Brian Andrews, MD

The reputation polishers are busy shining up the Andrews Unilocal page. It’s too pitiful.
«Susan B.» and «Bob I.», both posting 5 star reviews on the same day, for Brian Andrews MD, are most likely professional reputation polishers.
Unilocal, you should be ashamed. This is not a taco stand we are rating; this is a MD who cuts into people.
Dr. Andrews is dangerous because people go to him in pain and distress. They trust him. Then, he injures them and gets angry when they express dismay that their condition is worse after seeing him.
He makes unimaginably tragic, life-​changing mistakes.
I’m offended in particular by «Susan“‘ and her glib comment: «I suspect any negative reviews are from patients that expect a Doctor to hold their hand and say «Oh poor baby» — you will not get this from Brian Andrews».
There is insufficient space here to list what you will not get from Dr. Andrews, but proficient care is definitely one thing that you will not get with Dr. Andrews.
I’d love to have Dr. Andrews do to both of you what he did to my father, specifically: lie about having completed a spinal decompression when in fact, Andrews (by his own admission) failed to perform the full decompression. Dr. Andrews actually started to cry when trying to apologize to my father who, after a year + of worsening pain, weakness, and symptoms, went to get his file and go to Stanford.
When one fails to finish the surgery one starts, it is tantamount to aggravated assault.
FYI: A person is guilty of aggravated assault if he or she attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another or causes such injury purposely, knowingly, or recklessly.
So to all you reputation polishers: let Dr. Andrew work on you. Believe me, you’d get really good at being in constant pain and weakness, and you’d get really used to using a walker.
Poor babies indeed.

I personally like a doc who can deliver zero back pain with a minimal amount of office time & chit-​chat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m the worlds’ biggest extrovert and could talk to anyone all day, but by the time I got to Dr Andrews, I was done talking about my horrible back and wanted to take action… I wanted OUT of the pain. I was pain-​free when I woke up save for some incision site soreness. Only reason for 4 out of 5 is that I could see how some people could possibly be put off by the lack of warmth in bedside manner but I needed an outstanding surgeon not another buddy… and it worked for me.
PS I am from the East Coast and tend to find the short, cut-​to-​the-​point style of communication very efficient/​effective & it does not offend me in the slightest but I can see how it is not everyone’s cup of tea.

I am so thankful to Dr. Andrews and always will be. He took care of me during a difficult time, when I still had a newborn baby and toddler to care for. He cured my nerve issue competently and completely. What’s more, he did so with such care and attentiveness, that throughout it all and still now, I feel so lucky to have been his patient. Thank you so much, Dr. Andrews!

Dr Andrews did my spine/​neck surgery July 2013. He took great care of me. Very smart, «to-​the-​point», and I felt very well cared for throughout the entire process. He was very honest about what the surgery would do and what it would not do, and he was correct. So glad I went with him as my surgeon. Thanks doc!

I heard of Dr. Andrews through my father, another surgeon, who said Dr. Andrews was world renowned and the best doctor I could see for my back surgery. He also had excellent reviews. His treatment of me by far exceeded the high expectations I had of him. His staff is phenomenal. He is always available to answer any of my questions. He did a great job on my back and all my symptoms are now gone. I was up and around in a few weeks based on the way he did the surgery. Being the son of a doctor and a nurse and a brother to another doctor, I’ve seen many many physicians, and I can assure you he is in a world of his own when it comes to the practice of medicine. He is a true professional and unbelievably intelligent. I was fortunate to see him and I recommend him to anyone.

Dr Andrews is as good as it gets. he is a wonderful surgeon and a nice, kind person as well. I have had two surgeries with him in the past six months– neck and lower back, both were classified as severe. Six months later I can say that I am totally cured. I have needed to work with an osteopath to help me through some drastic (positive) changes and now have the same body I had years ago before being hit by a car. I would trust him totally for any surgery in his field, and feel lucky I followed another doctor’s referral to see him.

I am writing this review now because it is long overdue. I saw Dr. Andrews in November of 2012, the onslaught of what has now become a chronic pain syndrome. He was the doctor recommended to me, and is highly regarded in San Francisco. However, from my personal experience, he was not helpful at all. My symptoms were mild when I saw him in November of 2012, and his recommendation was to do light swimming and light stretching, which I did. As the pain progressed and spread throughout my nervous system, he did not want to deal with me any longer. It was as if I had had done something wrong. His only suggestion to me was to take Cymbalta, which had horrible side effects, and I could not tolerate it. He said he could do nothing for me based on my my MRI’s of my L4/​L5. I felt neglected and hurt. How could a doctor whom so many on this Unilocal list praise be so unresponsive to my medical needs? I was not seeking surgery from him, only answers. I would not recommend this neurosurgeon to any one I cared about. My chronic pain has only worsened and spread, and I am writing this review to warn others about my experience with this doctor.

My experience with many surgeons is that they are often arrogant and difficult to talk to about one’s condition. Dr. Andrews was anything but that. He was forthcoming with a wealth of information and knowledge from many years as a good surgeon in San Francisco. He was very un-​alarmist, yet up front about what he felt the best procedure would be to deal with my compressed disc problem. I would and will high recommend him to anyone seeking a good surgeon in San Francisco for back problems. It was a pleasure to meet him.

My recent experience with Dr. Andrews is one of the best, and most unusual experiences I’ve ever had with a medical professional. Let me explain:
I’ve had problems with pain radiating from my neck to my right shoulder on & off since a bike accident in 2009. Shortly before beginning a 1-​month vacation at Lake Tahoe, I woke up in agony and even went to the ER where they proclaimed the problem to be related to a pinched nerve and sent me home. I then had 2 epidural shots into my spine and the pain was gone, so we resumed our vacation as planned.
3 days into the vacation, the pain returned with a vengeance. I went to the local ER where they admitted me and administered valium and diliuded to reduce my pain. I contacted Dr. Andrews office but was told he had no openings until January. Another doctor contacted Dr. Andrews on my behalf and very shortly I was sent his cell phone number. I called that, left a message and received a return call in about 5 minutes. I explained that I was in excruciating pain in my right shoulder but that I believed that it was originating in my spine. Dr. Andrews asked that I return to San Francisco as quickly as possible and bring my MRI with me. He said to come straight to his office, so the local hospital doped me up so I could tolerate the trip and my wife drove me back the next day.
I want straight to Dr. Andrews office and his receptionist showed me right into an examining room. Dr. Andrews spent a few minutes reviewing the MRI and then came in. He described the problem I was having between 2 pair of vertebrae and said that I should go immediately across the street and check into the hospital and that they were alerted that I was coming. He said that he would go in earlier the next day and I would be his first surgery patient.
I went to the hospital where they admitted me with no problems and then gave me drugs to minimize my pain. The next morning I had the surgery. I spent a total of 4 nights in the hospital and was released with a regimen of drugs to minimize pain. My pain is much less than prior to the surgery and I have no doubt that I’ll make a full recovery.
A number of people have downgraded their review of Dr. Andrews because he doesn’t spend a lot of time chit-​chatting with them. These people should realize that if he did, there would be someone like me in another room, in absolute agony, who needs his skill and needs it right away. His job is to find out enough about your condition to make a proper diagnosis. Then, if it’s something that can be corrected by a surgical procedure, to perform that procedure and see to it that you receive the proper care in the hospital. Anything more that that and he’s taking time away from some other patient who needs his skill.
Thank you, Dr. Andrews, for your skill and concern and for seeing me and treating me so quickly. Because of you, I’m now back up at Lake Tahoe enjoying watching my grandkids play in the lake.

I have been suffering from severe back and leg pain. I could barely get out of bed in the morning and I had tried and given up on chiropractors, physical therapy, therapeutic massage, etc. I’ve heard great things about Dr. Andrews’ neurological skills from friends that have gone to him in the past and been helped immensely. They told me that he is world-​renowned with patients coming from all over to San Francisco to be treated by him. Fortunately I was able to get in to see him and he was enormously helpful to me too. My MRI had been reviewed by several experts and it was not until Dr. Andrews discussed my symptoms in detail and reviewed the MRI very carefully that he discovered a synovial cyst which was pressing directly on a spinal nerve, causing all the pain.
Being a neurosurgeon he could easily have recommended surgery, but I appreciated it when he recommended an immediate epidural steroid treatment as a first, non-​invasive step. I’m pleased to report that the pain is virtually gone and I have resumed normal activities. The epidural was performed by Dr. Savala who is a very skilled anesthesiologist. He took the time to really talk to me, review the MRI and he even contacted Dr. Andrews to ask a couple of additional questions that came up in our pre-​surgical discussion. Even though they «squeezed» me in to their busy schedules they never seemed rushed or inconvenienced, indeed they all were most informative and accommodating. Both are very busy, in-​demand doctors, but they took all the time to answer my questions and describe the problem and alternative solutions.
I hope my spinal problem is solved. But I also know that steroids can be a temporary fix and if/​when I need another procedure I will definitely go back to Dr. Andrews and Dr. Savala.

Dr. Andrews did surgery on my L3 L4 about a year ago. I had a fabulous result. No more nerve pain down my leg. A complete miracle. He was kind, professional, explained everything. Only a 2 inch incision, in and out the same day. Healed up great. Back to work in 2 weeks. What a surgeon! And to think I came very close to having a fusion. I waited 5 months to see him, but he was totally worth it.

I’m 58 yrs. old and have never had such an educational visit. I had read that he does not have a great bedside manner but I didn’t care nor was I going to him for that. I have friends and family to hold my hand. What I was looking for was a true educated reason for what had happened to my back and what the possibilities were for the options he gave me. Dr. Andrews viewed my x-​rays and informed me of why I had all the pain. I was in extreme pain for six weeks. Given medications galore that never even came close to relieving my pain. Beginning with my emergency hospital visit followed by 5 specialists, 1 cat scam, 2 MRI’s and 1 ultrasound before my GP said I’m going to recommend you see Dr. Brian Andrews. All the other specialists could not figure out or find the chip that had broken off my spine and laid to rest on my L3, L4 nerve which was my groin area. He explained to me that I had been through all the pain and it would reach a plateau in which case he would further give me options. He is not quick to get you on the table. He is by far the best surgeon with the expertise you will not find anywhere else.

Dr. Brian Andrews was very kind and personable. He carefully listened to me when I described my problem and performed an examination after reviewing the records that I brought with me. He matter of factly suggested a procedure that was much less invasive than what I had been offered by other ‘super specialists’ around the state. I believe in finding and traveling to the best surgeons for their expertise. All of them wanted to do a spinal fusion through the front of my neck which could have been career ending for me.
Then a well known microsurgeon at UCLA wanted to only treat one level of my cervical vertebrae at a time, and to return for separate surgeries. He put me through costly painful tests that were found to be inconclusive.
Dr Andrews was able to relieve my chronically pinched nerves by opening the foramen on C5 & C6 through one small incision behind my neck. I woke up from Outpatient Surgery with the feeling restored to my fingers and thumb. I went home afterwards with only a band aid and have been improving ever since.
For those patients who have criticized Dr Andrews, perhaps they should take a look inwards. Not everyone is a ‘good patient’ and not everyone is a good candidate for treatment. Many chronic pain sufferers have a long winded irrelevant ‘story’ they insist on telling, and they won’t listen to the doctor’s questions, or give relative answers. Some people will never be satisfied, much less happy about any improvement in their condition. They want to tell their life story, they want to be coddled and they want guarantees. They then become angry when they are told that the doctor doesn’t care for the doctor-​patient relationship… it goes both ways.
That Dr Andrews may dismiss a patient, or refuse to do surgery is a reflection of his professional good judgement.
I hope Dr Andrews enjoys his successes and continues to provide the brilliant, no nonsense, miracle care to those of us who appreciate his expertise!

If you think Chiropractic and holistic approach will help you with back pain than you were me .I was admitted to Emergency 3 times over a period of 4 days for symptoms that mimicked heart problems. One of my clients happened to be an attending ER nurse and appropriately suggested I was having back problems. I was in tears in pain. She rushed an appointment with Brian Andrews and after an MRI that my Blue Cross didn’t want to authorize the good Doctor just did it. He cleared his entire schedule and took me into surgery. My disk came out in multiple pieces and he reshaped/​reinserted after microsurgery what was left. It is now 25 years later and it is as if I had no problem. I have full function and I can continue to do what I do for a living, If you are on the fence about back surgery please consider this brilliant surgeon. In my business in Cow Hollow I have many doctors and they all say if a back surgery was required there is only one man to go to. Please don’t wait too long like I did and I am saying this with all sincerity. Call this brilliant surgeon.
Bruce Ross Bernor
«Bruce Ross & Company»
South Beach & San Francisco
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On a very personal note, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. Brian Andrews.
Since the sensations of discomfort and pain had begun to appear and morph in the beginning of 2013, I was unable to carry out my life plan, that is to continue to be physically and manually very active in my semi-​retirement through my 70’s. My whole life was predicated on my physicality. I had never had any back problems before, and have maintained machine exercises to strengthen my core.
It was mind crushing to think that, all of a sudden, here I was going «down the chute» much sooner than I ever expected!
I felt very threatened and had been through many months of ups and downs within the medical loop.
I followed recommendations for tapers, epidurals, physical therapy, Chiropracty, massage, Homeopathic remedies, rest and so on.
I had just about concluded that I would just have to learn to live in a totally different way.
It did take a few months to get an appointment, that is understandable given the demand for his services.
But within the very first minutes of my visit, Dr. Andrews looked at my MRI and pointed to my problem. It was not what the other neurosurgeons had acted upon!
So on 12÷13÷13 he performed an outpatient L4-​L3 laminotomy.
Since that day I have not have a single pain, numbness, weakness there, other than initially due to the incision & stitches.
Now 6 weeks after the procedure, I’m back to where I was before the symptoms in early 2013! Biking, hiking, aerobic exercising and weight machines. And travel!
So the story is repeated as in most of the previous reviews.
As to the negative reviews? That’s Humanity for you; go figure!
By the way the CPMC facilities and staff where marvelous.

I think some of these reviews are complete garbage. I understand wanting a doctor that you «bond» with socially, that seems to listen and care, blah, blah, blah. But you don’t go to this doctor for your average condition. He’s busy. He’s got a long list of people who want to see him. And I don’t blame him for rushing some patients so he can get on to the next one. The point is he’s that good, and if you need him it’s worth it. As a note, I don’t even remember their being any communication issues or feeling like he didn’t care. It wasn’t important to me because I just needed someone to perform the function to save my life.
I was lucky enough to be referred to him for a spinal condition that had left me partially paralyzed and literally peeing in my pants. I had a short 10-​minute session with him during which he explain the surgical procedure that could help me and answered all my questions. About a week later, after waiting for years, I was in surgery and he fixed the issue. The relief I felt was immediate and has been continued for the past 2 years. I literally owe him my life.

Dr. Brian Andrews performed a laminotomy on my L4, L5 in November 2012. I had had severe pain for 3 years which severely impacted my athletic and business activities. It’s been a year and I can honestly say that his surgery was 100% successful. I have been able to pursue all my activities without a hint of pain.
I found Dr. Andrews to be professional, efficient, courteous, and above all competent.

Dr. Brian Andrews performed a spinal fusion on me following a bicycle accident in which I received spinal injuries. Although I was taken to another hospital’s emergency ward, I requested a transfer to CPMC when several friends of mine in the medical profession pointed me toward Dr. Andrews, describing him as one of the very best neurosurgeons in the Bay Area.
I did consult with other neurosurgeons before seeing Dr. Andrews and they recommended surgeries anticipated to be between 5 and 10 ½ hours. Dr. Andrews scheduled his OR for 3 hours and completed the spinal fusion in just 2 hours. A surgical nurse friend of mine who has assisted Dr. Andrews in several of his surgeries explained that Dr. Andrews is very demanding of the OR’s staff and the OR preparation so that he can perform his surgeries with laser point focus.
The time that I spent in recovery and therapy was ¹⁄₃ the period of time that injuries such as mine require. I am sure that the primary reason for this shortened time was that the time that I was in surgery was only 2 hours.
People in the medical profession will often say that surgeons are a different breed. Few within this breed have excellent bedside manner, many are abrupt and exhibit limited people-​skills. If you want a doctor to comfort you and respect your opinions, your research or your feelings, you should avoid most surgeons. If you want a surgeon who will be minimally invasive with laser like focus you may have to accept abrupt stilted bedside manner.
On the other hand, I enjoyed Dr. Andrews’ bedside manner, and I marveled at his concise manner in my follow up appointments. I am most interested in the results, and i am certain that Dr. Andrews is the primary reason that i am way ahead of my recovery schedule.

If someone receives only one-​star and five-​star reviews, there might be something wrong. There is definitely something wrong with Brian Andrews. It’s not that he’s «to the point» or just a very in-​demand surgeon. He is not someone whose judgement I would trust, let alone soneone I’d allow to operate on me.
I saw him once, and it was brief and bizarre. He never once looked me in the eye, never let me finish a sentence, and didn’t have much to say in general. He did not do an exam and didn’t get a complete history on me because every time I tried to answer a question he interrupted me. When he brought me into another room to look at the MRIs I had brought to the appointment, he was upset that the images were still being loaded and he seemed too uncomfortable to sit in the room with me (he could have taken those few minutes to get answers to the questions he didn’t let me answer earlier), so he left for quite some time. When he came back, he didn’t really look at the images that I had described to him. He just scrolled quickly through them and said «I don’t see what you or your neurologist described» and ejected the disk.
I didn’t even know when the appointment was over. When he handed me the disk, he said «I’ll send a letter to Nina,» referring to my primary doc (using her first name is generally considered unprofessional, since they’ve never met), and walked out. I followed him, not knowing that that was it. He stopped in the hall, picked up another file, and started reading it. I said «thank you doctor» and he didn’t look up. I left, dumbfounded.
I’m with the reviewer who mentioned Asperger’s and a «personality disorder,» especially after reading the other reviews that describe him as friendly and brilliant. He was not friendly and he didn’t appear to be «on his game» at all. Yes, he was cold, but that wasnt the problem for me. He was scattered, flustered, and seemed frustrated by his own inability to think clearly. I would stay away from this surgeon.

A very to-​the-​point doctor, He is at the top of his game in neurosurgery, I was very fortunate to have him perform a 2 level disectomy with fusion.
I had been in much pain for 6+ months. I had 2 unsuccessful epidurals with little benefit from a different provider
Dr. Andrews took a couple of minutes to review my MRI then showed them to me. At this point he identified the problems in my neck which need to be tended to, He than handed me a brochure about the surgery, making marks showing me what he would do for me.
He then told me take a month and think about it and get back to him. I stated, I made the appointment with you because I have already decided on surgery and know your the best guy to do it. He took me to scheduling, immediately getting me an appointment on the books.
Today, I am 7 weeks post surgery. For nearly 6 months I had been a large amounts of pain pills. Today, I might take an Advil for a little ache which is not uncommon for someone in their late 40s.
I wholeheartedly receommend Dr. Andrews and his wonderful staff.