Howard Levene's Online Review Report Card

Dr. Levene is a terrific Surgeon and very caring. He is direct with his evaluation and takes time to explain the best procedure to bring relief to the affected area. Dr. Levene operated on three levels of my cervical disks and I'm grateful for the outcome. Thank you Dr. Levene, I'm happy our paths crossed and you were the one that preformed my surgery.

I am Dewey Jones a 62 year old male from West Palm Beach Florida, I have to until this time neglected until this time to give Dr. Howard B Levene excellent review for phis present and past three surgeries on my neck and lower back with him. I had spine surgery with him in June 2011, surgery went well, and I had I neck surgery with Titantic rods in 2019 March. And the Lumbar Spine Fushion, Anter approach, Dr Levene is very good surgent with a fine bed side manner, and contagious good personality. I will recommend Dr Levene to any one of my family members or friends.

Had major surgery on back, 5 fusions 15 hours. He discharged me 6 months after. I had to have arm surgery because they left blood pressure cuff on too long and my right arm ulnar nerve ruined. I cannot stand up straight, 60 degrees off. Total disaster. Teaching hospital no lawyers will take. STAY AWAY.

Levene operated on my back, 5 fusions, 15 hr surgery. Blood pressure cuff left on too long. Had to have arm surgery and could not save my ulnar nerve and ruined arm. I cannot stand up straight, had second opinion and told 60 degrees off. A begginers mistake. Discharged me as healed 6 months after surgery which was not the plan. He ran from mistakes like a rat.

Dr. Howard Levene is a great surgeon. I judge my doctors on what other doctors say about them. I have had several doctors see my pre/post op CTs and say what a highly skilled artist Dr. Levene is. Dr. Levene answers all your questions without rushing you, in a manner in which is directed at the patients level of understanding, he is clear, concise and very through and that is an absolute rarity in doctors today, plus he is a surgeon who other surgeons and medical professionals admire.

Dr Levene is a GREAT Doctor! I had been suffering miserably for 2 years. I saw Dr Levene and we decided on a iFuse of my si joint. I happy to announce that as of today, 9 weeks after surgery I no longer suffer from my sciatic nerve nor my si joint. Sure I had intensive physical therapy as inpatient but it was all worth it. I drive, I can go shopping, stand on line and have a better quality of life. Dr Levene is an excellent Doctor. I highly recommend Dr Levene as the BEST UM has to offer

At one time I could not walk. I was injured while in the military. Dr. Levene performed the surgery on my back. After 6 hours, I went to the critical unit. After that, I went to a regular room and was there recovering. The second day, I was walking. Tears came down my eyes and also my wife. I recommend Dr. Levene to whom ever needs a back surgery. God bless you Dr. Levene and your family.

My initial visit with him was great, he explained the diagnosis, what to look for and what procedure he recommended. He was very articulate and took his time, he never rushed and answered every question or concern I had.

The surgery and outcome were excellent...

First let me share what Dr. Leven was up against in my own situation. I have had five cervical spinal fusions in the span of 5 years. Three of the surgeries were the result of psuedoarthrosis which is the failure of my own body not fusing the levels intended to be fused. These failures can be attributed to the fact that I smoke cigarettes. first a word of advise. YOU MUST STOP SMOKING for these procedures to have a better chance of success. I did stop smoking in preparation for the last surgery I had. It is that important !!! The failure to fuse by no means is the fault of any of the three Neurosurgeons who have performed on me. Dr. Levene was the last surgeon to perform a surgery on me and his was the most complicated and most challenging of all of the surgeries I have experienced. I had to be fused through the back of my neck from C3 all the way to T2. It also included a partial laminectomy of C3. Although I was previously fused through both front and back of C4 to C6 Dr. Levene had to remove the hardware of the previous posterior approach of C4-C5-C6. Then he needed to remove the failed fusion matter of the previous anterior approach to fuse C3-C4 and C6-C7. After this long and delicate surgery I was left with rods extending from C3 to T2 and re-fusion of the failed C3-C4 and C6-C7. The rods extended beyond the actual fusions to provide support to my neck so I can hold my head up. I did not have any disc matter removed and a fusion preformed at C7-T2. After this long surgery I was an inpatient at the Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center where the surgery was performed. I was discharged wearing a Minerva brace which is basically a halo brace that did not allow my head any movement. With my history of failed fusions Dr. Levene did all he could to make this surgery a success. My part of this teamwork was to NOT SMOKE. Being somewhat incapacitated for a few months the smoking cessation was not as difficult as expected. No doubt this was a painful surgery which requires the bisection of many muscles and nerves in the back, shoulders and neck. Honestly, I was miserable and hurt like heck for at least a month post-op. Now on to my opinion of Dr. Levene. As I mentioned I have had other neurosurgeons who have performed some fusions. Three to be exact. Dr. Levene was the last one and I pray the very last one to perform a fusion(s). He is by far the most educated, well spoken, very caring and most of all, to me at least, the best Surgeon I could have ever asked for. He is very down to earth in explaining what needs to be done. He does not candy coat anything and allows you to provide input about his decisions and what he feels needs to be done. He listens to how you live your life, how you want your life to be following such a procedure and does the best he can with the tools given and most current technics available. He is an outstanding surgeon. Not that I would ever wish to have anymore fusions if I did, he would be the one I would go to. He works in Miami and I live in Orlando. the 200 miles to see him is not even a factor in who my choice would be in operating on me. He does contract with the VA as well as performing surgeries with the University Of Miami across the street from the VA. He is a teaching surgeon who has in his staff students learning the craft of Neurosurgery. So not only do you get the best in my opinion operating on you. You also get his students as well in the operating room. That being said, he makes sure that what he is performing is the best he can provide because he is also teaching these new surgeons doctors to be just as good as he is. Something they could hope they could be. Dr. Levene is absolutely the best Neurosurgeon I have ever had the experience to be involved with and in all of my research of neurosurgeons he passes all litmus tests. I would recommend him to anyone who has the means to have him as their neurosurgeon. As for the outcome of my surgery that he performed. It has been two years now. I will never be like before and no matter how good the surgeon is, when you mess with the spine and in my case so extensively, this surgery gave me back the best life possible under the circumstances of my own individual situation. I will forever be grateful for the SUCCESSFUL surgery he performed in the manner he chose to do it. Dr. Levene, my wife, kids and everyone who is involved in my life THANK YOU for being the best. I will be eternally grateful to you Thanks