I cannot recommend Dr. Walavan Sivakumar and his incredible team highly enough. As a Registered Nurse myself, I have very high standards for clinical excellence and patient care, and Dr. Sivakumar exceeded every one of them. On March 19, 2026, I underwent a minimally invasive retrosigmoid craniotomy to remove my meningioma. From our very first consultation, Dr. Sivakumar's expertise and calm, confident demeanor gave me the peace of mind I needed to face such a significant procedure. He took the time to explain every detail, ensuring I felt empowered and informed as a patient. The surgery was a success, and the post-operative care has been exceptional. Dr. Sivakumar is not only a brilliant neurosurgeon but also a compassionate healer who truly listens to his patients. He and his staff navigated my recovery with precision and genuine care. If you are looking for a surgeon who combines world-class technical skill with a heart for his patients, look no further. I am so grateful to have had him as my surgeon during this journey. God is great, and I am well on my way to a full recovery thanks to his gifted hands! read more

You won't find a more capable, caring, honest Dr than Dr Sivakumar. I would trust him completely!! He took GREAT CARE of my husband!

***Dr. Sivakumar's team MISDIAGNOSED me with a mental disorder when what I really needed was surgery to remove a symptomatic pineal cyst*** I had been experiencing increasingly frequent and severe headaches (amongst other symptoms) for two years before a 12mm pineal cyst was found on an MRI of my head. I was quickly made aware of the debate within the neuro community about whether or not pineal cysts are capable of producing symptoms - half of my doctors recommended surgically removing the cyst while the other half believed that the cyst was inconsequential. After careful consideration, I decided that I wanted to give surgery a shot because all other medications/treatments had failed to improve my symptoms up to that point and the possibility of an improved quality of life outweighed the potential risks for me. I found two neurosurgeons who were on board with performing surgery, but their surgical schedules were booked out for several months. Consequently, I came across Dr. Sivakumar in my search for a neurosurgeon who had the availability to perform the surgery sooner. Dr. Sivakumar and his team were ultimately of the opinion that the cyst was unlikely the cause of my symptoms. While disappointing, I was not too concerned until his team took it a step farther and diagnosed me with somatic symptom disorder. It was disturbing that Dr. Sivakumar's team was so quick to write off my medical illness as mental disorder, especially when a symptomatic pineal cyst couldn't be entirely ruled out. A different surgeon ended up removing my pineal cyst two months ago and for the first time in years, I am headache-free. On the rare occasion that I do have a headache nowadays, it is responsive to medication. It is extremely harmful for patients who are medically ill to have their medical problems mislabeled as mental disorder and it greatly troubles me to think of the unnecessary suffering I would have endured for the rest of my life if I had believed Dr. Sivakumar's erroneous conclusion that my illness was "all in my head." read more

High praise for Dr Sivakumar! He is tireless and dedicated and caring. As a fellow surgeon I often hear the operating room staff marvel at his technique. People don't usually get to hear from the colleagues of a professional, but Dr Sivakumar is a fantastic surgeon and human being! read more

Kudos Kudos and more Kudos. We love this man! He's made us see life from an entirely new perspective. Miracles do happen; Or shall I say Dr Sivakumar can make the impossible possible! Forever grateful read more

Walavan Sivakumar - My husband Randy and our Miracle worker Dr. Sivakumar - Surgeons Near Me - Torrance, California

I'm so grateful that I met Dr.sivakumar last year after trying any thing possible to relieve my lower back and my leg pain . Unlike other surgeons he did send me for motion x -Ray test beside MRI and gave me the good news that I could have decompression without Fusion which was lot less risk and recovery time .so he scheduled me for last Thursday August 13 and NO MORE PAIN . And I went home a day after .Needless to say that other surgeons told me I have to have fusion which is a long and major surgery with 50% risk . He also have a beautiful office and professional staff. God bless him ,staff and family read more

Dr Sivakumar and the whole Pacific Neuroscience Institute team of doctors and staff are 2nd to none. I have never been more comfortable and secure with my care. This team makes a difference in peoples quality of lives every day. I am so grateful for the wonderful care I received and their attention to every detail. They also use the MyChart App which organizes all appointments and test results, so all of your doctors are fully informed of your complete care. MyChart is the best medical data organization software I've seen yet; Absolutely no need for paperwork. They are also so conveniently located at PV Blvd and Torrance Blvd. I just can't say enough. read more

Dr. Sivakumar will care for my spinal challenge for the rest of my life! I was referred to Dr. Sivakumar at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Torrance for a second opinion prior to surgery by a trusted family friend. Prior to my consultation with Dr Sivakumar, I was interviewed by his physician assistant, a member of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute care team, who developed a deeper understanding of my cervical history than anyone before. During the second opinion consultation with Dr Sivakumar, I learned substantially more about my cervical condition. Dr. Sivakumar is the "poster-child" for bed-side manner, compassion and reality. Near the end of the consultation, Dr Sivakumar offered to assist my surgeon with the procedure that included installation of a disc prosthesis and the neurosurgical hardware at the C5-6 level. Not only did Dr. Sivakumar assist in the surgery, he called my wife immediately afterwards to update her of its success and was the first person to see me the morning after surgery. I'm an active senior, a life-long want-a-be athlete and now a cyclist and a practicing CPA. I don't make referrals without trusting the likelihood of success. I recommend Dr. Sivakumar and his care team for anyone with spine and neurological issues. read more

If you need a neurosurgeon in Southern California this is the Doctor to see. Our Experience with Dr. Sivakumar was excellent! He is not only great at what he does, but will take the time to explain everything to you before going forward with any procedure. He has a way of making one feel comfortable in a very difficult and scary situation. My mom is alive and well today because of Dr. Sivakumar! read more

It has been exactly 1 year since my back surgery by Dr Sivakumar. I am still in awe with how much he has helped me. I am able to workout for 1 hour every morning and walk without significant pain. A year ago I would not have dreamed this was ever possible. Thank you Dr Sivakumar for your kindness and your incredible skill. read more

What can you say about the man that gave you your life back! I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia 2 years ago and initially, it was controlled with medication. However, the pain escalated in December 2022 and I was submitted to Little Company of Mary hospital. The pain was so severe that I couldn't talk or eat, even sips of water triggered a shock. I was given multiple nerve pain medications but to no avail. I was then introduced to Dr. Sivakumar. Previously, I said that I would never go through surgery but I had never experienced pain like this and I knew that I couldn't live with the pain as it was. Dr Sivakumar went over my options and very clearly explained the process. I trusted him instantly and I basically said yes please, thank you and when can you do the surgery. 2 days later I went through Microvascular Decompression surgery and I'm so happy that I did. It was a huge success! I was sitting up talking, drinking, eating a few hours after surgery and as Dr Sivakumar believes in heal at home, I was discharged the next day. He also took the time to come in to see me, on his day off, before I was discharged. I have not looked back and my family and I will be forever grateful to him and his team for their compassion, caring and loving manner. I was so lucky to be in the right place at the right time to meet this brilliant surgeon! read more

Dr. Sivakumar saved my life. He was the first point of contact who caringly and professionally explained that I had a large brain tumor that required surgery. I could not have been blessed with a more compassionate person to break the scary news. In his calm demeanor, he answered all of my questions in a loving and knowledgeable way, and I knew I was in the best hands. He performed the operation just 4 days later alongside Dr. Barkhoudarian. I am eternally grateful to know this living angel!! Thank you, Dr. Wally. You epitomize compassion at its finest. Truly lucky to know such a gem of a human. You gave me the gift of life and a future to embark upon. read more

First of all, I would like to thank the staff and doctors at Pacific Neuroscience Institute, especially Dr. Sivakumar. My mother was diagnosed with a mass adenoma on her pituitary gland and became very ill. Her health was declining quickly and we didn't know what to do, because she needed surgery to remove the mass and we were having issues with her insurance. Dr. Sivakumar is an excellent doctor, he and his staff helped so that her surgery was covered. My family and I can't express how grateful we are for helping our mother. He is very professional, and he took the time to explain in detail and in terms that I could understand what was happening with my mother and the procedure that needed to be done. 7 months later, and my mother is doing extremely well. Thank you Dr. Sivakumar. read more

I came in for a consult with Dr. Sivakumar after a lot of research on providers and neurosurgeons, and I really could not be more grateful that I found him. As expected, he is extremely qualified, meticulous, comprehensive in his delivery, but also is a great guy - a consummate professional who really took the time to answer all of our questions, providing easy to digest detail and an open dialog around my condition and treatment plan. His office team is just as professional, detail-oriented, and helpful. My surgery and recovery went as well as we could have hoped, and my incision has healed well also. I highly, highly recommend Dr. Sivakumar and the entire team at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. read more

This is a great office. The staff is super friendly and identifies themselves when we arrive. The Surgeon Dr. Walavan Sivakumar, has excellent bed side manners. He takes the time to talk to us and explain my husband's options and potential surgery. He even went above and beyond by calling and checking up on my husband on a weekend before his surgery.Dr Sivakumar is very professional and courteous. The Nurse practitioner Kathleen is very tentative and very helpful. She responds to to our calls quickly. The staff was attentive to our needs and calls and any paperwork was completed in a timely manner. They are always willing to help. My family and I are very grateful for Dr. Sivakumar and staff for everything that they did for my husband and our family. I highly recommend the office and Dr. Sivakumar read more

Dr. Sivakumar and the team at Pacific Neuroscience are true professionals. Our daughter had a complicated diagnosis of an arteriovenous malformation in her right frontal lobe. Due to the rarity of this disease in the pediatric population, Dr. Sivakumar consulted with numerous other neurosurgeons across the country to assure us that his recommended course of treatment was the best choice. His compassion and expertise are truly unsurpassed and we had a completely successful surgery! read more

I am an 82 year old man who had growing, major pains in my back and legs. Dr. Sivakumar ordered an MRI to analyze my problem. In the process, he found out there may be problems with my marrow that would affect his procedure, and/or the success of the surgery. Out of an abundance of caution, he would not proceed without a conference and the approval of a hematologist. He kept me informed of his plans during the process, explained what he intended to do, and answered all my questions. Dr. Sivakumar told me that my entire condition could not be determined from just my MRI and blood tests. The complete course of my surgery would depend on what he found during the process. The least he thought he could do would be to operate on one vertebrae; because of my condition he ended up having to remove parts of three. Thanks to his skill, I am now free of pain when bending and walking. My spine has served me well for 82 years. Now, thanks to Dr. Sivakumar, I can get many more years of use out of it. I have full confidence in recommending him to anyone. read more

Today was my first visit to Dr. Walavan Sivakumar and his staff far r acceded my expectation. He takes the time to explain everything to you before going forward with any procedure. I could not have been blessed with a more compassionate person. Doctor Silvakumar patiently took time to answer all of my questions in a loving and knowledgeable way. Can't begin to say thank you enough. read more

Very professional, very caring. One of the best surgeons I have ever met. A true human being. Highly recommended.

Dr Sivakumar saved my aunt's life. Other doctors had diagnosed her with only AFIB, but Dr.Sivakumar and his team dug deeper into the MRIs to find other areas that needed immediate attention and he operated on her carotid artery to stop further strokes. He sat with us and was patient and thorough with all of our questions and concerns. He continues to treat my aunt with kindness and pays close attention to any potential stroke symptoms. He encourages her and makes her feel important. We were all very impressed with his brilliance and bedside man read more

This year I endured several compression fractures on my C1, C2, T5 & T7. It is so refreshing to know that there is a doctor like Dr. Sivakumar. He has a very friendly, calm, caring demeanor about him, is very attentive to your condition and concerns, is patient (doesn't rush you through the appointment), set me at ease, listened and addressed all my concerns. Explained very clearly, so that I understood, all the medical terms that pertained to me from what was shown in my CT Scans, MRI's, and x-rays. I loved that he didn't push for surgery, and considered alternative approaches, which turned out to be applicable in my case. Dr. Sivakumar is a visionary in that he is working at setting up an institution for his patients to come to, to receive all the treatments needed in the facility he set up. He recommends and is also setting up/including in his practice, at Providence, Alternative Medicine Treatments. I just Love this doctor, I don't normally feel this way about doctors, but he truly is one of a kind. read more

Dr. Sikakumar is great! I had a pituitary macroademona tumor. He was incredible supportive while I went through various medications to treat it until ultimately I needed to have surgery. The surgery went flawlessly. He's kind, professional, and someone who will listen to your concerns. Can't recommend enough! read more

Our daughter was diagnosed with an AVM in the vision part of her brain. She had to have emergency brain surgery at 9:00 pm. Of course, we had a lot of questions. Dr. Sivakumar was kind, compassionate and patient. He worked tirelessly through the night. He calmly and completely explained everything to us before surgery and then again after surgery. Can't begin to say thank you enough to him and his stellar staff! read more

Dr Sivakumar was my surgeon for my neck. I went to him after having increased pain down my arms for months. He was thorough in explaining what my options were prior to deciding on surgery. I was extremely pleased with the outcome, fast recovery and the best news I am no longer in pain like I was. Highly recommend Dr Sivakumar and his team. read more

Very fortunate to have Dr. Sivakumar at the ER at Little Company of Mary when I was admitted. Was unable to complete my sentences was my only symptom. When the CT scan was completed the good doctor explained to me and my husband that I have subdural hematoma. He methodically explained the surgical procedure and reassured me that he will do his best to get me back to good health and he did. He is compassionate, caring and a winning personality, always a big smile. He is very competent and enjoys what he does. Never in a hurry, answers all questions. His staff is competent and very helpful in scheduling appointments. My last visit was 1/14/19, 3 months after my craniotomy. I am back to normal, doing all the activities I used to do before surgery. Thanks to his skillful hands. If you need a competent surgeon with the latest know how, he is the man. read more