Recommendations for Neurosurgeons outside of The Villages
 

My wife has what is apparently a ruptured disc which may need surgery. All of the neurosurgeons we've contacted in The Villages (and Ocala and Leesberg) can't even see her for a month, much less do surgery on her. She's in a huge amount of pain and is having to use a wheelchair as she can't even walk with a walker. She needs to see somebody soon but still needs to see somebody who is really good. Can anybody recommend a neurosurgeon outside of The Villages, such as in Orlando, Tampa or Gainesville?

U of F
 

You might want to try Shands in Gainesville....but time maybe a problem. But care is great. Give it a try if quality of care is your main concern.

If you can get her primary to order an MRI, that may shorten the process. I saw Dr. Oh at Shands and they required an mri before my first appt. That was a huge timesaver because any neuro that you see is going to order one and then you'll have to wait for an mri appt, then wait for a follow-up appt for the results. If you get the MRI, be sure and tell the neuro that you already have one.

Some of the top neurosurgeons are at shands. A referral will help you get in. They saved my life three times enough said ..

I Had unbearable back pain the travel down my left leg and couldn’t walk. When my pain doctor saw my MRI he said epidurals won’t help so he recommended a neurosurgeon. Saw Dr. Christopher Baker in Orlando and though I was against anyone messing around with my spinal cord he put my wife and I at ease by patiently going over my MRI layer by layer. Had L3 and L4 fused and that stopped the pain pretty quickly since the disc was no longer pressing on my spinal cord.
So I definitely recommend Advent health and Dr. Baker if you’re needing a competent caring neurosurgeon with over 35 years experience.
(407) 975-0200

Dr Cory Hartman at Orlando Neurosurgery in Orlando. I had minimally invasive outpatient surgery for a disc in January at Advent with Dr Hartman and did very well-no pain. Highly recommend.Take an appt with a nurse practitioner if necessary and get the ball rolling.

Thanks for the recommendations, all! She has already had 2 MRIs, so I'm going to start calling these offices to see when we could get her in.

I can't refer a neurosurgeon but when we moved here, we were told if there was anything life threatening to get to Gainesville. Sure enough, our primary care doc referred my wife to a gastro specialist, who referred her to another gastro doc in Ocala, who referred her to Gainesville. The team in Gainesville saved her.

Any chance you mean Daniel "Hoh" and not "Oh"?

I highly recommend Dr Marc Winestein at t. he Fla Orthopedic Institute in Tampa. They now have a facility in Ocala. Dr Small also at FOI Tampa.

Sorry, no recommendations, but I wish your wife quick surgery, and or healing, through this terrible ordeal.

I have a fused L4L5 disc. Dr Christopher Baker in Orlando. He did an awesome job; fixed and zero problems with it. He cleaned out the stenosis while he was in there. Highly recommend him.

Had work related injury.

I did a lot of research and was pretty scared as most came out to 50/50 with positive fusion results.

I found him by being in a Margaritiville demo home before moving to T V. I was crouched on the floor "fixing" my back into place. A guy came in and I excused myself for being in the way. He said "no problem, I can relate. I had my back done 6 mos ago and feel 10 years younger." I asked who he went to. He said Neurosurgeon, Dr. Christopher Baker in Orlando. I called next day and set appt.

As my injury was work related I went through work comp process. At my "hearing" with attorneys, the w c attorney on my employers side no less, said. "Good thing you went to a neorosurgeon. We would have sent you to an orthopedic dr and you would be lucky to walk again."

Anyway I met 2 angels from being in that model home that day. Yep, Dr Christopher Baker all the way.

Good luck! Hope your wife feels better soon.

Dr. Freeman at HCA Ocala.

Bio spine in Orlando does same day minimally invasive surgery to remove discs. I would bring mri images with me to speed process

Orthopedic surgeon
 

I used an orthopedic surgeon for my minor back surgery. I found out my orthopedic doctor has been doing a procedure implanting expanders in between
vertebrae’s for many years as many doctors have just started
expanders . Neurosurgeon versus
orthopedic surgeon I suppose you have good reasons . Good luck .