Christopher Uchiyama, MD, PhD

Dr. Uchiyama is an excellent, caring doctor. I highly recommend him.

He is worth the 3 months that you need to wait for an initial appointment. He is caring and patient, explains everything in lay terms and he makes me feel as though I'm the only patient he has to see. He performed surgery for my spinal stenosis, disk issues as well as a spinal fusion last year. My recovery went very well and he and his team were with me all of the way. His PA's are wonderful and if Dr. U can't see me, I have every confidence with them. Being in pain, having surgery and recovering is difficult, Dr. U and his team did everything to make the process as comfortable and accommodating as possible. Can't say enough good things.

I had Spinal Stenosis 3/4 collapse cervical C3, C4 and needed spine replacement and have moderate disc degeneration C5, C6. Not a simple cervical surgery in my estimation ~however Dr Uchiyama and his staff handled my case expediently and with the utmost care. My recovery in hindsight was amazing considering the restoration required. I was so fortunate to have his high level of expertise . I’m truly grateful and HIGHLY Recommend him as he is quite well known in his field as well.

I have had tingling feelings and numbness on arms and legs on 2005 and a brain MRI revealed nothing. I saw surgeons in John Hpkins and Scripps. Dr. Uchiyama said it might be my neck (only doctor who suggested it 10 yrs before I got diagnosed). 12 yrs later I ended up having ACDFP with Dr Uchiyama. My surgery went perfectly I had no complications. My only regret is that I did not get IC autograft as Dr, UChiayama suggested me. Literature suggests a high number of patients suffer IC pain after that surgery. I have a geriatrician friend who sees hundreds of expatients from Dr. UChiyama and he told me that Dr Uchiayama;s patients do not usually have that IC pain issue. I cannot say enough good things about Scripps neuro unit nurses. Lindsey, Jose, Whitney they did everything possible to care for me (my mom said she would not be able care for me the way they did). Crystal the speech therapist... she is the just the most caring medical professional. Same about the physical therapist guy (I… forgot his name). I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Burdick (he explained me every little issue, answered my phone calls even at 10 pm at night). I had little interactions with doctor (PA) Joshua, he was amazing and caring. So was nurse Andrea (Amazing). Doctor Alia took care of me originally. For two years she called me back on every little issue I ever had. She gets a bit annoyed when I ask on complications (its because she knows Dr. UChiyama has very little complications and its not worth for patients to worry about every one of them. I am a very difficult patient). Ovrall she treated me like a family not like a doctor (she is very very knowledgeable and honest). Her care is amazing. She is someone I can rely on.She always wanted the best for me and wanted me not to worry too much low possibilities of complications. These are the reasons I went to Dr UChiyama: 1) I once ran into a nursing co-ordinator (who worked for scripps for 30 years), she said she would recommend Dr.UChiyama over any surgeon. she recommended her family to him. She introduced me to a guy who said he would about every major complications or death from every surgery in the hospital, he had not see a single major mishap in any of Dr. UChiyama's cases for his long tenure. 2) My favorite neurologist Dr. emily bernstein and my favorite PCP DR Tripuraneni both said if I m seeing Dr. UChiayama they would want me to stick to him. Those two are also amazing doctors and very caring and very honest. 3) Nurses, officials, PCPs, neurologists in other hospitals do not give out any information about any surgeon. In scripps they are honest, welcoming any question (they do not give out specific patient information but overall very happy with the surgical results) and I felt comfortable knowing how happy they are with Dr. UChiyama (and also some other surgeons, like Dr. Eastlack). I could see Dr. Eastlack as a second opinion, but I did not (because both dr. Tripuraneni and Dr. Bernstein suggested to see one of them and stick to him). I m so thankful to the whole scripps and the amazing doctors, nurses, physical therapists, speech therapists... My surgery is recent so I might end up not fusing. Doctors can do their best work, but we cannot go beyond God's wishes. My experience with Scripps and Dr. UChiyama would be one of best I had in life (I have had amazing doctors in UCSF and Mayo as well). UCSF is the best(in terms care, knowledge, expertise and success in outcome). Scripps is as good in every respect. After visiting UCSF and the very doctors in world I knew do not need to go to UCSF. WE have Scripps which is just as good.

Dr. Uchiyama and Dr. Frankel performed a successful back surgery resulting in free of pain within 2.5 months.

I have total respect and confidence in Dr. Uchiyama,

Dr. Uchiyama took great care of me before and after my surgery.

He is an awesome neurologist. He lets you ask questions, he asks lots of questions and answers any questions you ask. He is very thorough and very professional.

Had severe sciatica for over a year, and went with ALIF surgery.Immediate relief right after the surgery.Was told recovery of residual pain from surgery could be up to a year. Went to a place called Spine Zone for physical therapy the last couple of months and that helped so much. And a year later I am pain free! Happy, Happy, Happy!!!!!

He is the best. Look no further...