Dr. Keith Happ Bridwell, MD

Dr. Bridwell recommended spinal rods when others did not. Ultimately, I followed his advice and it was the most important and most positive health decision of my life. I will not end up facing the floor like my mother and I can participate almost fully in healthful activities. He combined analysis of my medical condition with a forecast for my personal future. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Although he's either shy or geeky or both. He keeps his words to an absolute minimum. When I felt numbed by his quietude, his staff were quick to tell me about the loss of his wife, raising his teen age daughter, and how his spinal textbook had been translated into many other languages. His staff obviously love him and that makes an outstanding epithet.

Dr Bridwell and his staff have changed my life for the better at age 59! I've suffered with scoliosis my entire life, wore a Milwaukee brace as a teen, and lived with chronic pain. I stand straight, tall and pain free thanks to my recent surgery! He is life changing!!

If you are in your late 20's to mis 40's this is not the Dr to see. He would not give me the time of day to answer my questions. He could not tell me where my pain was coming from and seemed to frankly not care. I was born with a deformed spine and was referred to him because he is supposed to be one of the best. Well, his bedside manners stink and he is just a horrible person. He was very rude to my significant other as well. He needs to be in our shoes for one day, then maybe he can understand a little of what we go through. I will find an answer to this pain from someone else.

Dr. Bridwell saved me from back surgery, I highly recommend

My daughter was first diagnosed with severe scoliosis in 2011, when she was 13 years old. We were referred to our local Pediactric Orthopaedic surgeon, who has very high marks for his bedside manner, but he was not considered an expert in regards to spinal fusion surgery. I spoke with a family friend who happened to be a Chiropractor and he directed me to Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis. Dr. Bridwell's knowledge and expertise is second to none. After careful research I made an appointment for my daughter to see Dr. Bridwell and we have never looked back. He doesn't have the best bedside manner but I never got the impression that he as arrogant or didn't care. He performed my daughter's surgery in 2012. Several months after surgery my daughter stated, "I don't feel like I have scoliosis anymore." As a parent I know that I took my daughter to the most qualified surgeon available to her and I am just so grateful that a little girl from a small town in the middle of Missouri was able to… have her surgery and follow up care with Dr. Bridwell and his team.

Dr. Bridwell is undoubtedly the most arrogant, pompous jerk I have ever met. We were completely unprepared for the amount of suffering our child would endure. I'm stunned to find anyone give him a decent review. Our pre surgery testing ran nearly $15,000. Our first appoinent we waited from 9:15-noon to see him. He did not have the courtesy to come talk to us after a nearly 6 hour surgery on our child (he phoned). No matter what our questions or concerns they were ignored, or we were told "that's his protocol" and there were no variations. We didn't understand how he could know our child's needs post surgery when he spent 2 minutes with her the 1st 4 days after surgery. The hospital staff seemed scared of him. The only saving grace was the outstanding nursing care and the pain mgt doctors. After 5 days in the hospital we were told the goal wasn't to get our child pain-free, but to have function. We felt like we were just another reason for Bridwell to pat himself on the back. He… may be good, but there are other good surgeons who treat the patient & family with common courtesy & respect.

His bedside manner is terrible. I overheard him making some rude comments about someone elses as I was leaving the office. He told me all I needed was physical therapy. The physical therapist he sent me to didn't understand why I was there and told me there was nothing she could do for me. She asked me if Dr. Bridwell had a plan of action because she suggested that I would probably need cortisone injections. He had no plan and did not want to help. I then went to a different doctor who said I needed to have the injections, which did help my problem.

Dr. Bridwell is THE best spine surgeon around. I have been blessed to have the best. He is caring and will see to it that every detail is worked out before any procedure is done. This includes all testing, who would want to have such an invasive surgery WITHOUT all the testing, done by the surgeon who is performing it??? He's the greatest and worth the trip every time.

You cannot get a more competent professional. I would trust him with anyone I know who has a spinal problem. He is the best and second to none!

Very intense while looking at your xrays, scans, etc. He will not even schedule a surgery date until he is totally absolutely sure where, how, etc he is going to operate which is prior to open up, see then decide. This man is not in private business but his focus is research and improvement for the sake of improving the situation for so many of us without major risk or for money. He is past the time of fame, he has published many papers, and during my last visit there were 2 large text books on Scoliosis on the nurse's desk, each volume was about 8 inch thick.I am travelling to St Louis from Mexico as many other of his patients, the technology and close proximity of all other specialists is amazing.