I can't believe I'm Sooo Recalcitrant in Providing the Most Glowing Testimonial Any Dr should…read morereceive!!! BRUCE LEHNERT, DP, provided the Most Listening, Discerning, Responsive, Skilled, Accommodating Service I'v Ever Received from a Physician. The Bunionectomy he Delivered October 16!!!, 2025, is Healing Well Mostly Due to His Expert & Caring Skill. He Even came into the Office Earlier than any of his scheduled appts Not once but likely 3 times due to situations I had brought on myself but which would have delayed or complicated my healing. I'll never forget his Kind & Forgiving repair of my mishaps Repairing My Errors. My Only excuse for this delay is my Age, 81; the Holidays; Almost Pneumonia of late. Dr Bruce, You Are the Best!!! Thank You for All You Are & Your Skill.

I don't know where to start!! Soar came highly recommended. when I called, I was assigned to Dr…read more Joel Saal. First appointment, he was half an hour late and rude, but figured out what we needed to do. I had three procedures and he was rude, disrespectful, disengaged. And called me out for flinching when he was giving me multiple injections. no hello, how are you, let's get started. Just walked I. and started shoving needles in my back. Then left. I had to ask the nurses if we were done. The scheduling staff and procedure office seem to not talk to each other. Went back for follow up appointment. Waited in lobby for 30 minutes before I just left. 15 minutes after that, the receptionist called me to ask if I was still keeping my appointment. Since I said no, she said "OK , I'll just cancel it.". and hung up. No "Do you want to reschedule?". or "How can I help you?" I'm currently looking for a new doctor.

Dr. Hu was rude, dismissive, and definitely not a caring presence. She did not listen to me at all…read more Her attitude was one of a person being forced to see a patient. And she got rid of me as soon as she could. She may very well be a great surgeon but she totally lacks any curiosity as to solving a post surgery problem not related to her surgery.

Worse doctor I have ever experienced. She made be good with a knife, but her bedside manner is the…read moreworse. My husband had to go see her for a second opinion in a worker's comp case. All that got us was another year of suffering, more tests and recommendations that she had no business making after spending less then 10 minutes with us. She could have cared a less about his issues and the nurse that saw us first thought we were there for a knee injury (it was his back). The Bay Area is rich with very qualified doctors, don't waste your time here. Dr. Hu was the onset of our little nightmare and only with the help of a good lawyer and persistence did we over come Dr. Hu's poor decision making.

I've had 3 surgeries with Stanford: two hip replacements and an ankle fusion. Who did the hips? Dr…read more Derek Amanatullah, who is incredibly skilled. I can't say enough about Stanford Orthopedics from the office folks all the way up to surgeons, you won't find better care and consistency of excellent care. My ankle fusion was done by Dr. Loretta Chou. She is fantastic; other surgeons in my area said they would need to do 5 surgeries over several years. Dr. Chou told me "40 minutes". That was 8 years ago. I'm doing fine. Hips are good. I'm back to doing the activities I enjoy. Stanford has the best staff if you must have surgery. They are very conservative and go to great lengths to make sure you make the right choices to be your best self. Couldn't recommend them more. If you have to stay in the hospital, it is brand new and state of the art; incredible facility. You'll get some sleep there because they try not to bother you nonstop all night long like they do in other hospitals.

I had my one year post op appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hooper, today…read more I came a bit early to have my X-rays done prior to my appointment, per my Dr.'s request. I can say that after a year of healing my left hip is doing great. Dr. Hooper performed a total hip replacement on my left hip last March. My experience with her was very good. Her Physicians Assistant, Dorien, was also wonderful. I'm hoping I will never have to have this done again. It was a painful recovery. But I made it through successfully and I'm happy to say, my left hip is feeling good.

I ended up having spinal surgery at Stanford and I have been pain free ever since…read more I underwent the XLIF procedure and woke up pain free ... went home two days later. I recommend the Stanford Spine Center for their expertise as well as their willingness to work with each patient's unique situation.

After years of lower back pain and several non-surgical treatments elsewhere, I sought an…read moreappointment with Stanford after my doctor retired. The clinic did nothing but an xray and never even looked at my older MRI images or ordered new ones. The provider offered nothing but a psychotropic drug I was told "sometimes helps with back pain." I am now seeing a non-Stanford doctor who has ordered more recent MRIs, and has offered several treatment options. Other clinics at Stanford are excellent, but I cannot recommend their spine clinic.

A huge Warriors fan if you can get him talking. Otherwise he's pretty focused, with good hands and…read moreconservative approach. Really cares for his patients with a long history in the Bay Area.

Ruined my life was found negligent by state after another doc had to fix what he ruined in my neck.read more

The Doctors Doctor, that's what you will hear people say about Stanfords Dr. Salyapongse. If…read moreanother Doc needs a knee or hip it's Salyapongse they seek out. Summer 2023 the doctor and his PA Robin Mercer assessed my situation and helped me plan for my TKR (total knee replacement). I planned a six month light work out to gain strength before the surgery. This whole experience has been amazing. I'm not sure what could have been better. The entire surgical team is absolutely the best. The day of the surgery was easy. I had only a week or so of walker and pain killers, after that it was just Tylenol and walking unassisted. Take this journey with the attitude that it's up to you manage your recovery, early PT and exercise both before and after surgery is key. As I told Dr. Salyapongse, 'I feel like I've won the lottery!'. I am very impressed and satisfied. Conover Smith

Wife's surgeon for a hip replacement, 10 days ago. Going up and down stairs, pain free, walking…read morearound the house with just a cane, walker outside. Still has swelling, but not bad. This guy is a rock star... she was fortunate to be able to see him!!

Dr Keane is a back expert--excellent care. he is class with any type of injections, including PRP…read moreand steroids. He also has an amazing, intuitive bedside manner, which is refreshing in a brilliant doctor.

I was referred to Dr. Keane originally in 2008. by a coworker. When I was re-injured in 2024, I…read morebooked an appointment with him right away. Dr. Keane is a superb doctor. The best of the best. His knowledge of spinal and sports medicine issues is exceptional. He is an excellent listener and communicator, and he is thoroughly prepared for our appointments He really cares about his patients and is engaged to resolve your orthopedic issue. I highly recommend him.

I feel lucky to have found Dr. Von Koch. She is a skillful…read moreneurosurgeon who loves her work. Dr. Von Koch is meticulous, careful and will not be rushed to finish your operation. This is a surgeon you can trust with a scalpel near your spinal cord! Dr. Von Koch was referred to me by the head of the UCSF spine center because I was a member of Kaiser health plan. I didn't know at the time she was part of a neurosurgical specialty hospital which serves the S.F. Bay area. Everyone at this center was friendly, supportive and competent. All the nurses told me Dr. Von Koch was the best surgeon. At 80 years my back had many issues but the most urgent one was stenosis at L2-3 and L4-5. It has been 3 months since my operation and my back is far more flexible. Before the operation for the "bridge pose" I couldn't get my butt more than one inch off the ground. Now I can do a full bridge pose even supported by one leg. I am so very grateful for Dr. Von Koch's skillful surgery.

This is my story of how I came to know, trust and revere Dr. Cornelia Von Koch, M.D., as one of the…read morebest neurosurgeons at Kaiser. It has been eight months since I visited the primary care doctor for my neck pain and left leg pain. My journey to Dr. Von Koch began about 3 months ago, I started having tingling and burning sensations down my left side of the body down from the chest. I described my symptoms to my primary care doctor, and initially, he said that my condition was common and referred me to a physical therapist who would teach me to strengthen core muscles in order to improve my posture. After a couple of months since my symptoms didn't go away, he referred me to a rehabilitation specialist, who in turn has referred me to a neurosurgeon at Kaiser. I did a lot of research, explored all the alternatives, and visited Dr. Von Koch of my own choosing and decided to put my faith in her. So glad I did. I checked out Dr. Von Koch's credentials at https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/providers/corneliavon_koch and was favorably impressed. My first appointment with Dr. Von Koch was very encouraging. She's a happy person who enjoys the respect of her staff and is a pleasure to be around. She performed some strength tests on my hands and legs. She looked at my MRI and said that my condition was caused by C6-7 stenosis. She explained what spinal stenosis is and initially offered c6/7 arthroplasty vs ACDF. She asked me a lot of questions and suggested I get all the prior images of my cervical spine to further investigate, none of my earlier doctors cared about those prior images at all. On the next visit, Dr. Von Koch showed me the bone spurs in the MRI that were threatening my nerves. Given the extent of disc osteophyte at c6/7 and congenital narrow canal, disc arthroplasty is less of an option and recommended ACDF c6/7 instead. She also encouraged me to get a second opinion if that makes me comfortable and gives me peace of mind. It was a hassle to catch hold imaging department at Kaiser to upload my prior images, Dr. Von Koch is very compassionate about her patients and made things easy for me by asking to drop prior images at her office and she took care of the rest. After my prior images are scanned in, Dr. Von Koch sent a message explaining that there is a slow progression in my condition over the years. Meantime I went to see an orthopedic surgeon at the UCSF Spine Center for a second opinion. Not only Dr. Von Koch reviewed other doctor notes of my visit, but also explained to me that he proposed a potentially bigger surgery 'corpectomy' depending on the amount of calcifications at the disc level. She explained to me that it would be good to avoid the corpectomy but if the calcified disc is too high then the whole vertebral body may need to come out. Dr. Von Koch encouraged me to confirm again with the UCSF doctor about his surgical plan so that I can make an informed decision. While I am still going through the pain and confused about the next steps, I feel fortunate to have Dr. Von Koch as my doctor who is always kind and compassionate about her patients. If you are looking for a neurosurgeon at Kaiser, look no further. You found one. She is a true gem of a person and an awesome neurosurgeon!

Tremors, Tunes, and Triumph: Surviving the Operating Table…read more It's officially been 38 hours since I checked into El Camino Hospital in Mountain View for my C6-C7 disc replacement surgery, and honestly, the whole experience has been surprisingly great. A massive part of that is my surgeon, Dr. Yazeed Gussous. From walking me back from the lobby himself to review my 12-week detailed health log in his AI tool, he has been fantastic. He even coordinates a group text with patients and families for round-the-clock reassurance. Before my surgery, he stopped to learn every technician's name in the OR prep, bonded with us over having Star Wars-named dogs (Chewie, Rey, and Finn), and brought an incredible, personal touch to the process. Going into the operating room blew me away. With nearly 20 people inside, Dr. Gussous introduced every single person by name and role--including Valentino, born on Valentine's Day. Upbeat party music pumped through the speakers as I rolled in, making me feel ready to win a marathon. As I prayed on the table, he grabbed my hand to reassure me, and right after I woke up, he personally fed me applesauce and shared that he had prayed for me, too. The care didn't stop there. My recovery nurse Julie made vulnerable moments feel totally fine, and night nurse Rachel and CNA Samy walked the floor with me at 4:00 AM with radiant, joyful energy. From RNs Liz, Thanh, and Sajita to transporters like Ronald, OT Maureen, and physical therapists sharing stories of motherhood, every single person was a rockstar. Recovery is going smoothly--zero neck or arm pain, just a annoying IVs, a headache, and a bulky neck brace. This journey gave me a deep appreciation for how hard hospital staff work, and how vital it is for patients to partner with them by following instructions and listening to their care teams. I hope you never need spine care, but if you do, Dr. Gussous and his phenomenal team at El Camino Hospital are second to none!

I can't say enough good things about Dr. Gussous. I was so nervous and unsure about doing a fusion…read moresurgery (L4-L5) on my back even though I could barely walk more than a few feet without going numb in the legs and feet. I couldn't stand long enough to cook a meal. Dr. Gussous looked at my MRI and CT scans and projected great confidence that a surgery would help me and I just decided to put myself in his hands. Best decision ever. Three months out and I can walk indefinitely with no discomfort. Just after the surgery, when I was recovering in the hospital, I was having some issues with my blood pressure dropping precipitously whenever I stood up. Dr. Gussous came personally to my bedside and spent about 40 minutes observing what was happening, having me stand and sit, having me walk a short distance in the hallway until he was satisfied that he understood what was going on. An amazing level of personal attention. Even the nurses were surprised. He also arranged for a week in acute rehab where I got a ton of support and instruction to see me through the rest of the recovery at home. I have done a lot of research about this procedure, including lurking around on Facebook groups where people share information about their experiences with this type of surgery. So I know that not everyone has as wonderful an outcome as I have had. I can only feel thankful to Dr. Gussous for performing an excellent surgery on me.

It has been a couple of years since Dr. Margie D. Lim left Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and I…read morestill miss having her as my primary care physician. I was fortunate to be her patient for over 20 years. Throughout those years, she consistently demonstrated what outstanding medical care should look like. She is incredibly knowledgeable, thorough, patient, and genuinely compassionate. She always listened carefully to my concerns, paid close attention to every detail, and took the time to explain diagnoses and treatment options in a way that was easy to understand. I never felt rushed, and I always felt that she truly cared about my health and well-being. Finding a great physician is not easy, and since Dr. Lim left, I have not found another primary care doctor who provides the same level of trust, professionalism, and personal care. She set a very high standard. If Dr. Lim is still practicing medicine somewhere, I sincerely hope I can find her and become her patient again. She made a lasting difference in my life, and I will always be grateful for the exceptional care she provided over the past two decades. Thank you, Dr. Lim, for everything you have done for me and so many of your patients. I wish you all the best wherever you are.

she's a nice person I thot. When she was dedicated doctor she was great. Now not so much so. She…read morehasn't been my doctor in over two years. Kinda like disappeared