I had L3-L4 and L4-L5 bilateral laminotomy/foraminotomy with non-instrumented posterior facet arthrodesis performed by Dr. Jian Shen at Lenox Hill Hospital. After extensive research, I chose Dr. Shen for his precision and minimally invasive approach. My surgery lasted just over three hours through a single incision. I woke up immediately in the OR and stood up for the first time with no low back pain, no leg pain, no numbness, and no weakness. My only discomfort was normal incision soreness. Dr. Shen did exactly what we discussed pre-operatively -- focused decompression with careful undercutting and preservation of stability. When I asked about bone removal and instability, he explained clearly that stability was maintained. As someone with a medical background, I do not give praise lightly. Dr. Shen combines technical excellence with thoughtful surgical judgment -- a balance that is rare. The entire team at Lenox Hill Hospital was outstanding, but Dr. Shen's skill, precision, and professionalism truly stand out. I recommend Dr. Shen without hesitation. read more

My pain and misery caused by Dr.Shen cause me to write this negative review ,as I tried so hard not to have to do so. Surgery from Dr. Shen ruined my life. I went for help to minimize my pain and he succeeded in making it much worse!!!!! I presented to Dr. Shen with a herniation at T 6 7 and a pain that disrupted my sleep. Sleep pain was the main reason I told Shen I was considering the procedure. I got NO RESPONSE. I was skeptical about getting the surgery till Dr. Shen said and I quote " I can do the surgery on Friday and you can go back to work on Monday " It was this IRRESPONSIBLE statement that SOLD me on the procedure. He made the procedure seem so simple. He also stated that he has done the most on the east coast. His nonchalant confident attitude convinced me to proceed. In hindsight It was a salesmans pitch, as a true doctor would have honestly and throughly explained the risks. Since I have had the surgery I have been miserable and now in constant pain ever minute of the day and all night even while sleeping. It is much worse then prior, so much so I was admitted to the hospital with a pain that no human should have to experience. I was begging the ER doctors for help. I had no pain when moving as I explained to Shen now moving and breathing deeply hurts. The surgery destroyed my life, and put me on all kinds of medications to survive and I had to shut my business down for nearly 2 months. His response was " There's nothing I can do!!!!" He fn left me for dead. I was hoping to be a Thoracic advocate for Dr. Shen ,but just the opposite had occurred. He butchered my spine and this needs to be told. His bio presents Ike he the greatest. Do not let this fool you. I understand back surgery can be difficult, but a Doctors role is to question me more and explained the risks of making me worse. Especially a spine surgeon who has very vulnerable patients in pain. There was no discussion of risk , only the possibility that it may not help. I was given only an attitude of simplicity and very high probability of success. His communication skills are poor. I feel like I was treated like a thoracic back case ,not a person. As a matter of fact the day of surgery to my surprise without prior disclosure he brought along a Dr. friend who he may have had practice on my precious spine while I was asleep. If I could only prove this I would sue him, but I will never know the answer to this. I only know the post op MRI showed more damage then the preop and the herniated disc is still present. So basically I allowed him to destroy my facet joint and injure my nerve for no reason. I hate having to right a negative review, but the pain literally ANGERS me to do so. I write this letter to warn you about Dr. Shen and to caution you about Thoracic spine surgery for pain purposes and to teach Dr. Shen a lesson to treat his patients like a person not a " case". Only you know the outcomes, but you did not relay them to me . You only stated that you had" zero complications". I assume now you meant that you didn't paralyzed anyone. You did not consider MORE PAIN as a complication. I am here to tell you it GOD DAM well is. I am so Angry with Dr. Shen I want to cuss. If you were honest about patients that had difficulties, I would have never had the procedure done. You did not question me enough and did no clinical exam. Don't you EVER tell a vulnerable patient in pain again that they will be fine in one weekend after spine surgery. I am guilty of believing and trusting you, but I excuse myself as I was in pain. You ruined my life !!!!!!! read more

The Doctor Who Gave My Daughter and Me Our Lives Back I could write pages about our experience, but I'll do my best to convey the profound impact Dr. Jian Shen has had on our lives in just a few words. My 16-year-old daughter, Alissa, suffered from two severe herniated discs, leaving her in unbearable pain and bedridden for four long months. When I first saw her MRI images, I cried, knowing the difficult road that lay ahead. Having had my first back surgery at 19 years old, I understood all too well the physical and emotional toll this would take on her. The images showed two large herniated discs in her lumbar spine, and I knew that no physical therapy, injection, or pain management could offer her the relief she desperately needed--surgery was inevitable. After weeks of unsuccessful physical therapy and injections, we consulted with four different surgeons. Each consultation only deepened her fear and hopelessness. As her father, I was determined to find a solution, so I spent weeks researching the best spine surgeons and their methods. I stumbled upon a YouTube video of a young woman, alongside her father, who was crying tears of joy after a successful surgery. The surgeon was Dr. Jian Shen. The more I learned about Dr. Shen, the more I believed he was our last hope. He specializes in endoscopic spine surgery, using a tiny 4K camera and tools through an incision no larger than a pencil's diameter. To date, he has performed over 6,000 of these surgeries without complications. I knew in my heart that this was the answer we had been praying for. We quickly made an appointment, and on May 23, 2024, Dr. Shen saw Alissa. He could see the agony she was in and immediately had her lie down on the exam table. After reviewing her MRI images, he gently patted her hands and said, "Don't worry, I am going to make you all better again." Those were the words we so desperately needed to hear. With tears in her eyes, Alissa finally felt a glimmer of hope. We scheduled her surgery for just one week later, on May 30, 2024, at an outpatient center in New Jersey. The day of her surgery arrived, and by noon, my daughter walked out of the center on her own--completely pain-free. Inspired by my daughter's incredible recovery, I decided to seek Dr. Shen's expertise for myself. At 49, with a history of three previous back surgeries beginning at age 19, I was told by another highly regarded surgeon that he was surprised I was still walking and expressed doubts about performing any further surgery on me. I endured another year of physical therapy and injections that only provided temporary relief. Dr. Shen sent me for an MRI and CT scan, and after reviewing the results, he scheduled a Zoom meeting with me. He confidently explained that he could help me, outlining a plan that involved inserting titanium spacers, rods, and screws--all done endoscopically and as an outpatient procedure. On August 1, 2024, I underwent lumbar spine surgery and fusion. By August 9th, I was able to celebrate my 50th birthday with my family, pain-free. Dr. Jian Shen is in a league of his own when it comes to spine surgery. He is a compassionate, dedicated doctor who truly cares for each of his patients and has devoted his life to helping people live without pain. Thank you, Dr. Shen. My daughter and I are forever indebted to you for giving us our lives back. With deepest gratitude, Enzo and Alissa Gencarelli read more