I usually don't review doctors, but I feel compelled to do so. I went to Dr. McBride based on other yelp reviews hoping that he could help me with my l5-s1 disc extrusion. It was causing me pain and numbness. Upon first meeting him, he walked into my room and I could tell that he was a different kind of doctor. He is not only knowledgeable but he explains things in a way that others can understand. He never talked down to me. In addition, he also put me at ease by recalling a story that reminded him of my last name. While I don't know if the story is true or not, I could tell that he was trying to make me feel more comfortable. I am now two days post op after having him perform a micro discectomy and at home and resting/walking. A memory that will ALWAYS stick out for me and I think speaks volumes into who he is as a doctor AND a person is when I was just about to be put under for surgery. I remember my hand was burning due to the anesthetic and it was making me upset. Instead of continuing to get the surgical room ready or talking to others in the room, he immediately came over and held my other hand and told me that he had me and everything was going to be ok. I went into surgery feeling confident in my surgeon. Dr. McBride continues to exceed my expectations as I have had to call his office due to minor complications after surgery. He calls me immediately after (I mean, when does the actual world class neurosurgeon and not one of his residents call you after surgery??) and makes sure I'm ok. He checked on me routinely after my operation. My numbness is gone and my pain is mostly due to the surgical site. This man is amazing - not just due to his skill as a surgeon but also due to his exceptional humanity as a person. I strongly recommend Dr. McBride and in the future, if I ever have to have surgery again, I'll be going to UCLA for it. He is excellent, as is UCLA and I will never go to another medical institution in Santa Barbara again. He is so worth the two hour drive. Thank you, Dr. McBride. read more

I was fortunate to have Dr. Duncan McBride as my surgeon for my spinal operation. I was willing to travel 200 miles from my place of residence to be in the competent hands of an experienced, skillful surgeon such as Dr. McBride. The moment I met him I felt at ease. He was patient answering my questions and gave me the confidence to place myself under his care. His staff and the UCLA hospital team were amazing. I highly recommend Dr. Duncan McBride to anyone in need of a spinal surgery. He really cares about his patients, and you can trust his surgical skills. read more

This review is actually for the lobby! It's dirty. The chairs are old and they're peeling. You'd think that UCLA could afford to buy new chairs and at least comfortable ones, since the majority of patients coming to see the doctors here have some sort of issue in connection with pain, whether back, neck, etc. Please fix up your office; it's disgusting! read more

Duncan McBride, MD - Neurologist Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Dr. McBride is an amazing surgeon. I had a pinched nerve in my lower back. I tried to avoid surgery but when that did not work, I had great trust and confidence in Dr. McBride as he comes highly recommended. Dr took his time to talk to me and explain the procedure and we agree to proceed. The procedure went without a hitch. I am now pain free. I was at level 10 pain for two months prior to the procedure. Not only was the surgery a success but the recovery time was very fast. I was at work the next day. Maybe not true for every patient but true in my case. I credit that to Dr. McBrides surgical skills. I am all healed up with a minor scar and NO MORE PAIN. I know a lot of people are afraid of surgery and it is the last resort but I highly recommend Dr. McBride if it turns out you do need surgery. I would recommend him to any one of my family. In fact I would insist they utilize his talents if they ever needed them. Thanks Doc, Aram read more

DEFINITELY, GO SEE DR. McBRIDE, IF YOU NEED BACK SURGERY! HE INSTILLS CONFIDENCE IN HIS PATIENTS, HIS MANNER AND HIS SKILL ARE PHENOMENAL. I feel like Dr. McBride gave me back my life! He is THE BEST spinal surgeon on the Westside of Los Angeles & County, Santa Monica, Torrance, etc. I had my surgery with him at UCLA Santa Monica, the best hospital on the Westside, by the way. Considering the delicacy of the spinal surgery he performed on me, a hemilaminectomy, wherein part of the bone, the lamina, which covers your spinal column is removed, he performed an absolute miracle on me, relieving my pain nearly 90%, and giving me back the quality of life I had prior to surgery. If you have a pinched or compressed nerve, which I had suffered from for 7 months, trying to avoid surgery but finally unable to tolerate the level10 pain I had 24/7, I gave in, and by the grace and help of my PCP, Dr. Brian Madden, Dr. McBride was my surgeon. I feel so blessed to have had him. If you need back surgery, you know you want to see the best surgeon possible - especially if it is risky and exposes your spinal column. Dr, McBride returned my calls every time, explained things in detail to me, took time and had tremendous patience with me, and most of all, performed this delicate surgery expertly. My pain is nearly gone. My recovery was approximately 2 months or so, but as I was disabled already, it took longer than an average healthy person's would take. I hope this helps you in your choice. Contact me via Yelp, if you'd like to talk. I'll be happy to tell you what the procedure and recovery is like. Sharon Daly. read more

So I've had 3 surgery's with DR McBride over the last 12 years. I broke C5 and C6 when I was 18 (31 years ago). All of my surgery have gone extremely well with him. Just had the last a month ago. My right hand quit working and had numbness over right face and back to hand. I had all the feeling back same day as surgery and right hand is already 70-80% back after 4 weeks. I really believe Dr McBride is the best there is . I've had 2 other neck surgery's over the years and feel so lucky to have found McBride when I did. He's really changed my life and let me live as pain free as possible. read more

Went to see Dr. McBride last month. He seemed tired and a bit bored while I discussed my thoracic back situation. He seemed pleasant but not present. Also, the front office looked dirty, and the chairs are uncomfortable (especially for a neurosurgeon's office) and old. Was just kinda disappointed and I'm not comfortable pursuing with him/his office any further. I heard he was really good, and he may be, but he just seemed like he was rushed and didn't want to be there, which made me feel uncomfortable. read more

This entire office visit at UCLA was a waste of time. This surgeon offered me no medical treatment and he had a bad demeanor when speaking to me read more

Dr. McBride is a wonderful surgeon with a friendly attitude, I am 34 years old and was in a lot of pain and very nervous, about having neurosurgery. He came over to the pre-opp room and made me laugh and really eased my fears. He is extremely talented and knowledge, he new right away the procedure I needed. He responds personally to an email or a phone call and he didi a great close, the scar is minimal and he was able to remove my pain. I highly recommend him and his team. read more

Dr. McBride was an incredible surgeon w my husband's broken neck. After being misdiagnosed in an emergency room from his bicycle accident, he walked around for 6 weeks before seeing an orthopedic surgeon, who took days, was amazed he was walking, explained he needed surgery, then let him walk out the door. I called Dr. Mcbride's office and made an appointment 6 weeks out. Then FAXED the xray and findings. I immediately got another call to have him come in the next day. Dr. McBride was cordial, professional and very concerned. He took extra time to explain how serious a break this was. He opened up his surgical schedule the very next day to take care of my husband, then wouldn't let him go home, but immediately admitted him into the hospital. This is a doctor who cares! The surgery was lengthy, and when it was over he took extra time to explain how he fixed the vertebrae, even having to mold a new vertebra from donor bone. With as much work that was done, my husband's pain was minimal and he healed very well! Dr. McBride's follow-up was great and we are EXCEEDINGLY happy w his recovery. He even has returned to biking! read more

62 year male fusion S-1, L4 and L5 fusion among some other clean up procedures. Was debilitated walking even 50 yards i would have to stop until pain subsided. Mostly in the right leg Right leg was starting to atrophy. 8 weeks post surgery I have absolutely no pain. Felt like a miracle the change was so drastic. Can walk any distance now. One of the few docs that will actually listen and take all the time you need. Surgery was a breeze. Definitely a doc to solve your problem. If it can be fixed he can do it. Sometimes an outcome is not as good as we want. But that is the nature of back surgery. Perfect outcomes are not easy to achieve. read more

You may get a good outcome from your operation. But if you don't, McBride will do everything he can do to avoid accountability for injuring you! I am in contact with several other UCLA victims. UCLA refused to give us our medical records. They have ignored and insulted us after injuring us and telling us that they are not going to do anything for us. It is no wonder UCLA got an F RATING for patient safety. Some of t he patients were given medical hardware that was not approved by the FDA. Others were not given medical hardware that they were supposed to get. I think we all got infections, and the runaround when we tried to find out what happened to us while we were under anesthesia. If this is your doctor, if UCLA is your hospital, hope that they do not make any mistakes! Hope that they decide to follow the law when selecting the hardware and medication that they give you. One former employee quit because UCLA wanted him to give EXPIRED medicine to patients. read more

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I absolutely recommend Dr McBride for spinal surgery. I had gradual increases of pain to my lumbar spine, was no longer able to walk upstairs or exercise, could barely walk a block. my nerves in lumbar region were constricted - multiple tests, medications, therapy without relief. I was under care of neurologist and orthopedist. I was recommended to have surgery .. I had second opinion with Dr. McBride, he confirmed surgery necessary - explained my diagnosis I and surgery in detail... his surgery coordinator was very attentive ensuring I understood everything and provided all instruction. 8 weeks after surgery I am back walking, exercising - my legs are getting normal feeling back, I can walk upstairs. Dr. Mc Bride was very quick with diagnosis and treatment without wasting time. Very very professional in my care. read more

My life style (skiing, mountain/road bike racing) finally caught up with me in my early 70s. Too many crashes. I had been diagnosed years ago with arthritis in my neck that was bad enough to cause numbness in my hands. I ignored this until last year when weight lifting caused significant neck and shoulder pain. Following an MRI, my shoulder doctor said I needed to consult a neurosurgeon because it was a significant cervical spinal issue. I visited with three spine specialists, including Dr. Duncan Q. McBride, who all gave me the same diagnosis of multi-level severe cervical spine stenosis. However, they all said it was "elective" on my part. I appreciate surgeons who are not always ready to take up the knife; however, having seen the MRI, I decided the prudent course of action was to have surgery. I wanted to return to my active life style without pain and risk of severe injury. I chose Dr. McBride because he had achieved great results for a friend who had crashed on his bike and severely injured his cervical spine. After 4 1/2 months in a "halo" his then orthopedic doctor said he needed delicate surgery and Dr. McBride was the only surgeon he would recommend. Following successful C-2 fusion surgery, my friend has gone on to win two Masters World Championships on his bike. I am sure Dr. McBride's skill contributed to his success. As soon as I selected Dr. McBride his assistant Camille promptly provided me with the information needed to complete the UCLA Orthopedic Medical Center registration process and answered all my questions. By the time my surgery was scheduled it had ceased to be "elective" as my condition had deteriorated to a severe pain level. From my arrival at the hospital and throughout the check in process, pre-op preparation, surgery, post op recovery and release, my wife and I were treated with exceptional care and professionalism by all with whom we had contact. The valet parking attendants, admin staff, volunteer escorts, nurses, anesthesiologist, and residents were great! And Dr. McBride was exceptional. From the moment we met with him he has exuded the quiet confidence that comes with performing literally thousands of successful spinal surgeries. He clearly and thoroughly described my issues and how he would correct them. Dr. McBride performed with great skill as my situation was more complicated than indicated by the MRI. There was enough damage close to the spinal cord to make for a very delicate procedure. The amazing thing was that this turned out to be an out-patient procedure! I went home that night and had a very good sleep. After some limited and well managed pain for three or four days post op and some expected swallowing discomfort, things are going exceedingly well after a little over a month post op. The extreme pre op pain in my neck and shoulder is gone and the post op tightness in my neck and shoulder is receding satisfactorily as time goes on. I started walking a day after surgery and have been walking 5 to 8 miles almost every day thereafter and am now riding my beach cruiser without any pain. I anticipate that I will be back on my road bike and will be skiing in a little over a month. I would have this procedure again and would definitely choose Dr. McBride as my surgeon and the UCLA Orthopedic Medical Center as my hospital! read more

I work as a nurse practitioner in Bakersfield, CA. A colleague of mine told me about Dr. McBride at UCLA. I had a failed back, in other words my first low back surgery to fuse my spine failed. Dr. McBride specialized in more challenging back surgeries and I had surgery with him in 01/2019. By 12/2019, all of my back pain had disappeared and my damaged nerves were feeling normal again! I can't say enough for the great results I had by deciding to use UCLA and Dr. McBride! read more

Dr. McBride did my spine surgery (upper/neck) in 2012 & I am still so grateful for the longevity of the healing he has given me...4 years later! He is an amazing surgeon & Doctor & I wouldn't have let anyone else perform the precarious surgery that was required around my vocal nerves (being a singer, I was terrified of this surgery!) He was meticulous with the procedure & cared enough to make sure my scar was minimal to practically invisible on the front of my neck. HIGHLY recommend him for every level of spine & neurological care. read more

I wish to acknowledge an exceptional surgeon I worked with at the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, CA. Dr. Duncan McBride is not only a highly skilled physician, he is a caring person, which came across from our very first encounter. Upon entering the consultation room, instead of going directly to the MRIs and X-rays, he sat next to me and started a conversation. He was actually getting to know me as a whole person rather than just a surgical patient. It was a refreshing change from what I have experienced with most surgeons. The surgery on my back was a complicated one, but Dr. McBride is very good at what he does, and the outcome was excellent. I now have much less pain in the areas he worked on. His bedside manner was warm and friendly, and if I ever have to have spine surgery again I would only consider working with him. He is that good. Judi Koteen read more

Dr. McBride's diagnosis and treatment were right on the money. Yes, I have spent too much time waiting, but it is worth it as he spends a lot of time with me going over procedures and making me feel comfortable with him as a surgeon. I wouldn't want him to rush with me, so I am willing to let him spend time with other patients as needed. He fixed something that was hard to diagnose and killed the pain that had me afraid to move. I LOVE Dr. McBride. He's the best! read more

Where would I have been, if I hadn't sought out the very experienced surgical background of Dr. McBride ? After injuring my cervical spine in May of 2018, I was told by several respected neurosurgeons in L.A., that my C/S was deformed and I seriously needed a spinal fusion at five levels. C-3 to T-1 to be exact. It was a scary and daunting amount of reality to digest. They were all respected doctors in the field of spinal surgeries, but, none of them gave my husband and I a great enough feeling of confidence in their experience to have them perform this serious surgery. Finally, I chose to see Dr. McBride in Aug. of 2018. By that time, my neurological symptoms from my spinal pressure were getting worse by the week, it seemed. My walk was bad; numbing, burning, heaviness in my arms, torso and legs and more. Within minutes of our introduction, I sensed he was the most confident and experienced of any of the doctors I had met at taking on these larger C/S fusion surgeries. He allowed me to share my concerns with him first, then he got right down to business by reviewing my MRI with my husband and I, and gave us a definitive plan of what he intended to do to correct my injured spine. My surgery was in Oct. of 2018. Since surgery, my walk has become normal, no more heavy torso, and, my arms and hands have steadily been improving since almost ten months ago. I have no pain. I think the most wonderful change for me is that, that debilitating spasticity, (your muscles tightening down like shrink wrap), is basically gone. Dr. McBride has helped me immensely. Thank you Dr. M. Char F. read more

Dr. McBride is a very skilled surgeon who has taught many of the renowned surgeons in the area. He saved my career and my limb function. My spinal cord compression was not straight forward and 4 surgeons had different opinions. I am a doctor myself and sought many different medical consults and researched my condition the best I could. Dr. McBride and his support staff performed the most thorough exams, spent the most time explaining their findings and the possible solutions to my problem. He showed he truly cared about me as a person and had the best bedside manner of all my doctors. I felt the most comfortable and confident with Dr. McBride. He went above and beyond to specialize the surgery to my body size and problem. He made it the least invasive possible. While the surgery was tough (given its nature), I felt supported by his team. I selected him to perform my surgery and have had a great outcome (3 months later) and am truly thankful for his confidence. I was so nervous to make a decision about surgery and he made it possible! Thank you! read more

On December 5, 2007 Dr McBride performed what should have been a "State of the Art" procedure on my cervical spine. I woke up paralyzed on one side and spent the next 31 days in the hospital, 17 in ICU. I spent years in rehab and am permenantly disabled. I've now had roughly 20 additional procedures to help with pain management. Be aware of the risks involved read more

This man is the best of the best. I've had over 4 back surgeries over 20 years. Each one being a different problem. He fixed every single one of them. From drop foot to fusions. I'm 50 years old now and I take no meds for anything. Fully active and feel great. read more

Highly recommend Dr. McBride! My mom has been suffering from chronic back pain for more than 30 years. Prior to seeing Dr. McBride, she had a total of (3) surgeries with (3) different prominent orthopedic surgeons, to no avail. Dr. McBride was the one that made the proper diagnosis after careful examination and tests/procedures to narrow down her issues. Her surgery with Dr. McBride was scheduled the afternoon before Thanksgiving. The UCLA facility was understaffed and Dr. McBride personally made sure that her surgery would not get continued and he personally participated to get her ready for surgery and even helped push her hospital bed to the surgery room because the hospital was short staffed. Again, he performed the surgery solo and stayed after surgery to make sure she was OK before going home to his family late the evening before Thanksgiving. Not only he is an amazing surgeon and very well informed, his bed manners are exceptional. He treated my mother like a "delicate flower" until she improved from her surgery. To conclude, my mom is off of narcotic pain medication because of proper diagnosis and surgery by Dr. McBride. He is a gem and we are very grateful to him! read more

Dr. McBride saved my life. 5 weeks ago I had a double disc replacement in my neck and I'm back to full health. I saw another doctor who was awful and wanted to fuse. He fought insurance with me and I was able to do the replacement. UCLA has been the best experience bar none. Don't waste your time with other doctors. read more

Dr. McBride is an amazing surgeon! He was able to manage my husband's pain right away with the correct medication (which other doctors weren't able to do). He really listened to my husband and is an excellent communicator who takes his time explaining the procedure and options. We appreciated his outstanding team of assistants during surgery preparation and follow-up. He performed back surgery on my husband (L4-L5) in Feb 2016 and we are so very grateful for his skills and caring bedside manner!! read more

Performed a C5-6 discectomy/fusion June 2016. 4 months later, still rebuilding the muscle in right arm with numbness but back to full activity with zero pain. Dr. McBride is very down to earth, clearly explained what was causing the issue, the fix, and was honest saying the nerve could be severely damaged and it may not help or ever feel the same. Based on my outcome and experience, I have complete trust in Dr. McBride's skills and he will be my first call if another procedure is ever needed. read more

This review is for Dr. McBride of the UCLA Spine Center. Dr. McBride performed an L5-S1 microdiscectomy on me about two months ago. I had an old sports injury that resulted in a herniated disc, and I had been getting pain down my leg for the better part of a year and a half. After trying various forms of conservative treatment to no avail, I began to ask around for referrals to a surgeon. Dr. McBride's name was at the top of everybody's shortlist for Los Angeles-based neurosurgeons who specialize in the spine, and rightfully so. He exudes confidence, he breaks down complex issues in simple terms so that you can understand them, and he is patient when you ask question after question (like I did). He's got a great bedside manner, and perhaps most importantly, he is highly skilled at what he does. My surgery took place at UCLA hospital in Santa Monica, and while I wouldn't describe it as "fun", it was easier than I thought it would be. I hope I never have to go back to Dr. McBride again, but if I did, I would in a split second. He's the man! read more

I conducted significant research on neurosurgeons before making a selection, looking for technical expertise and specialization in removing tumors from within the spinal cord (I had two in the L1/L2 region). This was a scary proposition for me as I fully understood the significant risks to my mobility / life of a less-than-successful surgery. Dr. McBride was my choice and my first, pre-op visit with him vindicated my selection. He was straight-forward, confident, and identified (and explained) flaws in a diagnosis I had received from a previous neurosurgeon (consistent with my concerns). The surgery was a complete success, eliminating an increasingly painful sciatic condition I had endured for nearly 13 years. Dr. McBride provided excellent counsel throughout my recovery, explaining what was required to quickly and effectively recover, how to quickly get off the pain medications, and providing guidance on when I could expect to return to work. I am extremely happy with the services provided by Dr. McBride and his staff and would highly recommend him to others. When dealing with a risky procedure of this nature, all I want is technical expertise and success - I couldn't care less about bedside manner. That said, I found Dr. McBride comforting, assuring, confident, and engaging. read more

Dr. McBride was one of three surgeons I interviewed before making the decision to have my second cervical spine surgery. I knew immediately he was the surgeon for me. His calm demeanor and apparent expertise put me at ease from the start. Questions that arose between scheduling and surgery were answered in detail by a very quick callback. The appliance from my first surgery twenty years ago had to be removed to make room for the new one. That proved to be a very difficult task for him, taking hours instead of the 10 minutes anticipated. To this day I am amazed at my lack of pain after this surgery...even with the complication. I was walking in my neighborhood the very next day when I got home from the hospital. I didn't need pain pills for the surgery, but I have to admit it was difficult to sleep because of the neck brace. Now being fused from C3 through C7, I had a very difficult time finding the right pillow, but finally settled on the contour Tempurpedic. Most stores will let you try pillows and return them if they are not damaged, thank goodoness. No more pain down my left arm or neck and no more daily discogenic headaches. My life has improved immensely. I'm able to enjoy gardening again and so many simple tasks requiring bending over that I used to dread. Thank you Dr. McBride. read more