Dr. Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD

He's just a phenomenal doctor and I feel lucky to have him as mine. He's got a great team too. If you have complicated spine issues he is definitely the man to see.

After suffering for 35 years with scoliosis, this doctor was highly recommended. After going through the usual pain management, physical therapy, etc., Dr. Shaffrey agreed to surgery. He told me that he could improve my pain 50%; however, I should remember that total fusion would prevent me from tying my shoes. I didn't care that I couldn't tie my shoes and wanted to have an improvement in pain so I agreed. The surgery seemed to be successful. However, after going home, I began having severe pain in my left shoulder area - to the point of crying everyday. Each time I tried to lie down, the pain took my breath. I suffered like this for four months, even traveling four different times to see him and each time he dismissed my pain. I could not stand straight nor keep my shoulders aligned. I pleaded with him to fix me. He agreed to a revision surgery to straighten my shoulders and fix the screw that had been placed sideways (the source of my pain). The second surgery was worse… than the first. The pain was gone where the screw was fixed, but he re-curved my spine to align my shoulders! I now have a thoracic curve (again), extreme inward lumbar curve, and my neck is pushed forward. All of this structural misalignment has caused severe pain in areas from my neck to my hips and I am unable to sit without a pillow because of the severe curve in my lower back. Of course, he is saying this is what I wanted. He's the expert, right? I wanted an improvement to my original scoliosis and now I am in worse condition! I would never recommend this surgeon!

Dr. Chris Shaffrey took me from not being able to stand or walk to walking again.

I could hardly walk. He said he could only get me about 50% out of pain- from severe adult onset scoliosis, arthritis, degenerative disk disease, etc. After healing I was 99% out of pain!

The very best Neurosurgeon anyone can have. I received wonderful care from him and his team. I send many people to him.

If you need spine surgery, whether it is initial or revision surgery, I can not recommend forcefully enough that you make an appointment with Dr. Chris Shaffrey. He took me from flat back syndrome as a result of previous failed spinal surgery, and gave me a new life. He is rough when you first meet him. He is rough during and after the surgeries. No one knows , except me what this fine man has done for me. PLEASE SEE HIM FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome Doctor and an even better Surgeon. He fused ten vertebrae in my back to correct the scoliosis I have had all my life.

MOST AMAZING AND KNOWLEDGEABLE NEUROSURGEON!!!!

OUTSTANDING SURGEON

I've seen Dr. Shaffrey three times over the span of three years and he seems very uncomfortable in my presence. Rather than talking to me, he talks to my spouse about me--he never makes eye contact with me and if I ask a question, he often ignores me. He spends less than 10 minutes per visit and he has never once asked me about my pain or quality of life. He comes into the room with his mind already made up based on x-rays alone and he never considers anything else, and he refuses to discuss the opinion of my referring doctor, who is a spinal neurologist. Until the third visit, after I've been struggling with chronic pain for three years, he never even recommended a course of treatment. Finally, he has now suggested physical therapy now that my pain is so bad that even sleeping is torturous. I don't care how great other doctors say he is, I can't imagine having to deal with him in the aftermath of surgery. His attitude and the comments he makes leaves me feeling as if I don't… deserve treatment. Iâ??m an emotional wreck afterwards. The third will be my last visitâ??I will gladly travel elsewhere to find another expert on scoliosis.