Valerie Williams
Valerie suffered from severe spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis which caused her daily pain. She underwent an MIS TLIF and was discharged home the next day.
"I am doing really good! The pain down my legs was gone immediately and when I went to walk in the hospital I started crying because I didn’t limp and walked without pain. I am just amazed that I can walk without a limp and have no pain shooting down my legs. I am really just anxious about getting my strength back so I can again be active swimming and walking distances. I am looking forward to every day because I am without that pain."
For more information, visit Spondylolisthesis and MIS TLIF.
Twila Harris
Twila underwent a lumbar surgery elsewhere that did not heal properly, and left her with pain. She underwent a successful surgery with Dr. Bjerke to re-fuse the lumbar spine.
"I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Benjamin Bjerke on his first day at Reno Orthopaedic Clinic. Two years prior I had lower back surgery. I was experiencing more pain. He listened to me. After diagnosing the reason for my pain all options were explained to me. Dr. Bjerke surgically corrected my problem and followed through with me during my recovery. I am looking forward to working in my garden this summer."
For more information, visit Lumbar Fusion.
Adalberto Cortez
Adalberto suffered from spinal stenosis and radiculopathy. He underwent a lumbar decompression and his legs are now pain-free.
"El es un gran Doctor! Desde la primera visita que tuve con el Dr Bjerke el me ha trato muy bien y le dije, desde ahora en adelante 'vas a ser mi Doctor.' Nunca me habian tratado tan bien antes. El es un buen hombre y se lo recomiendo a todos. Le dije al Doctor Bjerke que desde que lo conoci le tuve fe y siempre le tengo esa fe. Estoy muy orgulloso de Benjamin. En mi ultima visita le dije que que se viste muy bien y que el es un nieto bello de alguien."
For more information, visit Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar Decompression.
Susan Bennett
Sue had severe and painful spinal stenosis. She underwent a minimally invasive decompression through a small incision.
"We are fortunate in this area to have many fine and skilled doctors and surgeons. One of the finest it has been my privilege to have as my surgeon for my most recent back surgery was Benjamin Bjerke, a Fellowship Trained Spine Surgeon practicing with the Reno Orthopedic Spine and Pain Center. His professionalism and attention to detail is impressive and was much appreciated. The removal of a rather nasty cyst in my spine was accomplished with a 1 1/2 inch incision without cutting or damaging any of the surrounding muscles. I was able to go home that night! During my recovery, Dr. Bjerke called me personally on Sunday night to check on my progress. Amazing! Without hesitation I would recommend him to anyone facing surgery on a very delicate area such as the spine. When you meet him, check out his socks!
Sue Bennett, a very grateful patient."
For more information, visit Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar Decompression.
Paul Burton
Paul suffered a herniated disc in his neck, and had dealt with pain for over a year. He underwent a cervical disc replacement and was discharged home the same day.
"I couldn’t move my shoulders, raise my head without pain. Therapy and traction were tried. Dr. Bjerke showed me the MRI, discussed fully my condition, and gave me the options. He believed that disc replacement surgery was a very good fit based on my age. I trusted him and his treatment decision was spot on.
At my 10th day post-op appointment I told Dr. Bjerke that I was able to pick my son up on day 5 for the first time in 7 months! If you find yourself in need as I did, and you are going to have to do something, disk replacement is a good option over fusion surgery. It is fantastic!"
For more information, visit Arm Pain (Cervical Radiculopathy) and Cervical Disc Replacement.
Benjamin Kennedy
Ben suffered a herniated lumbar disc. He underwent a minimally invasive microdiscectomy and was pain-free after his operation. The incision was less than one inch long, and he was discharged home the same day.
"I had had 4 months of increasing pain and weakness in my back and down my leg and I woke up pain free after surgery. Dr. Bjerke does a fairly new procedure which utilizes tubes of increasing diameter to create the surgical space. Nurses and all present stated that we are so lucky in Reno to have him as he represents the “next generation” of Orthopaedic Back Surgeons. For me it was a great experience, I have no back or leg pain. Dr. Bjerke was responsive and thorough throughout my treatment.
For more information, visit Herniated Disc and Lumbar Microdiscectomy.
Deborah Caldarulo
Deborah suffered a compression fracture of the spine after an accident. She underwent a kyphoplasty and was discharged home the same day.
"When I first saw Dr. Bjerke, he was such a joy and so understanding. He listened to me and understood me. He takes his Hippocratic Oath to heart. Within 3 days of that first visit I was in surgery and had instant relief. He even gave me his cell number and called me 3 or 4 times to see how I was doing. I can’t say anything bad about him. He’s the love of my life for what he did for me!"
For more information, visit Compression Fractures and Kyphoplasty.
John Weller
John suffered a back injury that left him with years of back pain. For the first time in years, he is able to walk pain-free.
“After a couple of years of pain that I thought was my hips, in late January I’d had enough and went to ROC Express; after an exam and X-rays they diagnosed me with back (not hip) problems and scheduled me for an MRI. My appointment with Dr. Bjerke was 10 days from my appointment at ROC Express.
Before surgery, I couldn’t walk more than half a block and was in constant pain. On 2/24/17 Dr. Bjerke did a 2-level fusion on my back (L3-L5). After years of pain and numbness in my legs, at five weeks post op I am COMPLETELY pain free and the numbness was 98% gone. I would recommend Dr. Bjerke to anyone with back issues. My wife and I would like to thank Dr. Bjerke for the caring and compassionate treatment."
For more information, visit Lumbar Fusion.
Francis Michael Stark
"Mike" suffered from severe spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis which held him to walking one block or less. He underwent a two-level lumbar fusion and can now walk long distances.
"I haven't felt this good in 15 years! My surgery was on the afternoon of 2/1/17 and it went well. This was a very extensive surgery. I had a corkscrew spine that had parts that were compressed and parts that were expanded and it was miserable. I am improving daily, staying active and moving around. The big thing is that Dr. Bjerke was very conscientious and personally explained everything in detail to both my son and myself. We knew what to expect. He helped me understand that my muscles, ligaments and nerves will be sore and they need time to readapt to their new location. I understand what is happening to me and I very much appreciate that information. I was pleasantly surprised with all the staff at ROC."
For more information, visit Spondylolisthesis and Lumbar Fusion.
Timothy Wisenberg
Tim suffered from Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. Although epidural injections work for some patients, he had many injections that eventually failed to provide relief. He underwent a lumbar decompression and was discharged the next day.
"So far the surgery appears to be successful and I am relieved. The Physiatrist failed to help me at all. I had constant aches and pains; the Epidural only lasted a day; trigger points were tried and finally Radio Frequency Ablation treatment. The Ablation treatment made it worse! I went to Dr. Bjerke for a second opinion. He listened and then actually looked at my MRI. He saw obvious causes for my pain and explained carefully what he proposed. He suggested that we should think about it and get another opinion. My wife and I talked about it for a few minutes and we decided he is the guy and we are comfortable with him. He was wonderful. I would recommend Dr. Bjerke to everyone and have already spoken to a cousin in Las Vegas to encourage him to travel up to see him. Dr. Bjerke is a very humble guy. He gave me his cell on the first visit and said that he wanted to be available for any further questions or concerns. He is the Guy!"
For more information, visit Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar Decompression.
Victoria Welsh
Victoria suffered from spinal stenosis and radiculopathy. She underwent a minimally invasive decompression in the ROC surgery center and was discharged home the same day.
“I am doing absolutely great surgery on FEB 10th and I am already walking the marina. A bit slower but it feels so good to get out and walk again. He explained at first that he wasn’t so sure that it was not going to help but we went ahead and I no longer have the pain down my leg. I had another surgeon that was going to do it but I wasn’t thrilled with him so I looked around. I looked at reviews and there were only two but I liked what they had said. It sounded “right”; that it would be good for me. I very much enjoyed Mallory and Dr. Bjerke.”
For more information, visit Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar Decompression.
Adam Zamora
Adam had undergone a prior ACDF that left him with persistent pain and swallowing difficulties. He underwent a posterior cervical fusion and is no longer in pain.
“My surgery was on the 15th of February and everything went just fine. I hardly had any pain and I didn’t need to take any pain medication. He did the C3-7 area and he went through the back of the neck and some screws were put in. The x-rays look just fine and the headache is gone and the feeling that ants were crawling up and down my arm is gone. I was referred to Dr. Bjerke and I am so happy for that as he did a very good job!
For more information, visit Degenerative Disc Disease and Posterior Cervical Fusion.
Kay MacDonald
Kay suffered from spinal stenosis and had failed all other conservative treatments. She underwent a lumbar decompression and was discharged home the next day.
"I am a 79 year old woman who has rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. My spine is a nightmare with so many kinks and turns and recently pinched nerves. I had no idea about a surgeon so I went online and picked one from the stats I read. I picked the best. I wound up with an awesome doctor named Dr. Bjerke. Everything was explained to me through the ins and outs of getting ready for surgery and what to expect. Dr. Bjerke performed a lumbar decompression on my back and I was out of the hospital in one day. My pinched nerve pain was gone. I cannot speak highly enough of his skill and knowledge in his field. His caring professionalism was tops!
Thank you Dr. Bjerke for giving me more time to be able to enjoy the days to come that I truly treasure. You are truly AWESOME."
For more information, visit Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar Decompression.
Gary Herbeck
Gary suffered from severe spinal stenosis. He underwent a lumbar decompression and is no long experiencing leg pain when he walks.
"My surgery was the end of January. I am doing very well. The pain that I was experiencing prior to the surgery was gone the next day. It took me about a month for the stiffness and soreness from surgery to subsided and for my back to get to what it was like before the pain. One thing about him was that he was completely honest. He didn’t say that I was going to feel like I was 20 again, there were no promises made as there is the possibility of surgery not turning out as well as hoped, but through all of this the conversation was done on a positive note. I would just like to say that his bedside manner is impeccable, he was always friendly and upbeat, and he always showed to me that he was sincere and concerned about my recovery and me as a person."
For more information, visit Spinal Stenosis and Lumbar Decompression.
Susan Stephens
Susan suffered from severe degenerative disc disease and scoliosis. She underwent a spinal fusion through a small incision on her side (XLIF®) and is recovering well.
"When my back pain became the debilitating focal point of my life I met with Dr. Bjerke. Prior to my XLIF Procedure (minimally invasive lateral spine fusion), I had a clear and concise understanding of my presented condition and my treatment options for my situation, due to the time he took going over my xrays and MRI with myself and my husband. I'm now 3 months post-op and living a pain free life once again!
You will not find a more articulate, highly skilled and compassionate spine surgeon. I am forever grateful to Dr. Bjerke and his assistant Mallory. "
Stephen Emery
Stephen was told that he needed a fusion (ACDF) to treat his problem. He instead underwent a cervical disc replacement with Dr. Bjerke.
“Since the surgery I am doing great. Before the surgery, I had shoulder and right arm pain whenever I moved my right arm. I will be returning to work 5 weeks after the surgery, and I can’t wait. I am an ER Technician full time and I am also a volunteer out here for the Fernley Fire Department. I didn’t even need to take pain medicine any after my surgery. I just progressively got better and better each and every day. I have had open many surgeries in the past and this was by far the easiest."
For more information, visit Arm Pain (Cervical Radiculopathy) and Cervical Disc Replacement.
Tony Vargas
Tony suffered from chronic pain, and required a spinal cord stimulator.
“The first surgery was to remove the failed battery pack. The second Surgery was five days after to replace the battery. I am amazed that this change worked so well! I went without the stimulator for three years because it just didn’t work and I am overwhelmed how much better this new system is. ROC has always done well for me throughout the years. Dr. Bjerke and Mallory are great. I have never had a doctor contact me after surgery before and he called me once after the first surgery and twice after the second. He explained everything to me. I have a told many people about Dr. Bjerke and I recommend him highly!”
For more information, visit Chronic Pain and Spinal Cord Stimulator.
(Anonymous)
This patient underwent an MIS TLIF and was discharged from the hospital the next day.
“As far as the surgery, I am better every day. I started physical therapy yesterday so we will see how that goes. As far as Dr. Bjerke and professionalism he did very well. On the surgery itself, I have seen the x-rays and I think that he did a wonderful job but ‘the proof is in the pudding and the pudding is not done yet’. Mallory was helpful and professional. I appreciated the professionalism. They were always polite and willing to listen to what I say.
For more information, visit Spondylolisthesis and MIS TLIF.
Arnold Prissing
Arnold suffered from spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis for many years. He was unable to walk long distances, and had severe leg pain when standing. He underwent an MIS TLIF.
"I am doing great considering what he found. The possibility of being paralyzed is gone, the sciatica pain is gone, and I am on the mend. No more office visits till next year. And, I was very well treated by Dr. Bjerke and Mallory."
For more information, visit Spondylolisthesis and MIS TLIF.
Judith Carlson
Judy suffered a painful compression fracture from osteoporosis. She underwent a kyphoplasty and was discharged home the same day.
"I resisted having the surgery, but Dr. Bjerke was patient and reassuring, but above all kind and caring. I feel very fortunate to have him as my doctor. You explained osteoporosis very well! Thanks also to Mallory and her friendly greeting at each visit, and for the assistance when I called with a few questions post-op. Thank you so much for guiding me through the process, culminating in the successful kyphoplasty surgery."
For more information, visit Compression Fractures and Kyphoplasty.
“Very helpful and informative. He gave me his cell, and I plan to call to discuss the surgical procedure he recommended.”
– Don C.
“Ben and staff were excellent. Very easy to talk to. He addressed all of my concerns. I feel very comfortable in his care. Thank you!”
– Rick E.
“I truly appreciated his demeanor and bed-side manner.”
– Liz M.
“Contrary to another surgeon's plan to access my spine through my belly, Dr. Ben inserted a disc through my left side. He cut the procedure time in half. Now 6 weeks later, I'm totally pain free, standing straight, and walking normally again. He's caring, attentive, accessible, and skillful. Plain fantastic!”
– Richard L.
“Explained our concerns in details professionally and respectfully. We were a bit anxious getting an expert opinion regarding my husband condition. Because we have been dealing with this issue with other professionals in the last five years. Although both Doctor and assistant appeared very young, their demeanor made us at ease about their competency. We look forward to working with them.”
– Martin S.
“Kind, thoughtful, astute, & conservative.”
– Lynn C.
“I am so pleased to have been referred to Dr. Bjerke. He explained the conditions of my lower back and based on my history recommended a minimally invasive surgery. We have been able to schedule the operation quickly, and I am looking forward to completing that and being able to enjoy a fuller lifestyle again. Dr. Bjerke joins Drs. Paul and Leland as experts who I have direct experience with at BoulderCentre for Orthopedics & Spine and who I hold in very high esteem.”
– Kevin H.
“Dr. Bjerke was professional, compassionate, and kind to me every step of the way. He seemed genuinely sad for me when the x-ray came back showing what my problem was. He and his staff were very sensitive to my financial situation (I have no insurance and little money) and did everything they could to make sure that I could get the care I needed affordable, and that I knew all the treatment options available. There were so many big and little things that Dr. Bjerke did to help visit as helpful, informative, and painless as possible that I am honestly a fair bit overwhelmed by it all. If I’d had an experience like this every time I visited a doctor throughout my life, I would feel a lot less traumatized by and fearful of my interactions with the medical profession in general. I mean, he talked to me like I’m an intelligent person who knows her own body and didn’t look down on me because I don’t have much money. It’s borderline tragic how rare that is. In my experience, Dr. Bjerke embodies the best of his profession, and I feel lucky to have been seen by him.”
– Elisa K.
“Perfect visit full evaluation and explained the results and next steps.”
– Wasim M.