Michael Lawton, MD

Dr. Lawton has performed about 3 surgeries on our son since he came to Phoenix and took over for Spetzler and Dr. Lawton and his team are amazing and I love his bedside manner.

Dr. Lawton completed one surgery on my dumbbell shaped brain tumor that was in two different compartments of my brain. I was told by other neurosurgeons it would take 2 surgeries or a combo of surgery and radiation. Dr. Lawton’s surgical skill is top notch and he removed 98% of this benign tumor. Wow. He has given me years more of life without neuro deficits/death. I am recovering really well and am endlessly thankful that Dr. Lawton took on my case. I highly recommend Dr. Lawton.

Doctor Lawton is the best. I was told elsewhere needed 2 endovascular operations then 1 open approach. Doctor Lawton performed 1 surgery with complete cure.

Saved my wifes life. So grateful to Dr Lawton

Excellent neurosurgeon, one of the best nationally. Very poor on pre and post op patient doctor communication and followups. I suffered a heart attack 36 hours after my spine tumor surgery because the doctor ordered a full MRI 2 hour long scan of my spine. I was in distress prior to this and so informed the technician, Randy, who told me I would have to endure for two hours without a break. Later I found out he lied. The heart attack occurred later that same evening. It extended my hospital stay five days. I hold Dr. Lawton responsible for this. I informed the CEO of UCSF Medical Center.

Incredibly talented, did what other Doctors said they would not even attempt. My son had a cavernous malformation in his brain stem. Dr Lawton removed it and my son is back at college and son will be practicing with his soccer team and his surgery was 11 weeks ago. Truly a miracle worker.

This man saved my life with emergency brain surgery. I am married with a family now. I only wish every town had a Dr. Lawton.

He saved my life. I was given hours only by the opinion of doctors at San Leandro Memorial Hospital. My cousin, who I knew me better than I knew her, spoke up for me saying that I was a tri-athlete etc. They found this wonderful doctor (Dr. Michael Lawton) and called. And off to see the wizard I went. I love being. I sleep under the stars out in the Nevada. That I exist astonishes me. Oa thank you Dr. Michael Lawton. Excuse me, I've got to go cry now.

I was referred to Dr. Lawton by a Neuro Radiologist in Sacramento for recurring spinal AVMs low thoracic, high lumbar. I was scheduled for an interventional radiology angiogram at UCSF on May 23, 2013 with the "possiblity" of a full laminectomy to be performed by Dr. Lawton if the angiogram was unsuccessful the following day. Post angiogram I was never visited during my overnight stay by Dr. Lawton for a consult having never met him before. We went right to surgery the next day and I awoke in recovery to a resident who was not helpful and could only tell me the surgery was more extensive than planned. In ICU I again awoke to find my legs were completely paralyzed from the waist down. An outcome I had not been prepared for by anyone at UCSF. For four days I waited for Dr. Lawton to visit me post surgery, but because it was the Memorial Day weekend I was left in the hands of residents who had no answers. As veterinary surgical technician for 10 years I was accustomed to doctors… coming in even on holidays to monitor our patients. I met him on the fourth day for the fist time in what could only be considered "speed dating" as a cadre of remoras (residents) followed him. We never discussed the prognosis and I stayed at UCSF for one month having suffered a pulmonary embolism from the surgery. I was then sent to an acute rehab facility in Sacramento. Soon after leaving that facility on the road to recovery for a condition I was not prepared for, I developed "arachnoiditis" a swelling of the arachnoid membrane that protects the spinal cord. This is a rare condition caused by the act of spinal surgery itself or even an epidural. The effect is a return to paralytic state which has left me unable to walk without an aid and severe sciatica, numbness and let spasms. A CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of this new condition, but when I approached Dr. Lawton he had nothing to offer, but additional surgery to correct this, which itself was risky. I am now part of a group of post spinal surgery patients labeled as FBSS (Failed Back Surgery Syndrome). I cannot fault Dr. Lawton for this new condition, but I can for his poor patient skills. I am frankly on my own, worse off than when I "walked" into UCSF and neither he nor UCSF have any provisions, study groups or support groups for patients who end up like this. He is by all accounts a world class Neurovascular Surgeon and I agree, but as an instructor and physician I feel his students are learning that the specialty takes priority over the patient. Somehow "Do no harm" has been lost in the quest for surgical perfection. I think he's good man with an extraordinary skill who has just lost site of why he got into medicine.