This doc and his office are the best in the west! They study your previous records and show you pictures and don't want to do surgery just to make money. They truly want to help you feel better with surgery being a last resort. They have taken me from a walker/cane to being able to walk unassisted most days. He also figured out which disc was causing my pain. I had previous steroid injections and they didn't hit the spot that needed to be hit. This doc uses the steroid epidurals to help diagnose which disc is causing the pain. That is especially important in those of us who have multiple back issues. I am so grateful to him and his entire team. They always let me know if they're running behind and I totally understand why when I realize all the homework he does before seeing you and making recommendations. When surgery day does arrive, hopefully down the road, I will know I'm in very good hands. read more

before Going to Dr Kim I was in a auto accident and had severe pain in my neck and numbness that went all away down my arm to my fingers couldn't full rotate my head. lost strength in my arm could not hold anything above my chest. I had two disks replaced in my neck after I left the surgical center I was in no pain from surgery I even ate supper that night and never even needed any pain medication one year after surgery I have returned to my regular activities with no pain or restrictions thank you Dr Kim and all of your staff for making sure that I was healing and recovering properly read more

Short Review (TLDR version): I am 3 months post-op for a herniated disc injury at the L5/S1 from ~18 months ago, and I have immense gratitude for Dr. Kim and his team for the successful Laser Endoscopic Spine Surgery ("LESS") because my frustrating lower back pain has substantially improved, and I am confidently participating in atheltic activities without any worry or hesitation of re-injury. Longer Review: I injured my back in early 2025 from a heavy lifting workout and playing basketball in the same evening (both items compounded on each other, and the body just broke down in the middle of the basketball game). The pain was excruciating for about 6 days before I finally went to the ER for relief (I should have gone wtihin the first 24 hours). The burst disc material pinched the nerve system that connects to my right calf muscles (medial gastroc), and I could no longer flex and activate that muscle region. Despite rigourous PT and many months of retraining my body how to move, the disc materials never flushed out, and there was no improvement to the calf weakness. My back pain was also continual, but it improved over time. The pain was manageable most days, and I could do some athletic activities that didn't require sprinting / jumping. However, at nights the lower back would be sore, sometimes preventing me from sleeping properly. I'd often need to get up around 2am, walk around the house a bit, apply an ice pack for ~20 minutes, take ibuprofen, and then hope that I could fall back asleep for a couple more hours. I researched different spine surgeons and surgical options. I had several consults with two surgeons who perform the traditional traditional micodiscectomny procedures, and I almost went with one of them (either Dr. Matt Follett with Synergy Orthopedics or Dr. Hani Malone with Scripps -- they're both great and I'm sure would have done a fantastic job with the traditional procedure). However, I learned about Dr. Kim from additional internet research, learned about the LESS procuedure, how it's less invasive (faster healing time, less painful recovery, no need to chip away at the spine bone), and took the initial consult with him. He was very gracious and did not go into "sales mode" to convince me to do his method. He noted all the pros of the traditional method and how that could be a good options for me. It was a very comfortable conversation as we discussed pros and cons of each surgical method. No pressure felt. I'm so grateful I took that consult with Dr. Kim. After evaluating procedures, I went with Dr. Kim for the LESS procedure. The biggest con for the LESS procedure is that it's significantly more expensive and not covered by insurance. However, thinking about the long-term road ahead, I believe that the cost would be worth it (so far that seems to be true). The surgical team did a great job at helping me prep and feel calm the morning of the procedure. The post-op pain went through a couple different waves: 1st week was nearly pain free due to pain medications 3rd/4th weeks were more painful due to the swelling / inflamation of the procedure that was still healing (probably the most painful part of the recovery) The 2nd month of recovery had minor pain, but not noticeable during most hours of the day. I'd notice some pain after a PT session, but that was due to some swelling around the back from the exercises. During the 3rd month of recovery, I felt almost pain-free, just minor moments here and there as I ramped up my physical activity (doing more athletic drills, basketball practice, etc.). By the end of the 3rd month, I've now had a couple weeks without any pain despite increasing my physical activity, and I'm so grateful to be feeling this way. My calf weakness still exists as the surgeon (and many other online research trends) noted that nerves heal very slowly, and it could take 6-12 months or more for that nerve system to return to full function. Nerves supposedly grow back at a rate of ~1-2 milimeters per day, and if my gastroc muscle 20+ inches (or 500+ millimeters) away from the point of the pinched nerve, then I'll need to be patient with recovery. The good news is that I have felt minor nerve sensations multiple times in the lower right leg (calf, foot, soleus) - some are prickly, some are soft and repeating, others are a sharp twang, all of which are things that I was not experiencing prior to surgery. I believe those are indications of the nerve system slowly recovering. Conclusion: I'm incredibly grateful for Dr. Kim and his team, and I appreciate that they do a few post-op check-ups to monitor progress and provide additional guidance. I also apprecaite that his team took video recordings during the procedure and sent me a ~5-minute summary of the operation with commentary throughout. It was awesome to see the moment where the surgical tool removed the disc material and released the pinched nerve from the bone wall. read more

I am now 3 months post surgery with Dr. Kim and feel comfortable providing a review of him, his team, and the surgery he performed on me. In short, I highly recommend him and his team for anyone facing a situation similar to mine - being told that my lumbar spine was "horrible" and that I needed fusion from L2 to S1. While I still may need such an invasive surgery some day, I am happy that the day is not now - thanks to Dr. Kim. I am 71 years old and have historically engaged in a very active lifestyle. I began having low back pain over 14 years ago, but it resolved on its own after about a year. I was then back to playing golf, hiking fairly long distances, doing heavy yard work, and attending yoga classes. But the pain returned and an MRI revealed severe problems throughout my lumbar spine (severe degenerative disc disease, severe facet disease, severe narrowing of the foramina, and scoliosis). It got to the point that I could not walk two city blocks without stopping to sit down or bend over. Epidural injections did not really help. I consulted a neurosurgeon who performed traditional decompression surgery at four levels (bilateral laminectomies, foramaminotomies, and partial facetectomies). This surgery and the follow up physical therapy helped, but did not get me back to where I wanted to be. Six months after this surgery my neurosurgeon reviewed new x-rays and a new MRI and opined that I needed lumbar fusion. I did not want lumbar fusion and opted to explore other possibilities. I tried acupuncture, but it not work for me. Neither did more epidural injections. Because standing and walking very much increased my pain, I was forced to manage my pain by seriously limiting my activities. I continued to follow up with my neurosurgeon and research other possibilities. Finally, my neurosurgeon suggested that I talk to Dr. Kim for a second opinion. Dr. Kim did not jump at the chance to perform surgery. At first he wanted an updated MRI, as well as all of my medical records. After his initial review he was not sure that he could help me. He then wanted a CT scan. After reviewing that imaging, he decided that he could probably help me with the LESS procedure. Since my pain was focused in my left thigh, he decided to address it by only doing surgery on the left side of my spine at 3 levels. As I mentioned at the outset, I am now 3 months post surgery. I have been through physical therapy and I am back out on the golf course, hiking, and attending yoga classes. I just returned from a two week vacation in Europe. There I walked a lot of cobblestone streets and climbed a lot of stairs. My Apple Watch recorded 12,000 to 14,000 steps on 5 or 6 days and nearly 19,000 steps on another day. All without the kind of pain that I was getting before when I went over 8,000 steps in a day. I could never have pulled that off without Dr. Kim's surgery. When people ask, I now declare the surgery a success. While I am not completely pain free, I am doing 100 percent better than I was doing before the surgery. On the negative side, I had to pay out of pocket for Dr. Kim's surgery fee. While that hurt, the fees for everyone else involved in the surgery was covered by Medicare. I also had to travel to San Diego for the surgery, but I now consider the surgery fee and travel expenses to be money well spent. read more

PARALYZED!!!!!!!!DO NOT USE THIS "Doctor" !!! he left me permanently paralyzed in march of 2025 after doin a simple less procedure with the blue dye on my l4l5 and l5s1 TERRIBLE DOCTOR left me in a wheelchair and stopped answering his phone i fell for the positive reviews DO NOT TAKE THE RIDK read more

I had the LESS procedure performed on my L5S1 in May of 2026. I was in debilitating pain. Dr. Kim was recommended by a friend. I walked out of surgery feeling better than when I walked in. My back has never felt better. I didn't use any pain meds after the first day. The pain from surgery was so minor compared to the nerve pain I had experience from the past 6 months. I saw 3 different specialists and Dr. Kim was an easy choice. I highly recommend. read more

After years of living with severe pain and getting no clear answers, I finally found help with neurosurgeon Dr. Choll Kim. My condition was rare and repeatedly misdiagnosed, which made the journey incredibly frustrating and discouraging. Two months after surgery, I can genuinely say my life has changed -- I'm able to function again in ways I hadn't for years. Dr. Kim recognized what others missed and gave me a real path forward. He is truly one of a kind, and his staff made the entire experience feel supported and cared for from start to finish. read more

This review is LONG overdue and NO I wasn't paid for it either. I'm truly grateful for Dr. Choll Kim and his entire office staff for a wonderful experience I had with them. Dr. Kim has been treating me for several years now and I'm honored to say he's my Surgeon. I was referred to him by Dr. Richard Todd Allen at UCSD who HIGHLY recommended him due to a Tarlov Cyst I had, with major symptoms, along with other spine disorders. Dr. Choll Kim is seriously NEXT level. I've never met a Surgeon so passionate, so meticulous, motivated and inspiring. Dr. Kim has cutting edge surgical skills, uses the best and latest technology in the operating room and surrounds himself with other highly skilled Doctor. He literally restores quality of life, one patient at a time. Dr. Kim's social media is on fire with his videos, content, narrations, pictures and more. He is so relateable with his patients and he's a true genius! My entire process from the initial appointment to post-operative surgery, was excellent, thanks to his amazing staff. Dr. Kim's practice is a well oiled machine. He has high standards and it shows. He and his staff have a commitment to excellence and they deliver. I had no issues from beginning to end. From my initial appointments going over medical diagnosis to obtaining additional imaging, to testing, everything went as planned. Dr. Kim does a very thorough assessment of his patients and does NOT rush them into surgery. I'd like to recognize several staff members who've assisted me throughout my journey. Alex and Dani, the PA's who treated me, conducted office visits, to filling prescriptions were fantastic. Their knowledge and experience is unparalleled. They were so kind, compassionate and patient. They answered all of my questions and spent a great deal of time with me throughout the years. Mohona, Grace and Sofia who run the front desk were on top of their game! They were attentive, responsive, extremely helpful and professional. They went above and beyond the call of duty, each and every time, wether is person, via e-mail or over the phone. Caroline, the referral QUEEN, is nothing short of amazing! She is so knowledgeable, kind, friendly and meticulous. From referrals, to imaging to medical records, she did it all, with pleasure. I'll forever be grateful for all she did for me and still does. Courtney, the new patient coordinator was outstanding. She gathered, requested and documented ALL of the paperwork from the beginning. That's not an easy feat, to say the least. It was very time consuming and meticulous. She ensured all if the necessary medical records were received and processed. Courtney always followed up on requests and ensured things went smoothly. She was so professional and easy to interact with. Courtney was a godsend with this entire process. Next up, Kelsey, another Angel who works at Excel Spine. Kelsey ensured ALL of my surgery needs were handled and complete. She took care of pre-op appointments, to securing UCSD for the surgery date to making sure they had eve they needed prior to surgery (lab records, clearance records, etc). Kelsey was so friendly, encouraging, knowledgeable and professional. Her job is difficult and I had ZERO issues, delays, mishaps, etc. when it came to my surgery. Adrienne, the BEST office manager Dr. Kim could have. Seriously, she's beyond amazing. She truly goes out of her way for each and every patient. Adrienne performs her job with such efficiency and professionalism. She is so sincere, kind, extremely helpful and responsive to Dr. Kim's patients. Adrienne is very personable and runs the office extremely well. I'm forever grateful to her for all she has done for me as a patient. Brittany, the Outreach Director, is on top of her game when it comes to social media content, reviews for the practice and providing videos of surgeries to patients. She's quick at posting and responding to patients. She's informative and knowledgeable. She makes Dr. Kim look off the charts fantastic via the internet. Brittany communicates well and is professional. As for the amazing, Dr.Choll Kim...for giving me my life back, reducing and eliminating my symptoms. For the excellent care I received pre and post op. Dr. Kim is a wonderful, engaging, energetic, passionate and highly skilled Surgeon I've ever met. He is on fire with his cutting edge technology, techniques, skills, knowledge and patient care. With his LESS ( Laser Endoscopic Spine Surgery) approach he takes with all of his patients is unmeasurable. His undying commitment to excellence is unmatched. The outstanding surgical team he surrounds himself with is unbelievable and TOP notch. Only the BEST for his patients. Dr. Kim is truly a genius and is invaluable to all of his patients, colleagues, staff and everyone he comes in contact with. I'll forever be thankful for Dr. Kim and what he did for me throughout the years and in the future. I'd recommend Dr. Kim to my family, friends and others. read more

Had my surgery with Dr. Kim March 2023 L 3-4, L4-5 LLIF L5-S1 MIS TLIF.. Researched him thoroughly saw he had great reviews, I trusted him completely. He told me I would walk out of the hospital the next, it was not so I woke up in so much pain on my legs my hip was numb from the hip down to my toes, the sensation on my thighs was as if I was on fire, I cried and he said that's normal you'll be fine! I never saw him again his PA was the only person that came in to see me. Five days later I had to be transported out of there to a nursing facility, I could not walk was partially disabled. I have urinary retention as well as rectal numbness. Physical therapy is going to make you better were the words of Dr. Kim, well they were making me worst! Three months in I insisted on having MRI's CT's which according to Dr. Kim were all normal, well he lied to me they were not ok. Even his PA lied to me! I went to several doctors and they all concluded what Dr. Kim never told me, I have several loose screws, a floating artificial disc and a tear on my gluteus muscle and my hip from his so called minimally invasive surgery after entering thru my side as well. Wait a year Dr. Kim kept telling me well it's almost a year and I am worst off than I could of ever imagined! The pain and suffering that I have been through would not wish it to my worst enemy! Obviously I need another surgery to correct all the damage Dr. Kim created. By Gods mercy I can at least walk not without pain but more medications that I have ever taken in my whole life. I wrote Dr. a letter telling him how depress I was even suicidal and he never responded !! Dr. Kim could have shown more empathy by accepting what he had done wrong by immediately taking some kind of action! been honest about the MRI CT reports and tried to help me find a solution from the moment he knew something was not right! I hope this can help someone out there make an inform decision!!! read more

Choll Kim, MD PhD - Dr. Kims surgery Floating disc - Orthopedists Near Me - San Diego, California

I've never written a review for a doctor, but the level of service I've gotten from Dr. Kim and his staff has been five star. When I was a student at an Ivy League institution, I saw many pre-med students who seemed to be in it mostly because they wanted to impress their parents. I would think to myself, "Has anybody told these guys that they're going to have to make a living dealing with sick people?" Dr. Kim is in it for the right reasons. He's a geek--in the best way possible (it takes one to know one ). You can see it in his videos. He really *loves* his work and likes seeing his patients succeed. I WANT a surgeon who enjoys carefully extracting "ca ca poo poo" from my spine and sealing the entry points with carefully placed band aids. The whole vibe in the ER is one of joy, excitement, and supportiveness, which is not what you expect when you hear the phrase "spinal surgery." (When he wants to impress his mother, he does things like take her to South Korea to visit her sister.) I'm still recovering from my surgery (it took place exactly one week ago), so I can't yet fully speak for the final outcome, but I DID notice an immediate improvement in my pain level (and energy level), as I didn't need to take any medications to fall asleep(!!!). The day after my surgery I did five hours of mall walking; the next day it was a shlep to LA's garment district (2.5 hours each way) with another four hours of walking. (I was warned that the inflammation would likely kick in on Friday and wanted to have some fun and do a "test drive" of the results.) Even when the pain is bad, it's still not as bad as it was before the surgery. I can also tell you that a lot of care and precautions went into the whole thing. First, there was a pelvic MRI done by another doctor who referred me to him. Next, a test was done with a pain specialist where my spine was injected with lidocaine and steroids to see if there was a change in my pain levels (there was). After that, it was time to schedule the surgery (the decision to have the surgery took me a split second). During the surgery, not only is Dr. Kim there doing his thing with his laser/vacuum device, but another doctor and his team are monitoring your nerves to make sure Dr. Kim doesn't get too close to them, and of course there's the anesthesiologist. Other doctors are often present watching and learning. I was unconscious (duh!), so I have no idea how many other folks were there to watch. I'm fine with this, as I want more doctors to be able to do this. My only complaint is that Dr. Kim doesn't take Medicare. Even with discounts, I paid through the nose for this procedure. Given that he's the only person on the planet who does this kind of procedure on my condition), I absolutely knew I was doing The Right Thing. read more

I have never written a poor Yelp review. However, I feel obligated to advise others not to see this provider. In my appointment with Dr. Kim, he was rude, unprofessional, dismissive, and insensitive, so much so that I cried during the appointment while he berated me. He continually interrupted me, talked down to me, and even scolded me, telling me I was not doing enough to resolve my pain, even though I had tried dozens of treatments before seeing him and the whole objective of my appointment with him was to find a solution for my pain. His behavior was so appalling that after he got off the Zoom call, his PA apologized for how unnecessarily mean he was to me. After I sent a very thoughtful and detailed email explaining my dissatisfaction, his office manager replied and apologized for the experience but then said, "We understand that patients have different perceptions and expectations, and sometimes misunderstandings can arise." A provider yelling at a patient is not a miscommunication, it is inexcusable, inappropriate behavior. This is not a case of "patients' expectations" being different from the doctor's. No patient expects nor deserves this sort of mistreatment. read more

I went to Dr Kim after years of back pain and numbness down my leg. Epidurals helped but always wore off. Had the surgery despite being nervous about it and I'm so glad I did. Finally after years the surgery got rid of the pain, which is really quite amazing. Highly highly recommend Dr Kim ! read more

Dr. Kim wants this review removed and appears to have contacted Yelp to do so. This review was unintentionally posted to two pages initially so Yelp obliged him but I feel it is important for others to read about my experience before being subjected to the same terrible treatment I did when I was his patient. In 2016 I had been seeing Dr. Choll Kim for almost a year, due to a disc herniation and related issues. While Dr. Kim is clearly knowledgable in regards to spinal injuries, he knows very little about bedside manner and how to treat patients/customers in general. After waiting for two hours to see him during my last visit, he all but walked out of the room after allowing me approximately two to three minutes to respond to his questions and update him on the status of my injury. When I asked him to please spend a few more minutes with me (especially in light of the amount of time I had waited to see him), he exclaimed, "I don't know what you want me to tell you?! All you are telling me are things you can't do!" The exclamation points are not for effect, Dr. Kim was literally YELLING at me. I responded to him by explaining that I did not know what to do either, which was the main reason I was in his office in the first place--to figure out what to do about my back injury. Dr. Kim then proceeded to backtrack, stating that it was "the end of a long day." Really? That's your excuse for behaving so inappropriately and aggressively with a patient? I'm not sure what he thought I had done earlier in the day, but I can assure you my day was as long if not longer than his, except mine also included waiting at least two hours to see him as well. I have never had an interaction of this nature with any doctor in my entire life. I honestly did not think Dr. Kim would ever behave in this manner based on my previous interactions with him. Maybe my previous appointments were not at "the end of a long day?" I am not sure what caused him to behave so aggressively with me, but regardless of any potential cause, it was extremely inappropriate on his part and very uncomfortable for me. Overall, he is clearly an experienced surgeon, in addition to being very knowledgable in his field. However, his bedside manner and customer service truly deserve zero star ratings. I am shocked by the way he just treated me and I found suitable replacement for him as soon as possible. Maybe I caught him on a bad day, but regardless, I was appalled enough by our interaction to take the time to write this review. If you take the time to read what other patients and reviewers have said, you will see I am far from alone in this type of experience. Good luck with your healing, there are great doctors out there, be patient and find the right one before committing to a surgery that will permanently effect your life. read more

Dr. Kim provided excellent care of my chronic low back pain, which had become unbearable. I was told by 4 different spine surgeons that nothing surgical could be done. But when I saw Dr. Kim's video about minimally invasive spine surgery on YouTube, I was convinced that he could help me. We scheduled a video consultation, then test injections, which helped. I had the LESS procedure at two disc levels in Sept. 2022. I am so grateful to say that the surgery really helped me! I no longer have the sharp, stabbing back pains I was having. Dr. Kim is not only a highly skilled surgeon, but his bedside manner is great. I therefore highly recommend him for those suffering from low back pain and want to explore whether or not a minimally invasive surgery could help. read more

Dr. Kim and his staff were incredible. They are prompt and very easy to communicate with. I went in to see Dr. Kim with severe neck and arm pain along with bilateral arm numbness from an on the job injury. I was seen promptly, and had full understanding of what I was facing. Not wanting to jump into surgery Dr. Kim worked with me and gave me time to make my decision. After numerous discussions, the surgery decision was made. The surgery was on time and finished as expected. The results were far better than I could have anticipated. It's been a year now since my surgery and I feel 100% confident this was the correct decision. More importantly, I chose the right Dr. with the best staff to aid me in my recovery. I cannot say enough about how well I was treated and how thankful I am for everything. read more

At age 79, I can now stand straighter, walk further and laugh more then I have in years. THANK YOU Dr Kim. Unfortunately for me--I waited too long and suffered unnecessarily for the last two years prior to surgery. I can not speak to the process, but I can tell all who are listening that I arrived at the hospital stooped and using a cane--I left 24 hours later (really), came home and looked up my ceiling for the first time in years. It has been about 4 months, I feel 100%--that being said I am still on a strict regiment provided by Dr Kim and his great staff for another two months. I have told this story often and have recommended the minimally invasive procedure for those seeking a quick recovery. Steve MB read more

If you are considering spinal surgery, I highly recommend Dr. Choll Kim at Excel Spine. In December of 2019 I was diagnosed with severe spinal stenosis having painful sciatica in both legs. Fast forward to December of 2021 having been through weeks of physical therapy and quarterly epidurals my situation continued to decline and I elected to proceed with spinal fusion surgery, a decision I did not take lightly. I interviewed three surgeons who after reviewing my latest MRI all agreed I needed multi-level spinal fusion at L4, L5 and S1. Two of the three surgeons advised the "gold standard" approach, the ALIF procedure, while Dr. Kim discussed a minimally invasive approach TLIF. After much research I am very pleased to say I chose Dr. Kim at Excel spine. Once I made the decision to go with Dr. Kim, he told me I was part of his family. My experience with Dr. Kim and his entire staff from the front desk to scheduling the surgery, the operating room personnel and through recovery was exceptional. Dr. Kim has high expectations of his team and of his own work which was obvious with every encounter I had and ultimately the success of my surgery. In addition, immediately after surgery when I was awake and alert, Dr. Kim provided me with his personal cell phone number and instructed me to call him if I had any questions or felt anything unusual, try to find another surgeon that will do that! I have had several post-op video and onsite visits with Dr. Kim's physician assistants (PA's) to ensure I am healing well. The PA's do a great job and were invaluable in getting me through the tough times of weeks two and three. I truly feel like part of Dr. Kim's family. Understand this is major surgery and you will experience some pain. For me, weeks two and three were intense. As I write this, I am in week seven of recovery and while there is some healing left, I am feeling well. I have no sciatica and can stand up straight right out of bed with no pain. I sleep well, move about pretty good and have resumed some normal daily activity. I have had in-house physical therapy and will be moving to onsite physical therapy this coming week. I take physical therapy seriously and am diligent about performing all prescribed exercises every day. In addition to therapy, I take daily walks trying to push myself a little more each day while being mindful of how I feel. Thanks to Dr. Kim's minimally invasive approach, I only have two small incisions about three inches on either side of the middle of my lumbar area and one small incision just below the two that have healed very well. The post op x-rays reveal a beautiful re-aligned lumbar spine with two amazing cages and six pedicle screws holding my lower lumbar spine together until the bone fusion occurs. I wrote the testimonial above in week 7 of post-op. I am currently in week 18 and am feeling exceptionally well and functioning at about 90 percent. I sleep well, feel great, and have resumed most of my normal activities. I walk 3.5 to 4 miles each day, ride my spin bike and ebike 10 to 15 miles about 3 times per week and am back in the gym enjoying some light to medium weight lifting 3 days a week. Golf is my favorite activity and I am very excited to say I have been chipping and putting around the greens for about 4 weeks. I have just been given the approval to begin hitting my irons off of a tee at about 50 percent and my physical therapist says I should be hitting woods and a driver very soon! In addition I am again working around the yard and doing small projects around the house. I can't say enough about Dr. Kim and his staff except that I am so glad I chose Dr. Choll Kim and his minimally invasive approach. See you on the golf course! Brad Storey read more

I could not believe I had 0 pain after having major spine surgery by Dr. Choll Kim. No pain even the next day. I was afraid of taking strong pain meds, having to be so sore that I wouldn't be able to do things for myself like bathe, sit, walk or bend or be bedridden. Not one bit of pain since the day of surgery and I didn't need the help I thought I would need after surgery. I came across the country from NYC to San Diego and I could go back to my normal daily activities the next week!!! I had heard of so many horror stories by patients of other surgeons of debilitating post-op pain that even lasted years later. What a God send! Not only is he incredible at what he does, but he's also very personable and relatable. He explains things in metaphors that allow you to visualize and understand what he's trying to convey. Science language is technical and I wouldn't know the first thing about it, but when he explains it in plain english by making associations, I got it! Him and his staff checked up on me everyday. Whoever gets the luxury to have surgery with Dr. Kim is extremely lucky. All that fear I had before having surgery was for nothing. I'm a new person that got her life back thanks to him. read more

Choll Kim, MD PhD - Orthopedists Near Me - San Diego, California

I cannot speak more highly of Dr. Choll Kim and his entire staff at the Spine Institute of San Diego! The quality of care that I've received from them has been truly incredible! After more than a decade of suffering from chronic severe back pain, and after having unsuccessfully sought treatment through other doctors, I was very fortunate to receive a recommendation to visit Dr. Kim. After carefully evaluating my symptoms and completing a series of diagnostic tests, Dr. Kim reached the conclusion that I would be a good candidate for corrective surgery. I was very impressed that the surgery was an outpatient procedure, and that I was able to walk around on my own immediately afterwards. I experienced zero pain after the surgery and minimal discomfort in the few weeks with physical therapy that followed. At the conclusion of the recovery process, my issues with back pain had been almost entirely eliminated; and over two years later, I still can't believe how well it all turned out! Dr. Kim and his staff did an absolutely amazing job caring for me. The resulting improvement in my quality of life has been far better than I would ever have dreamed. I am so grateful that I am now able to regularly exercise and be highly physically active, something that I once thought I would never be able to do again. Thank you so much Dr. Kim! read more

Excellent doctor!! I've been in pain for six months and have been to seven plus doctors. Doctor Kim and his team were able to assess my situation and quickly provide a treatment plan. Thank you!! read more

I only write occasional reviews but, my experience is of such grave concern that I am compelled to warn anyone considering spinal surgery with Choll Kim. I am in my mid sixties, I was very active and no health issues apart from what you will read below. I was experiencing activity related chronic right low back pain without any radicular symptoms which Choll Kim diagnosed as recurrent L5/S1 Facet joint arthropathy and on December 22nd 2020 he performed supposedly a Laser Facet debridement and foraminotomy. The surgery it turned out after reading the OPERATION REPORT was not Laser but only a small part, it was done by using traditional instruments like Ronguers and Reamers as the report states. I was told insurance doesn't cover Laser surgery and had to pay $15,000 and went into debt doing so in credit cards and all my savings gone. Since this wasn't full Laser surgery insurance would have paid for it especially since I was on Medicare. The surgery left me with severe excruciating pains and disability much worse than before. Not only worse in my back but new symptoms of numbness in my foot and leg, severe burning in my right foot, strong cramps in my calf, weakness in the leg, excruciating shooting pains in my leg and foot, long story short the surgery damaged my spinal nerves confirmed by an EMG (Electomyeologram) and nerve conduction tests. I am now suffering from neuropathy and plexopathy. This man has destroyed my life! As some of the reviews on here point out be aware! Choll Kim is all honky dory when things go right but God help you when you are injured or have complications from his surgery. He turns into an arrogant, sure of himself narcissist. The aftercare is an absolute disgrace. Rather than addressing my concerns in my emails during a telemedicine follow up he was angry that the email was making him look bad. Unbelievable but TRUE! Dismissing my concerns and severe painful symptoms by telling me "You're thinking too much about the pain" and telling me in anger and annoyance "Why is it all my patients get well except you" This is disgusting to say the least, to treat anyone in this manner. Obviously this led to an argument rather than addressing my concerns. I could not bring myself to see this man again and my care was taken over by Comprehensive spine and pain physicians. They have now determined that not only the surgery caused damage to my spinal nerves but also that Choll Kim misdiagnosed the source of my back pain. The pain generator was not the Facet joint but my SI joint. I informed Choll Kim directly at his email of the findings. He did NOT RESPOND. Instead I received an email from his office manager Adrienne Bixby stating "I will pass this to our providers" What a coward he is! There is now a possibility for medical malpractice. This man should not be allowed to destroy the lives of his patients. read more

BRILLIANT Surgeon! He goes over and beyond with his caring attention to detail. Had the Laser Endoscopic procedure with him for a ruptured disc. VERY minimal down time and foot drop and nerve pain was GONE. Dr. Kim truly cares about his patients and is extremely knowledgeable. I have sent several other patients to him who are equally as happy! read more

My primary physician referred me to Dr. Kim because I was having trouble walking after a fall in a parking lot and was in so much pain. I was shocked to find out that my condition could be corrected by lumbar fusion surgery. I had the surgery in 2019 and couldn't be happier with the results. I have been pain free since the surgery. Dr. Kim and his entire staff are wonderful people and great to work with. I highly recommend him and his staff. read more

I had spinal fusion surgery two months ago. After years of putting up with low back pain, I decided it was time. I did my research and found Dr. Kim. I then happened to be talking with someone I met on the golf course who told me he was having the same surgery the following month ... with Dr. Choll Kim! That cemented it for me. I knew I was making the right choice. And boy I could not be happier! Dr. Kim's minimally invasive surgery has allowed me to recover quickly. I was driving after 2 weeks! I'm a golfer and I just started chipping and putting. I hope to take a full swing soon. Dr. Kim is both professional and personable. I could not recommend him more. He and his staff are the best. read more

About 3 months ago, Dr Kim performed a double spinal fusion surgery, L3-L5. I went from not being able to stand up for more than 5 minutes to walking as much as I want, pain free and numbness free. I feel like I finally have my life back. The surgery recovery was absolutely amazing. I was home the same day after a 6 hour surgery. I was able to walk soon after I woke up from anesthesia, a prerequisite for release. This was a minimally invasive surgery and therefore the length of recovery has been a A LOT shorter than traditional surgery. I strongly recommend Dr Kim and his staff. The confidence, professionalism, knowledge and finally compassion make Dr. Kim an amazing doctor. I am so incredibly thankful to him: I am back at doing Zumba, dancing, and hiking. All in 3 months after surgery!!!!! If you, like me, are scared of having spine surgery because you are afraid that you will be stuck in bed for months....well, Dr. Choll Kim is the surgeon to go for. If I had 100 stars to rate this surgeon and the whole staff, I would use them all!! Thank you Dr Kim for giving me my life back! read more

Long story short, I wasted 2 weeks, in pain the entire time, trying to get an appointment at Dr. Kim's office. I wish I could write a review on the doctor but I was never able to make an appointment due to his receptionist, Caroline Espino. I called three times and no one ever picked up the phone. I finally left a voicemail on a Thursday and she called back sending it straight to my voicemail (yes, there's a feature to do this) at 4:58 on a Friday. Cute. Of course, by the time I received the message right after it came through the office was closed for the weekend. I called and left a voicemail the next week, no response. I sent 2 emails before Caroline finally responded. From this point, it took over another week of random questions via email from her, to which I would immediately respond and she would take at least a day to respond back. Granted, it would have been much easier and taken only one phone call to go through all her questions, but I could literally never get her on the phone. Finally when I pointedly asked her how long it would take to get an appt on the books she told me since I had seen another doctor in the office (5 YEARS ago for a separate problem) that I now couldn't see Dr. Kim because they don't "share patients." I told her (nicely) I'm the paying customer, have already spent nearly 2 weeks trying to get an appt and have the freedom to see the doctor of my choice at which point she told me Dr. Kim's wait time for new patients is 6 months. It didn't matter. By that time I had already made an appointment with another orthopedist. Fortunately his office assistance was competent and only required one phone call to actually get assistance. In the end it's a good thing I never ended up at Dr. Kim's office because I can't imagine going this type of trouble every time I needed to make a follow-up appt. read more

Today was my first visit with Dr. Choll Kim at the Spine Institute. He took the time to do a very thorough review of my back problem, offered numerous suggestions for improvements, scheduled me for a few exercise procedures that will help, and put me on a scheduled treatment plan. I am looking forward to getting better with his help. He is in no hurry to do surgery without first trying other avenues for relief and healing. read more

My experience with Dr Kim was fantastic. I haven't decided on surgery just yet - but if I decide to go in that direction I have confidence he is the one I want doing it. His team is the best ! read more

a true Blessing to find this doctor. the most caring and passionate surgeon you will ever find. I have dealt with lower back pain for many years, and finally I found a doctor that has a superb staff that is willing to go the distance to handle the insurance issues as well as the medical problems. Thanks to this doctor, I am now able to walk upright and pain free!! Thank you so much Dr Choll Kim for your dedication and compassion read more

It's been one year since my MIS-TLIF surgery with Dr. Kim. I am happy to say that I am still pain free. My son is now eight months old and I wouldn't be the father I am to him if it wasn't for Dr. Kim. Having this surgery was the best decision I have ever made. After a seven year break due to my back pain, I am now back to playing golf. Dr Kim totally fixed my back! Now if he could only fix my golf swing. read more

I'm an X-ray tech and I have worked with Doctors for over 30 years. To me personality and ability are synergistic for both doctors and their patients. When I needed back surgery Dr. Kim was recommended by one of the techs I work with, she said that all his patients loved him and his staff. Dr. Kim and his staff held my hand through every step of the process. I was treated with respect, I had the procedure explained to me, I was made to feel calm and relaxed. Dr. Choll Kim's personality is infectious and spreads warmth and confidence throughout the office. I never had to wait long for an appointment and his staff is without reproach. Especially Josh, always friendly and prompt to answer emails or complete disability or work forms. After a few months of recovery and rehabilitation My back is pain free. I'm not going to lie, recovery's rough, but in two weeks I'll be able to ride my horse again. I am able to pick up my grand babies. Thank you Spine Institute of San Diego! read more

Dr. Kim, It is to bad that when I went to your office after surgery you did not help me. My aunt & I drove 150 miles for an appointment with you. When you came into the examining room I told you I was still having pain in my lower back where I had fusion surgery. You said can you show me where your pain in, I pushed my pants down & put my fingers where the pain was(my aunt said it was between the 2 scares where the surgery had been). You said well some people it takes a little longer for the pain to go away. I ask you wasn't there something else we could do? You said maybe you could get a message in that area. I ask about getting a shot of cortisone to relieve the pain, you said we don't do that here. Then I ask you for a refill on the pain medicine I was taking. You went into a speech about how you wanted your patience's off pain medicine. Then you ask How much pain medicine were you on before surgery, I told you None. With that you started towards the door, and said make another appointment and come back and see us in ??? weeks. My aunt & I looked at each other and I said to her what in the hell was that all about? I was forced to go back to my personal physician and tell him about all of the pain I was experiencing. I had all kinds of tests done on my back, a cortisone shot, more physical therapy but nothing has helped. It has almost been 5 years since you did surgery on my back & when I look back I decided It was time I wrote a review to let people know that your surgery was not a success in my case & like the Dr. who does my pain management said there are a lot of us who had fusion surgery that are in pain after surgery. My heart Dr. who recommended you feels bad. I am unable to do many of the things that I used to do & have to hire people to do things I use to be able to do for myself. I used to be a good golfer, I haven't played any golf since my surgery because I walk with a cane & can't walk any distance. You advertise that your patients are like family, the day I came to you office I wondered if that is that the way you treat your family? I guess that is all BS for the public. read more

Spine Institute is Back Surgery at it's finest! Dr. Choll Kim and his entire staff were simply amazing in the way they took on my Back Injury case from start to finish! I suffered from a Severe L4 Herniated Disc. I am an active healthy 58 year old guy who works in the restaurant business and likes biking, skiing, working out, etc. There was a point with my injury when I thought I would never be able to work on my feet or do the activities I love ever again. Today with Dr. Kim's surgery expertise and support of his staff, I am on my way to becoming the same healthy guy I used to be! A big Thank You to Dr. Kim, Jennifer, Josh, Anthony, Viviana & Ashley! You guys are the Best! read more

I've personally had the pleasure to work alongside this incredible man for some years. To be very clear, my opinion is not biased by any means. Since I moved on to a management opportunity I have zero gain in writing this review. I'm writing because I wanted to give people an inside perspective on the Dr. Kim that I know and have grown to love. I've been nothing short of blessed to have worked beside many incredible physicians/ surgeons in my career, however Dr. Choll Kim has always stood out in my mind as one of my greatest inspirations and motivations for what I do. This man TRULY has a passion for his patients and what he does. I've been witness to this for days in and days out for years; it was truly an honor to be a part of. He's extrememly meticulous, cutting edge, highly skilled, constantly expanding his knowledge base/skill set, and in my opinion he's "Just Getting Started." Not just getting started in his career as he is highly established for many many years but in the sense that, I truly believe Dr. Kim is going to be the doctor that continues to make groundbreaking achievements in his field. He's already highly sought after nationally; from both patients who fly across the states just to be cared for specifically by him to his colleagues who enjoy attending his speaking functions and his labs. This man is going to continue to do BIG things. l Miss working with him every single day but feel blessed for the time in which I did. I can say without a doubt that he taught me so much more than I imagined possible and it's truly changed my life and career in numerous ways that I cannot put into words. I've watched him work into the wee hours of the night to make sure a patient with a severe case of cauda equina got the surgery he needed immediately. This patient could have otherwise possibly been paralyzed just days later, yet Dr Kim faught hard with the hospital to get him admitted that night and Dr. Kim completely restored this mans quality of life and ability to walk early that next morning. After watching Dr. Kim in action for all those years I can say that he will always be my first choice for myself and my family, God forbid we ever needed him. Call me corny but in my mind, he's nothing short of a genius and just a downright good MAN. He's got many highly respected degrees behind his name however, it's the MAN behind those titles that makes such a difference in this field; simply because he really does genuinely CARE. Spine surgeon by trade but mark my words...... if I had to have open heart surgery tomorrow, I would trust Dr. Kim with my life to research it just the night before and safely perform that surgery on me the very next day without a single reservation. He's just that GOOD, period! I don't know that he really understands how truly appreciated he is by sooooooooo many people including myself, but I really hope that he does. With much love and respect, I wish you Dr. Kim all the success in the world. Never lose sight of that passion that makes you stand out from the rest, anyone who is fortunate enough to call you their doctor is simply blessed. You are the best ! read more

If I could give this man more stars I would. Dr Kim helped me so much & is truly amazing. I originally went to him for a second opinion after my pain management Dr gave me injections that didn't work & thought I needed surgery. He told me I absolutely didn't need surgery & to not let anyone touch me. He gave me advice on what I should do since he didn't take my insurance & I have followed his advice & am feeling much better. I didn't trust any Dr I had seen up until that point. Dr Choll Kim is the best, his staff is always very friendly & professional. I will always recommend him. read more

Dr. Kim is the best. He has been working with me for several years on my lower back. So far we have been able to avoid surgery, having injections and physical therapy. I would recommend him to anyone. read more

I have had two back surgeries in 16 years. The most recent was done by Dr. Choll Kim in December 2015. It was the opposite in every way from a spinal fusion I had 15 years previously. I had almost no post surgical pain. I was able to walk, do household chores, and finish Christmas shopping the day after surgery. Dr. Kim is an excellent doctor. I recommend him highly. He is an advocate for the patients he treats. He recommends the best course for them instead of routinely recommending surgeries when other options can be used. It is rare to find a surgeon that is professionally skilled as well as friendly and compassionate. read more

By the time I got to Dr Kim I was at my wits end, thought I would have to live with my back pain the rest of my life. The staff is fantastic and his PA is wonderful but Dr Kim is the greatest. I was in pain for 10 months, I could not sit down, lay down or have any kind of life but Dr Kim said he was sure he could make things better. I have been under his care about 6 weeks and I have little to no back pain anymore. Actually I just spent the weekend in Big Bear without a care in the world. Thank you Dr kim for giving me my life back. read more

Dr Kim is a great surgeon and person. I truly got the feeling he really cared about me and my back. The waiting room can get crowded and they run behind schedule at times, but most Dr offices do unfortunately these days. The office staff is great, efficient and handled my emails and calls quickly and competently. I would definitely 1000% recommended Dr Kim to take care of your back. read more

I was so comfortable and relaxed. Dr Kim was reassuring and professional in every way. I would recommend to anybody.