EN
1. Dr Çağatay Öztürk |
2. Dr Göktuğ Akyoldaş |
3. Dr Gerardo Conesa Bertrán |
4. Dr Bartolomé Oliver Abadal |
5. Dr Jaime Gállego |
6. Dr Jung Yul Park |
7. Dr Lee Jae Chul |
8. Dr Michal Tichý |
9. Dr Aleš Vlasák |
The frequency of spinal surgery has increased significantly over the last 15 years, especially in developed countries and among the elderly population. Spinal surgery provides relief from pain and discomfort, and thanks to modern operating techniques, it has become safer than ever. However, any surgical intervention carries risks and every patient wants to minimise them. A large number of studies prove that one of the most influential factors in the outcome of surgery is the experience and professionalism of the surgeon.
To make it easier for our patients to find the right specialist, we have compiled a rating of the best spinal surgeons.
Prof Çağatay Öztürk – Liv Hospital, Turkey
Professor Çağatay Öztürk is the head of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at the prestigious Liv Ulus Hospital in Turkey and a leading specialist in spinal disorders. He has over 27 years of professional experience. He treats a wide range of conditions, but his main speciality is scoliosis in children and adults.
Dr Öztürk graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1997. Since then, he practised at Zonguldak Türkali Medical Centre and Florence Nightingale Hospital until he joined Liv Medical Clinic Network in 2015.
In addition to his medical practice, the professor finds time for research, having co-authored more than 170 scientific publications in national and international medical journals. He has been honoured with several awards for his professional work, including the Akif Akira Chakar Award (2008), the Global Spine Progress Award (2013), and several others. Importantly, the doctor is a member of many prestigious organisations – the European, North American and Asia Pacific Spine Societies, the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, and the Scientific Society of Scoliosis.
In addition to Turkish, the doctor is also proficient in English.
Professor Çağatay Öztürk treats the following spinal conditions:
Scoliosis;
Kyphosis;
Spinal canal stenosis;
Herniated vertebral disc;
Disc protrusion;
Spinal fracture;
Minimally invasive spine surgery;
Laser discectomy.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Liv Hospital
Procedure: Minimally invasive spine surgery
Ahmet: “I had 5 spinal canal narrowings, two of which were very serious + two serious herniated discs. I lived with unbearable pain and went to many doctors with this problem for 3 years, but no one wanted to operate – there was a high risk of paralysis, and I could lose the ability to walk. But when I met Dr Çağatay, he said he could operate immediately and scheduled the surgery for the same week. I am eternally grateful to him! I feel so much better, I can walk on my own and I feel I will recover quickly from the physiotherapy.”
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Associate Professor Göktuğ Akyoldaş – Koç University Hospital, Turkey
Dr Göktuğrüğ Akyoldaş is one of the leading specialists in neurosurgery at Koç University Hospital, located in Istanbul, Turkey. He treats many diseases of the nervous system, including the spine and spinal cord, such as tumours, protrusions, herniations, etc. Dr Akyoldaş is one of the most gifted young specialists at the clinic, and he has extensive experience working abroad, particularly in the UK and USA.
Dr Akyoldaş graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Selal Bayar University in 2007, and in 2014 he completed his specialisation in neurosurgery at Dokuz Eylül University.
In 2003, Dr Akyoldaş worked at St George’s Hospital in London, where he was mentored by the legendary neurosurgeon Henry Marsh. In the same year, he completed his microsurgery training in St Louis, Missouri, USA. In 2019, he trained in the surgical treatment of epilepsy under the supervision of Dr Francesco Cardinale at the ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda Hospital in Milan.
Since 2016, Dr Akyoldaş has been a member of the Koc University Hospital, where he practises in the field of neurosurgery and has a research practice. Dr has authored 34 publications in scientific journals such as World Neurosurgery and International Journal of Spine Surgery.
Notable among the doctor’s honours are the Young Contributing Doctor Award, received in 2022, and the Distinguished Service Award, received in 2023.
Dr Göktuğrüğ Akyoldaş’ areas of work:
Spinal herniated discs;
Spinal canal stenosis;
Tumours of the spine and spinal cord;
Fractures of the spine;
Congenital diseases of the spine;
Age-related deformities of the spine.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Koç University Hospital
Procedure: Surgical treatment for herniated discs
Sarah: “I am very grateful to Dr Akyoldaş for the care I received at the Koç Clinic. I went there for surgical treatment of a herniated spine. The detailed explanation of the procedure by Dr Akyoldaş put me at ease. The hospital staff provided attentive care and my recovery went without complications. I am very grateful to the surgeon as well as the nurses who looked after me during the recovery period.”
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Dr Gerardo Conesa Bertrán – Teknon Hospital, Spain
One of Spain’s leading neurosurgeons, Dr Gerardo Conesa Bertrán is head of the Department of Neurosurgery and director of the Neurosciences Institute at the Teknon University Hospital. He was Secretary of the Catalan Society of Neurosurgery for 7 years and he holds a large number of awards.
Dr Conesa was the first neurosurgeon in Spain to operate on a conscious brain tumour patient and was also the first to use robotics in neurosurgery. His interest in mapping and monitoring motor and language functions in brain tumour patients was the subject of his thesis and has accompanied him throughout his long professional career.
Dr Conesa Bertrán is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona, where he obtained his PhD in 1994. After completing his postgraduate studies at the Hospital de Bellvitge (MIR), he was certified by the European Board of Neurosurgery (EANS) and officially became a member.
The doctor has over 32 years of professional experience, during which he has worked at Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospital Clinica Barcelona, and Hospital del Mar. Since 2021, he has been working at the University Hospital Teknon.
Throughout his career, he has managed to combine his work as a surgeon with teaching, being an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Barcelona, a mentor of neurosurgery residents, a professor of the EANS (European Association of Neurosurgical Societies) training committee and an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Dr Cones Bertrán’s main areas of interest are:
Removal of spinal tumours;
Minimally invasive spinal surgery.
Dr Gerardo Conesa Bertrán is the author of more than 180 scientific publications.
Among the doctor’s most important honours are: the Ramón y Cajal Brain Decade Award (1995), the Spanish Society of Neurology Award (1996), 2 Diario Médico Magazine Awards (2003 and 2018), awards from the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery, the American Society of Neurosurgery and the British Society of Neurosurgery (2017).
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Teknon hospital
Procedure: Spinal hernia removal
Lucia: “Dr Conesa is an excellent specialist who changed my life for the better with a successfully performed herniated disc surgery. The post-operative follow-up was excellent and the doctor personally looked after me and my well-being. Such a genuine human attitude is rare to find. Thank you, doctor.”
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Dr Bartolomé Oliver Abadal – Teknon Clinic, Spain
Dr Bartolomé Oliver is one of the most renowned neurosurgeons in Spain today. He is a leading specialist at the Teknon University Hospital and a co-founder of the Oliver and Ayats Institute and the unique Spine Unit. Dr Oliver is best known for developing minimally invasive techniques using the da Vinci robot in the field of neurosurgery.
Dr Oliver graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in 1979. He then specialised in neurosurgery at the National Department of Neurosurgery of Madrid under the world-renowned Dr Sixto Obrador. After completing his training, Dr Oliver joined the newly established Department of Neurosurgery at the Hospital Sant Pau at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. For more than 48 years, the doctor has practised not only in Spain but also in the USA, Canada and Sweden.
Dr Bartolome Oliver performs at least 190 back surgeries each year, including spondylodesis (spinal fusion) and spinal disc replacement.
Dr Bartolome Oliver is an honorary member of many professional organisations, including the American Academy of Minimally Invasive Medicine and Spine Surgery (AAMISMS), the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS), and the AOSPINE Foundation. In addition, the doctor is the current president of the Catalan Society of Neurosurgeons and the European Skull Base Society.
Dr Bartolomé Oliver most commonly treats the following back and spine conditions:
Treatment of a herniated disc;
Treatment of spinal cord injury;
Treatment of spinal cord tumour;
Treatment of spinal stenosis;
Diskectomy;
Foraminotomy;
Kyphoplasty;
Laminectomy.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Teknon Clinic
Procedure: Treatment of discopathy
Anonymous: “I underwent surgery for L3-L4-L5 discopathy at Teknon Medical Centre. My treating physician was Dr Oliver and I can recommend him as the intervention went perfectly as did the recovery. The surgery was performed using the Robòtic Reinassance system.”
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Dr Jaime Gállego – Navarra Hospital, Spain
Dr Jaime Gállego is an experienced neurosurgeon practising at the University Hospital of Navarra. His main areas of interest include complex neurological diseases such as malignant tumours, paraneoplastic syndrome, congenital neonatal pathologies, and multiple sclerosis.
He studied medicine at the University of Navarra, from where he graduated in 2003 with a specialisation in neurology. After that, the doctor worked for some time in France, practising in the field of neuro-oncology under the supervision of the renowned Professor Jean-Yves Delatré at La Salpêtrière Hospital (Paris). In 2010-2012, he also obtained a diploma in neuro-oncology at the Pierre and Marie Curie University.
He is a member of many professional organisations such as the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), the European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO), and the European Association for Cancer Research and Treatment, among others.
In addition to his medical practice, Dr Gállego devotes a lot of time to research. He supervises medical studies, teaches at the University of Navarra as an associate professor, and has written more than 100 scientific papers and publications to date.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Navarra Clinic
Procedure: Scoliosis treatment
Jeanne: “We were looking for a doctor to go to for the surgical treatment of our son’s scoliosis and were recommended Dr Jaime Gállegoin Spain. European medicine is more trustworthy than treatment at home, and the doctor himself is very friendly. The operation went as it should and there were no particular problems with recovery. The hospital staff provided attentive care, for which we are very grateful.”
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Professor Jung Yul Park – Anam Clinic, South Korea
One of Korea’s top spinal surgeons, Dr Jung Yul Park, practices at Anam Clinic, located in Seoul, the nation’s capital. The doctor has won numerous awards and heads several prestigious national medical organisations, and his fame as a talented neurosurgeon is well-known beyond Korea’s borders. One of his main specialities is the treatment of spinal disorders, including stereotactic radiosurgery.
Dr Jung Yul Park graduated from Goryeo Private University in Seoul and then completed a fellowship in neurosurgery at the University of Toronto in Canada.
Today, the doctor is President of the Korean Academy of Neurosurgery at Hanlim Institute, Head of the Centre for Advanced Convergent Medicine at Goryeo University, and Vice President of the Korean Medical Association. Until 2023, he was the head of the unique Spine and Pain Centre at Goryeo University. In 2023, Dr Park Jung-yul was elected president of the World Medical Association.
Dr Jung-Yul Park is the WDMS Korea representative to the World Education Association and the WFNS representative to the Korean Medical Examination Service.
The doctor’s recent honours include two awards personally presented by South Korea’s Minister of Health and Welfare in 2020 and 2022 for his contributions to the country’s medicine.
Physician’s speciality:
Geriatric diseases of the spine;
Cervical osteochondrosis treatment;
Removal of herniated discs of the spine;
Treatment of spinal pain.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Anam Clinic
Procedure: Treatment of spinal canal stenosis
Ivan: “The professionalism of Dr Jung Yul Park is commendable. We were able to get an appointment with the doctor quickly and after a short diagnostic phase, the day of surgery was scheduled. Everything went well, there were no postoperative complications.”
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Professor Lee Jae Chul – SoonChunHyang Hospital, South Korea
Dr Lee Jae Chul is one of the leading spinal surgery specialists at the Spine Health Centre of SoonChunHyang University Hospital. The doctor is best known as an expert in treating spondylopathy – a disease of the spine and joints that causes discomfort, pain and impaired mobility.
The doctor graduated from the country’s most prestigious university, Seoul National University (SNUH), and did his residency there as an orthopaedic surgeon. He now works at SoonChunHyang University Hospital as an Associate Professor of Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr Lee Jae Chul also taught at Washington University in St Louis as a visiting professor in 2012-2013.
Dr Lee Jae Chul has also authored 95 scientific publications. He is a member of a large number of medical organisations both Korean and international; notable among them are the North American Spine Society (NASS), AOSpine Korea, Korean Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (KOSASS), Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS), International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS). Importantly, he also serves on the board of directors of the Pacific-Asian Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and the editorial board of the Asian Spine Journal.
The doctor has been honoured with many awards, including the Korean Orthopaedic Association Award (1996), and two awards from the Korean Society of Spine Surgery (2005, 2009).
Dr Lee Jae Chul’s speciality:
Diseases of the spine, including cancer;
Injuries of the spine;
Congenital deformities of the spine;
Infections of the spine.
Patient Review
Clinic: SoonChunHyang Clinic.
Procedure: Spinal compression fracture
Lily: “At the SoonChunHyang Clinic, we received professional care. My father-in-law had a severe spinal compression fracture, but the nursing staff at this hospital, especially Prof Lee Jae Chul, were able to help him.”
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To make an appointment for spine treatment abroad, click on the button below and fill out the form. Our coordinators will call you back within 30 minutes. They will provide all the necessary information and help with travel arrangements.
Prof Michal Tichý – Motol Clinic, Czech Republic
One of the most renowned and sought-after neurosurgeons in the Czech Republic is Dr Michal Tichý. He is particularly sought after by medical tourists from eastern and central Europe, given the proximity of the hospital and the affordable prices for treatment there. Dr Tichý practises at the Motol University Hospital, where he heads the neurosurgical clinic.
The doctor graduated from Charles University in Prague, after which he trained in many foreign clinics – Ljubljana (Slovenia), Institute for Cell Research in Lund (Sweden), Neurosurgical Centre of Naples (Italy), Neurosurgical Clinic of Munich (Germany), Neurosurgical Centre of Salt Lake City (USA), Neurosurgical Centre of Nottingham (UK).
In addition to his position at the Motol Clinic, Dr Tichý is Chairman of the Czech National Medical Neurosurgical Community and teaches at Charles University. He is also an honorary member of the European Medical Neurosurgical Community (EMNC).
Dr Tichý is an active researcher with over 60 scientific publications, 80 symposia and 8 research grants received from the Czech Ministry of Health.
The professional experience of the doctor is more than 40 years.
Dr Michal Tichý treats:
Malignant and benign tumours of the spine;
Intervertebral hernias;
Osteochondrosis, including cervical osteochondrosis;
Scoliosis (surgery);
Haemangioma of the spine (surgery);
Disc replacement in the spine.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Motol Clinic
Procedure: Treatment of intervertebral herniation
Georgy: “After undergoing treatment of my intervertebral hernia with Dr Tichý, I understood that going to the Czech Republic for treatment was the right choice. The surgery was quick and easy, and I was cared for by attentive and caring nurses during my mandatory post-operative stay. The doctor personally visited me after the operation to make sure I was in good health.”
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Dr Aleš Vlasák – Motol Clinic, Czech Republic
Dr Vlasák is one of the leading neurosurgeons at the Motol University Hospital. He specialises in minimally invasive spine surgery and has many years of experience in this field.
Dr Aleš Vlasák graduated with honours from the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in the country. He has trained and practised in many foreign clinics where he had the opportunity to learn advanced neurosurgical techniques – in Finland, China and even Kenya.
In addition, the doctor is active in scientific activities, is a member of professional organisations, and takes part in conferences and congresses. In recent years, he has published more than 30 medical articles and participated in 45 scientific events.
Dr Vlasak’s main areas of work:
Minimally invasive spinal surgeries;
Neurovascular surgery;
Endoscopic spine surgery;
Spinal tumour removal.
Patient Testimonial
Clinic: Motol Clinic
Procedure: Removal of a spinal tumour
Lena: “I am very grateful that I was able to go to Dr Vlasak for treatment. He is an excellent surgeon who calmly listened to all my complaints, made the correct diagnosis (which I could not get at home…) and removed the tumour using a minimally invasive method. When I woke up after the operation, I felt immediately relieved and, fortunately, there were no difficulties with recovery. Thank you very much, Dr Vlasák, for everything!”
Summary
Spinal surgery is used in extreme cases when conservative methods fail to relieve pain/discomfort, etc. Contacting an experienced surgeon is the best way to ensure a positive outcome of the intervention and the absence of unwanted post-operative complications.
Surgical treatment of the spine is most often performed by neurosurgeons. However, first of all, we recommend paying attention to doctors who have a narrow specialisation in diseases of the spine, and not, for example, of the brain or peripheral nerves.
For the convenience of our patients, the MediGlobus medical platform has compiled a ranking of the best foreign spinal surgeons that we recommend to our patients. Various factors such as the doctor’s length of service, the success rate of surgeries performed, specialised qualifications, and individual reviews were taken into account in compiling the ranking. We review every clinic we partner with to make sure our patients receive 100% of the comfort and care they deserve.
Some of the most sought-after doctors who treat the spine we have highlighted are Dr Çağatay Öztürk, Dr Göktuğ Akyoldaş, Dr Gerardo Conesa Bertrán, Dr Bartolomé Oliver Abadal, Dr Jaime Gállego, Dr Jung Yul Park, Dr Lee Jae Chul, Dr Michal Tichý, and Dr Aleš Vlasák. We can quickly organise a consultation with any of these doctors of your choice and book you in for treatment without unnecessary waiting.
Sources:
- 1. Nagoya Journal of Medical Science: Trends in the numbers of spine surgeries and spine surgeons over the past 15 years
- 2. Frontiers in Pain Research: Transforming Standard of Care for Spine Surgery: Integration of an Online Single-Session Behavioral Pain Management Class for Perioperative Optimization
- 3. Biocomposites
