Howard Benjamin Levene, MD

Had major surgery on back, 5 fusions 15 hours. He discharged me 6 months after. I had to have arm surgery because they left blood pressure cuff on too long and my right arm ulnar nerve ruined. I cannot stand up straight, 60 degrees off. Total disaster. Teaching hospital no lawyers will take. STAY AWAY.

At one time I could not walk. I was injured while in the military. Dr. Levene performed the surgery on my back. After 6 hours, I went to the critical unit. After that, I went to a regular room and was there recovering. The second day, I was walking. Tears came down my eyes and also my wife. I recommend Dr. Levene to whom ever needs a back surgery. God bless you Dr. Levene and your family.

First let me share what Dr. Leven was up against in my own situation. I have had five cervical spinal fusions in the span of 5 years. Three of the surgeries were the result of psuedoarthrosis which is the failure of my own body not fusing the levels intended to be fused. These failures can be attributed to the fact that I smoke cigarettes. first a word of advise. YOU MUST STOP SMOKING for these procedures to have a better chance of success. I did stop smoking in preparation for the last surgery I had. It is that important !!! The failure to fuse by no means is the fault of any of the three Neurosurgeons who have performed on me. Dr. Levene was the last surgeon to perform a surgery on me and his was the most complicated and most challenging of all of the surgeries I have experienced. I had to be fused through the back of my neck from C3 all the way to T2. It also included a partial laminectomy of C3. Although I was previously fused through both front and back of C4 to C6 Dr.… Levene had to remove the hardware of the previous posterior approach of C4-C5-C6. Then he needed to remove the failed fusion matter of the previous anterior approach to fuse C3-C4 and C6-C7. After this long and delicate surgery I was left with rods extending from C3 to T2 and re-fusion of the failed C3-C4 and C6-C7. The rods extended beyond the actual fusions to provide support to my neck so I can hold my head up. I did not have any disc matter removed and a fusion preformed at C7-T2. After this long surgery I was an inpatient at the Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center where the surgery was performed. I was discharged wearing a Minerva brace which is basically a halo brace that did not allow my head any movement. With my history of failed fusions Dr. Levene did all he could to make this surgery a success. My part of this teamwork was to NOT SMOKE. Being somewhat incapacitated for a few months the smoking cessation was not as difficult as expected. No doubt this was a painful surgery which requires the bisection of many muscles and nerves in the back, shoulders and neck. Honestly, I was miserable and hurt like heck for at least a month post-op. Now on to my opinion of Dr. Levene. As I mentioned I have had other neurosurgeons who have performed some fusions. Three to be exact. Dr. Levene was the last one and I pray the very last one to perform a fusion(s). He is by far the most educated, well spoken, very caring and most of all, to me at least, the best Surgeon I could have ever asked for. He is very down to earth in explaining what needs to be done. He does not candy coat anything and allows you to provide input about his decisions and what he feels needs to be done. He listens to how you live your life, how you want your life to be following such a procedure and does the best he can with the tools given and most current technics available. He is an outstanding surgeon. Not that I would ever wish to have anymore fusions if I did, he would be the one I would go to. He works in Miami and I live in Orlando. the 200 miles to see him is not even a factor in who my choice would be in operating on me. He does contract with the VA as well as performing surgeries with the University Of Miami across the street from the VA. He is a teaching surgeon who has in his staff students learning the craft of Neurosurgery. So not only do you get the best in my opinion operating on you. You also get his students as well in the operating room. That being said, he makes sure that what he is performing is the best he can provide because he is also teaching these new surgeons doctors to be just as good as he is. Something they could hope they could be. Dr. Levene is absolutely the best Neurosurgeon I have ever had the experience to be involved with and in all of my research of neurosurgeons he passes all litmus tests. I would recommend him to anyone who has the means to have him as their neurosurgeon. As for the outcome of my surgery that he performed. It has been two years now. I will never be like before and no matter how good the surgeon is, when you mess with the spine and in my case so extensively, this surgery gave me back the best life possible under the circumstances of my own individual situation. I will forever be grateful for the SUCCESSFUL surgery he performed in the manner he chose to do it. Dr. Levene, my wife, kids and everyone who is involved in my life THANK YOU for being the best. I will be eternally grateful to you Thanks

Dr. Levene has been contracted with the Miami VA. As a veteran I was referred to Dr. Levene for some pretty serious spinal issues and repairs needed from two past cervical fusions. His approach, bedside manner and the way he explains the medical problems I had were outstanding by any measure. He also had resident neurosurgeons working with him as assistants. These resident students could not have a better mentor than Dr. Levene. I had a very complicated problem that required over 8 hours of surgery and many months to recover. Never once did I dount the treatment plan nor the operation itself that Dr. Levene provided. I would rate him as the best of the three other neurosurgoens who have worked on me. I would gladly recommend him to anyone who needs someone as trained yet compassionate as he is. He is a great doctor who does not suffer from the "God " complex displayed by many neurosurgeons I have met. Thak you Dr. Levene for doing your best in a situation where the outcome… was unknown.

service from his staff was horrible.Dr Levene didn't listen to me about my pain in my back. We had to wait over 2 months to get an appointment and when you call to make an appointment it says they will call you back within 24 hours . I called for 2 weeks and finally got through to them. horrible horrible horrible.

Dr. Levene is in all ways fabulous. The results of my lengthy neurosurgery couldn't be better. I will be forever grateful to him for restoring the quality of my life. God bless you Dr.Levene.

I was very pleased with my surgery experience with Dr. Levene. Dr. Levene was extremely thorough during my office visits, explained everything, was very caring. The surgery went ver well. It was an outstanding experience and I am now pain free.