Patient Testimonials

Testimonial of R. H., Entrepreneur, Menlo Park, California   Age:  52

Miraculous!  This in a word sums up the results of my surgery experience - the level of care and skill I received from Dr. Ivan Cheng, his "team," the staff at Stanford, and ultimately the micro-discectomy procedure he performed on me for a severely herniated L-5 disc. The herniation was impinging on my sciatic nerve.  I was in extreme discomfort and constant chronic pain for more than 6 months.  Muscle groups in my buttocks, hip flexors, and hamstrings were kinked and in spasm trying to manipulate and heal my body - to no avail.  I had degenerated to almost a crippled state.

To say I felt like I had a Samurai sword down my leg, and knives in my ankles is no exaggeration!  Then my leg and foot started to go numb and was told that I could have permanent nerve damage if something was not done.  I could not walk without excruciating pain and it even hurt to walk with crutches.  However, in spite of all this, I was told that my body would eventually heal itself, but facing nerve damage and "quality of life" issues trying to wait out another 6-12 more months was not a healthy option, in my opinion.  I requested surgery and now wish I had done it sooner!  The procedure was about 2 hours - cutting edge medical technology and the skill of Dr. Cheng allowed for a minimally invasive procedure that removed the herniated disc portion and left me with a small 1–1/2" scar that has now healed to what appears to be a scratch!!! 

Immediately after the surgery ALL PAIN and issues were gone!!!  I was able to stand erect and walk.  I went home - the same day - and literally helped my daughter with homework before going to bed!  Rehab was a piece of cake - "walk as much as you can," was the recommendation.  It feels so good that I walk routinely a couple times a day with my wife and dog. Again, I cannot say enough good things about this procedure, Dr. Cheng and the incredible immediate results that literally changed my life:  I have my health back, as well as an improved psyche that results from one feeling good again!!!

Testimonial of L.J., Fortunately I am fine, but I have quite a tale.”

I broke my neck on a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, and two weeks later had surgery that has miraculously given me a complete recovery and a normal lifestyle. After hitting my head in shallow water, I felt a crunch in my neck. I never lost mobility and had only minimal loss of sensation in several fingers, but was unable and unwilling to move my neck much.

Unable to get a connection on the satellite phone to request a helicopter ride out, I slept overnight on the ground, continued in a raft down the Colorado River with my commercial trip, rode in a pickup truck on a dirt road up to paved roads, and was driven 5 hours to nearby town.

The Emergency Room Staff x-rayed me and determined I had not broken my neck and should encourage movement to loosen the muscles. I flew to California with a soft neckbrace, just for comfort. I went to see several doctors, including my GP who gave me a prescription for PT and a second physician who strongly recommended a CAT scan and put me back in a hard brace. He called me later that day to say I had a broken neck and needed to go immediately to Stanford Hospital, which he said had the best trauma center in the area. At Stanford Emergency, I was informed that I had one break in the "house" of C5, which was broken through at an angle like a doorstop but not displaced, and while I didn’t need an operation I would need to wear the hard collar for six months or so.

I was asked to visit Dr. Ivan Cheng, a spinal surgeon, on the following Tuesday, five days later. Dr. Cheng ordered x-rays in profile, which showed instability in the neck, because of a second fracture in my facet joint on the C6 vertebra where it met C5. He said that he has seen other patients with a slightly larger gap there who have had paralysis. He said he did not feel that it needed to be operated on by sunset, but felt the C5 and C6 vertebrae should be fused with within a week or so. Not wanting to walk around much longer in this condition, we scheduled the surgery two days later. The operation involved going in on the front of the neck and placing a plate which joins the two vertebrae with four screws, two in each vertebrae to stabilize the joint. The disc between C5 and C6 was removed and a cadaver bone graft was inserted where the disc used to be. The neck was stabilized immediately, but the fusion process took 3-6 months.

Much to my delight, Dr. Cheng told my family that the operation had gone "even better than I expected" which were wonderful words to hear from my surgeon and new hero! I was able to wear a soft collar instead of the hard collar I expected to wear, and when I came in for my six-week checkup, I had "textbook x-rays" and no longer required the soft neck brace. I have better posture than before the operation, and have excellent rotation right, left and up, equal to before the accident. My range of motion looking down is adequate, but less than I had beforehand. Dr. Cheng has cleared me "to play professional ice hockey," a talent I did not know I possessed. I am very thankful for the excellent care I have received!

Testimonial of D. M., Age: 13

"Scoliosis testing for the 7th grade girls today in P.E classes," I heard the announcement, but pushed it to the back of my mind, refusing to believe it.

When my P.E teacher and the woman checking us for scoliosis, notified us that we could get tested with a friend, I immediately snatched Annie's arm, ready to face the fact that this was happening.

The woman checked Annie's spine first, after two seconds, she patted Annie's back and said, "Great, you can stand up." I prayed she would say the same thing to me. Just my luck, she didn't.

She took a good two minutes just looking at my spine which, on it's own, is intense. She finally sighed and explained how I would have to take home a note, to my mom about the "seemingly harmless" curve in my spine.

I looked at her and shuffled out of the room with Annie at my heels. "I bet it's okay. It's just like a ... precaution, you know?" Easy for you to say, I thought, but I just looked at her and nodded. Inside, I was heartbroken, wishing that this could have been someone, anyone, but me.

The next week, my mom took me to the chiropractor. I visited Dr. X to ease the pain and try to get my curves a lower degree. After a few visits, he suggested I get some x-rays to check out my back. After that, he referred us to a spine specialist.

"Hmm." It was so easy to read Dr. W's mind, you could almost hear his thoughts out loud, "I'm pretty sure I'm correct about my decision, but I'm going to have to refer you to my friend, Dr. Ivan Cheng, in Stanford, about getting fitted for a brace."

So, come November 26th, after praying my heart out that Dr. Ivan Cheng and Dr. R [his fellow] disagreed with Dr.W, I walked into his examining room after taking more x-rays of my spine.

After examining my x-rays, the two doctors enter my examining room with grief written all over their faces.

"So, Dr. R and I have very carefully inspected your x-rays and your curves have increased an amazingly high amount in 6 months. They are about 60 degrees, actually, and that on it's own is enough to get surgery.

I felt the hot tears in my eyes and my cheeks lighting on fire. But I didn't cry. My mouth was hanging wide open for the world to see my tonsils but no words came out. My back ached for attention but I refused to give it the rubbing satisfaction it so desperately needed. I didn't do anything. I just sat and stared at the men I thought I had a new hate for.

It was set for January 25th and after thinking long and hard about my surgery's benefits, I was finally excited to get it over with.

The day of my surgery, I walked into the hospital with complete confidence and only the shaking nervousness to remind me I was still human. They took my weight and height for the last time, and check my vital signs. I had to change into a hospital gown and pants. They wrapped me up in blankets and had me lay down while they glued electrodes to my head to monitor my brain waves. They gave me "happy juice" that made me feel funny and they explained everything to me. They wheeled me down the hallway on the small cot and told me to relax, to sleep. They told me they'd wake me up when I was ready.

As it turns out, "ready" meant five hours later, and "five hours" feels like five seconds.

At this point, you can skip through a months worth of activity. Skip through my six day hospital stay, my pain, my vital signs, my [drains], my birthday, my presents, my nurses, my heroes, my bandages, my height, my visitors, my ride home, my PAIN, my pictures, my weight loss, my flowers, my x-rays, my TV shows, and my restrictions. Skip everything and go to my first day back at school, February 25th, exactly one month after my surgery.

My surgery was almost 4 months ago and I'm feeling absolutely wonderful! Sure, I still have the occasional back pain when I stand in one place for too long or if I sit in hard chair with no back support, but it's getting better every day and I would suggest this surgery to anyone who needs it!

Thanks to Dr. Ivan Cheng ... my wonderful nurses, my family, and my friends, I have a happy life with much, much, much less pain than before my surgery!

Testimonial of B.P., Age: 65

It is with great pleasure that I write to you, in hopes that you will pass this testimonial on to future patients that may have some uncertainty in the Xtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion surgery.

I am 65 years old and a self employed commercial real estate broker, for years I suffered what I thought was normal back aches and pains, however, in 2000 a local neurosurgeon diagnosed me with spinal scoliosis. At that time he outlined the very invasive surgical procedure which would involve incision both thought my stomach and back area. He suggested that I could have the surgery at that time or that I could wait until the pain became unbearable.

By 2007, the pain was 24 / 7, I could not stand straight for more that 5 to 10 minutes, or walk a short distance and most of all, and I could not find any position that would relieve the pain. In early 2008, I interviewed three orthopedic groups, one local, one in San Francisco and Dr Cheng at Stanford. Dr Cheng was recommended to me by a friend as a Doctor that was on the cutting edge of a new and less invasive surgery called XLIF.

After my first appointment with Dr. Cheng, I scheduled my surgery for early October 2008 at Stanford Hospital. The concept of major surgery is very unsettling; however, I went into surgery that day very calm, knowing the confidence Dr. Cheng had in his technique, his skills and his surgical team. 36 hours after surgery I requested that the heavy pain medication be stopped, due to the fact that the back pain I suffered form was nearly gone and I only need some Tylenol for the surgery discomfort. 24 hours after surgery I was walking, wobbly but with very little back discomfort, and five days later I walk unassisted out of Stanford Hospital.

Ten days after being home from the hospital, I was driving my car and spending several hours each day at my work unassisted. This is primary due to fact that I was not on any prescription pain medication, along with Dr. Cheng’ s less invasive lateral surgery and the new disc technology. To this date, I have only taken some Tylenol and my biggest hurdle, is that I feel so good that I forget I am still in recovery and I must remind myself “NO BLT”, no bending, lifting or twisting.

I want to thank you Dr. Cheng, for your blessed skills and I wish much success with your future patients.