to keep them from coming loose? For example mechanics put something called loctite on bolts.

Awesome information. Thank you for doing this!

Thank you for this information. We have an appointment tomorrow with a spine doc. Your information is greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for these videos! You really demystify the spine and the medicine (the practice of medicine, that is) related to it. As someone who will likely need fusion for spondylolisthesis in the near future, your presentations of information have been very helpful and reassuring.

Good Day... I've watched many of your videos initially because I just love medical science and your presentations are always really well done. Now, I have my own cervical spine problem and need to think about when and who I want to fix it. If I were on the west coast I'd be calling you. But, I'm in Pennsylvania. I have seen one neurosurgeon who is conservative and like you suggest, considers surgery as that last resort. He told me I'd probably need surgery in the next year or so but that he would wait a whole lot longer based upon my symptoms and imaging. I realize that ACDF is the "gold standard" for cervical stenosis with radiculopathy and/or myelopathy. However, because I've been told I need a 4 level ACDF I have investigated some other less invasive procedures that I'm wondering about. While I've seen several options, including Discseel and the like, one that interests me most is the procedure done at Deuk Spine Institute using a laser. It is basically a laparoscopic procedure that does not include fusion. I guess not having fusion is the part that makes me so interested. I'm wondering if you could either point me to any longitudinal data regarding success of that procedure and/or your own thoughts about it's success. Thanks again for your well made videos.

Doctor, you’ve got a talent to deliver information in a very clear and concise manner. So rare to find.

For kids Scoliosis can you recommend it a place to go in California. Thank You

Your information is so helpful. Thank you. Our 13 yo daughter has recently been recommended surgery for a grade 3/4 slip of her l5. She only has slight back pain but they said it will only get worse. That’s the only option they gave us. She seems so young for surgery.

Excellent information. Personally I did investigations my self before I went with the Nurosugeon I have. Reviews asked around.

You are very inspirational and knowledgeable in your field of practice, which is very important for viewers to trust. Your honest thoughts are very helpful because right now, I am in Bangkok, Thailand from the UK and wish there was someone like you here. I had severe neck pain on the 30th July 2024, week 1 was terrible, week 2 was 70% pain and week 3 about 40% pain. I am unable to raise my left arm on its own more than 90 degrees, but with practice and exercise I just hope it improves. I already had an MRI scan and C4/C5 has stenosis. I am going to a rehab therapy clinic twice a week to try and solve the problem without surgery. I am only 47 and do not want to have surgery if I can help it. It would be so nice to have a video call with you for 5mins to see what you think.

Hi, Dr. Su. I hope you allow questions, LOL. I spoke to a spine surgeon today who does all spine, all the time. I did so because of some preposterous advice received from Kaiser, mainly from their legal department. My Kaiser MD, a great guy said "go elsewhere regarding the spine and your particular symptoms." The all-spine guy was very nice and had strong opinions that he was happy to explain. Seemed like a great guy and he's top rated...

I wonder, is there a 'grapevine,' among spine surgeons where it's known that Ms. X or Mr. Y is not quite in the absolute top tier of spine surgeons, or "if it were me I'd have that guy operate but not that person?" Is there a reliable mechanism to describe the top ten spine surgeons in the world?

If there are ten top rated spine surgeons, does dumb luck on operating day play the biggest role in outcome? Meaning, if you get the number 3 person on a great day vs. the number 1 on a mediocre day, could you get dramatically different outcomes? This is a little different than say, the best airline pilots-pretending there are only 2 great pilots for simplification. Odds are both 1&2 will land safely in Cleveland, that is the outcome. But regarding an ACDF surgery between two great surgeons, should a patient experience similar outcomes for the same operation but performed by two imminently qualified spine surgeons?

Here's my final question - is there some consensus mechanism out there? Wherein the top ten spine surgeons when consulted about a very typical operation would all say "this is the ONLY way to perform this particular procedure?" If so, and the patient knows this, that would be very reassuring.

That's a hell of a lot of stuff I've put out there. Thanks either way!

Great channel!

Good evening Doctor ,
Can you please suggest some post acdf surgery exercises to do

Would kyphoplasty for an old t spine compression fracture with ant wedging support the spine if the goal is return to heavier lifting? Won't it provide structural support and prevent any instability due to less bone and more wedging?

Hi Dr Su, which one of your videos should I watch if I have advanced osteoarthritis of the lower lumbar area, broadbase disc bulge x 3 and foraminal narrowing and nerve compression,
Thank you