How to know what spine surgeons and their reviews are honest?

If they were fake the doctor likely would have sued for libel, no?

annie1, I don't think you can trust the reviews either way. I always read them, anyway. I'd be wary if there were three such negative reviews of a surgeon, but it could be one person three time as angry as his other patients. Or someone who had never had surgery but is angry for a personal reason.
Some surgeons have higher ratings because they refuse more difficult cases. Some have lower success rates because they want to give a difficult cases a chance.
I think private offices sometimes cull responses. Bigger institutions are more likely to have real patient reviews because they only request reviews from patients after surgery.
I trust the recommendations on this site.
I hope you find someone extremely skilled.

@gently
The one surgeon wasn't referred on here, but by another Physical Rehab MD at a major hospital in NY. Two of the bad reviews were about getting infections after the surgery, one was very specific. So it's giving me pause, but I will go the consultation anyway to see for myself.

I think the wesite, "Healthgrades" is fairly reliable. I have gone there several times.

Can anyone recommend a spine surgeon who will be honest about whether they truly believe they will help my symptoms or make it worse? I've interviewed too many surgeons. Two said they didn't think I would get the relief I'm looking for, the rest say they think surgery "would be beneficial" but one of those lied to me about something that happened during the laminectomy/laminotomy he did on me.

I wonder if you would have that kind of experience if you were at one of the major and highly recommended hospitals like Mayo, John's Hopkins, Stanford, cedar Sinai, etc.
Where has your spine surgeon search and research led you so far? What state are you in if travel is an issue? Good luck in your quest.

If you’re headed toward surgery and you don’t feel comfortable with the surgeon’s abilities or fear they will not be honest with you get some counseling or seek some advice first. You are setting yourself and the surgeon up for failure having that concern hanging over your head. Going under the knife in older years is fraught with concerns normally so don’t make it worse for yourself.

@jenatsky
Thanks. I've gotten so many opinions I think the surgeons are suspicious of me, but I need to be reassured of certain things. They are all at good hospitals and I have gotten recommendations from people who had surgery with them, but I think my spine is more complicated. I have osteoporosis that is being treated, but I still have it in certain areas. So if a surgeon acts blaise about my osteoporosis I think that's not a good sign, don't you? Do you have any tips about asking them questions without hurting their egos? Some of them seem annoyed or just give me answers like "this is my bread and butter," when I ask how many fusions they do in a year.

@annie1 what is the surgical procedure you’re contemplating having? I presume you’ve gotten a second or third opinion since you’ve expressed concerned about the process and have any of these opinions been in agreement?
How did you react to the doctor telling you “you may not get the results you’re looking for”?
I’m 74 with osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, peripheral neuropathy and after my initial fusion is 1988 I’m not looking for more surgery. I stay as active as I can, exercise, stretch, walk, gym anything to stay limber. Since I know my body will not improve I’m holding into what I’ve got for as long as I can. And jumping back from general anesthesia is no joke for older folks. Can you continue to live without surgery? Would better pain control help? Are you doing all you can do for yourself before deciding on surgery?

@gravity3 I'm only leaving this message because of my personal experience over the past three years (July of 2023 to today), and the very surprising treatment I've endured.

I live on the West Coast, and there is Cedars-Sinai, Keck of USC, UCLA, Providence, St. Johns, and Kerlan & Jobe. When people see/hear the names of these hospitals (I've heard several say this), they are under the same impression, "Oh, they're the elite doctors / hospitals!" Believe me, again from what I have been going through, and am still going through, every one of these hospitals has a problem you are surprised that they do.

I've been lied to, mis-diagnosed, treated like a child (I'm over 60), yelled at by a surgeon (my wife thought it was coming to blows), and the number one thing these "elite" hospitals do, is ignore you. I have a primary doctor I gave up on after more than a year of never hearing back (I went to other doctors in the mean time), the first spine surgeon I saw in 2023 ghosted me for over a month before I moved to another hospital, and I have a pain management doctor
that is the nicest guy, but his schedulers / assistants are the worst.

I started seeing this doctor in December of 2025, and to this day, no one from this office has ever called me for anything; when the insurance denied a procedure request, never received a call, I called after two weeks of hearing nothing; when the insurance approved another request, I was never called, I only found out after waiting again, and calling again; then I finally resort to messaging my primary to let him know what the delay is, he then emails the pain doctor, then I get a call to set up an appointment.

So, just because there is a famous name attached to the hospital / doctor, you cannot assume they are the "elite" in their field. The healthcare system is broken in the US, and it is only going get worse before it gets better.