Patient Reviews
Patient Reviews
The exceptionally skilled team at Dr. Raymond Sekula is passionate about treating individuals near New York, NY with a host of cranial nerve disorders, acoustic neuromas, and other skull base disorders. Over the years, our staff has received many testimonials from people of all ages who have benefited from our comprehensive care. We encourage prospective patients to look over our large register of reviews and look forward to the outcomes you could achieve by placing your confidence in the hands of our team.
Reviews for New York, NY Neurological Surgeon Dr. Raymond Sekula Brain Tumors and Conditions Conditions We Treat
"I had suffered with hemifacial spasms on the left side of my face for around six years. After hearing about Dr. Sekula’s success with this condition, I flew from Alabama to New York City to have surgery on June 12. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made! I went through testing the day before my surgery, and the MRI revealed that I had a vein on my facial nerve instead of an artery. Dr. Sekula explained that this is much more rare and outcomes for success not quite as good. I really appreciated his complete honesty with me. But after discussing this with my daughter and prayer, we decided to go ahead with the surgery. What was normally a one and a half to two hour surgery took about four hours in my case. But from the moment I woke up in the recovery room I have not had a single spasm since, and I am writing this three months later. I did have some facial weakness on the left side but this is slowly improving as Dr. Sekula predicted. I can not thank this compassionate and skilled surgeon enough! And I thank God for leading me to him!! Dr. Sekula and his whole team are very professional and caring individuals. I can highly recommend them!"
"Dr. Sekula did trigeminal neuralgia rhizotomy surgery on my wife and he was caring, understanding and came by before and after surgery which does not always happen. He is a wonderful surgeon and he is a compassionate doctor. So far she is in remission which is great and it is all thanks to him and his team. Caroline is great and supports you every step of the way. I can’t speak highly enough about Dr. Sekula and his team."
"Dr. Sekula performed a procedure (MVD) to alleviate a hemi-facial spasm that had plagued me for many years. The surgery was a resounding success; I am completely spasm free and I couldn't be more grateful to Dr. Sekula and all the support staff at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital."
"Dr. Sekula is an exceptional neurosurgeon who performed my MVD surgery on June 11, 2024, to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia. His surgical skills and professionalism are the best. His knowledge and reassuring demeanor helped my wife and I decide that MVD surgery would offer me the best path forward. And it has!! I am now pain free and my life has been changed! Thank you, Dr. Sekula, Caroline and the entire team!"
"Really grateful to Dr. Sekula and happy that he is in NYC at NY-Presbyterian/Columbia. When I started looking into treatment for hemifacial spasm, Dr. Sekula's name repeatedly came up as one of the top neurosurgeon for hemifacial spasm but was getting information that he was based in PA. I would have travelled to PA based on many positive feedback regarding his expertise and kind easy-going demeanor. For my first appointment with Dr. Sekula, I came with a list of questions but he covered almost all of them before I asked. His approach is honest and grounded but reassuring that he is able to help my condition. I had MVD surgery with Dr. Sekula in May of this year (2024). I woke up from surgery spasm free. Even thru the initial side effects of surgery such as nausea and headaches, I was very grateful for a positive result. Dr. Sekula gave me "re-start" as hemifacial spasm is a very debilitating condition. Dr. Sekula has an awesome team in Caroline and Brianna. Very helpful and responsive throughout pre and post op. I found the pre-op screening/appointments were easy to get done thru the hospital. Also grateful to the staff at NY- Presbyterian's 8 Hudson South as they were awesome during my hospital stay."
"Dr. Sekula is an exceptional neurosurgeon who performed my MVD surgery on June 11, 2024, to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia. His surgical skill and professionalism are the best. His knowledge and calming demeanor helped my wife and I decide that MVD surgery would offer me the best path forward. And it has!! i am now pain free and my life has been changed! Thank you, Dr. Sekula, Caroline and the entire team!"
"Dr. Sekula gave me my life back! I was a young mom with a toddler and a condition that no neurosurgeon could figure out. I suffered for two years with useless Botox treatments from other neurosurgeons who didn’t have a clue. I finally found Dr. Sekula in a Facebook group for HFS. Within a few months I got my records over to him and was on the table in Erie, Pa. My dad was with me and almost in tears as Dr. Sekula came in to see me before surgery and he was SO KIND and reassured my Dad that everything would be okay. It took about 6 weeks to fully heal (spasms stopping completely) and the rest has been history. I could NEVER thank this man enough!"
"Dr.Raymond Sekular is a great neuroscientist with heart !He cures my trigeminal pain after the surgery on May 2 ,2024.I am now very happy without any pain .Thank God !I can find the correct neurology doctor and also his health team .I restart my life and I have to say “APPRECIATE “ HE IS THE BEST!"
"First, let me say finding Dr. Sekula was a challenge, but once I knew where to look, it was clear I needed to see him. Let me explain. I have a rare condition called HFS, where an artery in the brain was impinging on a facial nerve causing facial spasms on one side of my face. I'm in the Cincinnati area, and I saw no less than 4 neurosurgeons during a 2 year period to see what could be done. All physicians told me nothing other than botox injections were viable treatments, including two surgeons at the well known Mayfield Brain institute. So I spent the next 5 years getting botox injections to quell the symptoms. As I researched more I found a Facebook group that focused on HFS, and Dr. Sekula's name repeatedly appeared in the posts. Long story short, I met with him, he took some MRI images, said he could help. And he did. Had decompression surgery over 2 years ago and my spasms have completely disappeared. Life changing operation for me. Let me give several small bits of advice to patients of unusual conditions. Don't listen to Drs who don't routinely deal with your condition. They don't know so they can't help. It's that simple. Do look for solutions on your own...they are many places to look, Facebook one of them, medical literature, Youtube, and simple Google searches (but ignore the self serving websites). Travel if you have an unusual condition. It's well well worth the effort to get in with a Dr who knows what to do. Don't listen to self-appointed neurosurgeons on the web (Facebook groups as well). They will give you recos on the type of surgery you need (you should look for a Dr who does this technique or that technique) Really? No thanks, I'll ask the world's expert what they think. And lastly, ignore the stories of the discontent littering the internet. No surgery is 100% successful. Play the odds. Get one of the most experienced, most recognized Docs for your condition and use that Doc. On a personal note, in addition to being a leading neurosurgeon, Dr. Sekula is just a pleasant, kind and caring physician who I believe truly always does what he understands as the patient's best interest. Can't go wrong."
"Dr. Sekula healed my Hemi-facial Spasm and oversaw my very brief recovery. He uses both sling and padding methods, and most importantly the right MRI levels to confirm the presence of a compressed nerve. I woke up spasm-free (2022) and remain so since. My recovery was also very easy and never needed more than Tylenol."
"Having microvascular decompression surgery for my hemifacial spasm in April 2022 was not an easy decision to make. I had tried a number of other treatments, including medication and botox, with very limited success. After reading about Dr. Sekula's track record with this particular type of surgery, consulting with a trusted neurologist at another hospital, and feeling the tremors on the right side of my face strengthen and spread, I made the decision to go for it. Dr. Sekula was completely candid with me about the risks that this procedure involved, the chances for success, and the recovery time. Within six weeks of the surgery, I felt like I had my face—and my life—back. If I had to do it all over again, I would. MVD surgery is not for everyone, and it shouldn't be performed by just anyone. Dr. Sekula has spent a very large portion of his career perfecting his technique on this procedure. My incision scar is very small (less than two inches) and not noticeable. I will always be grateful to have had the opportunity to stop the spasms on my face and work with such an excellent surgeon and his team."
"I suffer from trigeminal neuralgia since 2012. I seen many surgeons, some in New York and CT which truly never gave me a straight forward answer about my condition. Unfortunately, I did not tolerated meds for it and I suffer w it for many years. Last year it aggravated to a point that life stop making sense. While searching for a surgeon I read a story of a young man on his page w a similar story of feeling no way out but Dr. Sekula change his life. I can say the same, the surgery he did took away the trigeminal pain. I am in disbelief of how I don’t have any pain whatsoever. Dr. Sekula changed my life. my family as myself have so much gratitude. I highly recommend Dr. Sekula to anyone who is suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. Now I can enjoy life to the fullest w the people I love."
"Dr. Sekula performed MVD on my mother who has been suffering ftom trigeminal neuralgia for several years now. Quick surgery and a recovery with no complications. Knowledgable and passionate doctor."
"I suffered from Trigeminal Neuralgia 8 years ago. Prior to diagnosis my dentist thought it was because I needed a root canal. 1 Root canal and tooth extraction later, it seemed to have gone, but then returned. I begin to see a neurologist and I was then treated with drugs. It seemed to mitigate, but I would get intense flare ups periodically. Life relocated us to Pittsburgh, where upon I did some research on the UPMC website. I was quickly pointed to Dr. Sekula and an appointment was made. Dr. Sekula met with me and quickly and recommended the vascular decompression. I was quickly set for surgery. The result was immediate. No flareups, or anything in the last 5 years. This was life changing surgery for me. Dr. Sekula has subsequently moved on to Columbia University and wish him the best. You could not be in better hands for this condition."
"I was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma in October of 2017. After initially choosing to track its progress, I was informed by my local ENT doctor in October of 2023 that observation was no longer an option. They recommended I consider Dr. Raymond Sekula, to perform the necessary surgery to remove the vestibular schwannoma. After researching his vast knowledge in the field of neurosurgery, and his expertise in vestibular surgical procedures, my wife and I arranged for an online teleconference. It was at that point in time that we realized that having Dr. Sekula as part of the surgical team was non-negotiable, and we set the date for surgery. The next time I met Dr. Sekula was in pre-op, the morning of my procedure. His easy-going demeanor, sense of humor and reassuring manner put any lingering concerns out of my mind. After a successful nine-hour surgery, he again reassured my wife and I that everything was going to be fine. I recently met with him for a post-op appointment two weeks after surgery, and once again his personable manner and encouraging words have me looking forward to the future. If you are facing the prospect of undergoing a vestibular procedure, I would totally recommend Dr. Sekula. Not only will he take care of your physical needs while under his direct care, but he will also offer encouragement, and continue setting you on a path towards total recovery after the fact. Thank you, Dr. Sekula, for all of your assistance!"
"Feb 3, 2021, almost 3 years ago, Dr. Sekula performed some surgical magic and cured me of a hemifacial spasm that I had been dealing with for 12 years. One of the things I liked about Dr. Sekula was his ability to share data on the outcomes of his many prior surgeries. That gave me the data to evaluate my own risk/reward. I deal with numbers and statistics every day in my day job, so I found that comforting. His approach to diagnosis and recommendation seemed very methodical as well. After evaluating me, he said he thought he could help me, but was very honest about the risks and rewards. I completely appreciate that approach. I had seen another doctor about getting an MVD many years earlier but he did not instill that confidence that I got from going to one of the most preeminent MVD surgeons in the world. In the end, results are what matters and he and his team delivered. I have been spasm free for nearly 3 years now and that part of my life is in the rear view mirror. Also, he and his team contact me annually to see how I am doing, add my results to his data set, and communicate that to future sufferers who find themselves in his office. Thank you Dr. Sekula. I hope you never retire and continue helping people like me."
"Dr Sekula performed hemifacial spasms surgery on me almost 10 years ago significantly improving the quality of my life. I am externally grateful and highly recommend him. God bless him and his staff who performed the surgery!!"
"Hello Doctor Sekula,
I had HFS surgery last November 2022.
Hemifacial spasms cause the right side of my face and eye to twitch, especially when I lie down at night.
One year after surgery, my symptoms completely disappeared. I got my face and eyes back.
In April 1981, I escaped my hometown on a small fishing boat offshore. I thought I was reborn after finding a free land.
In November 2022, I met you and you saved my life again. I cannot express how happy I am. I have never felt the value of life like I do now.
I take this opportunity to thank the HFS Worldwide team on Facebook. I found this group when I was desperately looking for a doctor. This is the first time I know your name and have strong feelings about my choice of surgeon. Unlike other clinics or doctors, responses take longer. Or I have to call back multiple times. You called me back shortly after I left a message at your office. I remember you told me you could cure my symptoms. I scheduled my appointment and planned my trip to NY quickly because I had been waiting for this moment for so many years.
Please remember one thing. I will spread the great work to the hemifacial spasm group that you cured my hemifacial spasm.
Please add another successful patient to your list.
Yours sincerely.
M.L.L."
"After much research and prayerful consideration, a decision was made to fly from Oklahoma to NYC for MVD surgery under the skilled hands of Dr. Sekula. I had had progressively worsening hemifacial spasm for 12 years, but even at 70 years of age, I needed permanent relief. Dr. Sekula was kind and compassionate, and I woke up spasm free. I am still spasm free after 4 weeks, and extremely grateful! Why did I wait so long??? Thank you Dr. Sekula, Caroline, and all the staff of New York Presbyterian Hospital!! Highly recommend. Camilla Dude"
"Dr. Sekula,
It’s now been 11 weeks since my MVD surgery….to say that it has changed my life is an understatement at best. Suffering with this affliction for 4 years had been devastating.
When I found out you were moving to NYC, I knew it was meant to be that I would have my MVD surgery with you. As your very first patient at Columbia with my January 2022 virtual appointment, I promised to send before and after photos as you requested! I finally feel emotionally ready to do so.
Hitting the jackpot with 2 disorders, HFS and Chiari malformation meant there was a possibility that surgery would have to be stopped if there was no room for you to reach the offending nerve/blood vessel compression causing my Hemifacial Spasm. Thankfully, because of you, that was not the case, and surgery was successfully completed.
It’s actually hard now to remember the spasms as I have not had a single one since I woke up post surgery. It wasn’t until 4 AM the morning after my surgery that I realized my face was “quiet”, the best feeling ever.
Thank you for changing my life with this surgery, it is such a joy to be able to smile again and look people in the eye without worrying about my face. I feel so very fortunate to have found you and even happier that you moved to NYC, so close to where I live!
With warmest regards,
S.G."
"After having suffered with trigeminal neuralgia for a number of years, getting worse each time it returned, I am so grateful that I have found this practice. Dr. Sekula and his team are both expert and compassionate. I reccomend them most highly. I know now that there are a number options for treating this disease."
"Dr. Sekula and his team are responsive and thorough. I sought out several opinions before deciding to travel to New York for surgery. He and his team made it effortless."
"Dr Sekula gave me back my life! I had two prior MVD surgeries for HFS at another hospital that helped some, didn’t completely bring me relief. Dr Sekula was able to resolve my HFS. He is a confident, patient doctor that genuinely cares about his patients and solving their medical issues. Thank you!"
"Dr. Sekula is a terrific surgeon. I suffered from strong hemifacial spasms for several years. I underwent quarterly botox treatments thru a local neurologist for over 3 years. Over time, the botox treatments substantially diminished in effectiveness. I found Dr. Sekula through extensive online research. I also consulted with my son-in-law who is a surgeon (different speciality) and who did his own research. In February 2015, I traveled to Pittsburg where Dr. Sekula performed microvascular decompression surgery . Immediately after the surgery and for the next 3 months, my spasms were weak as they diminished in strength and frequency. Then, my facial spasms stopped. I have been spasm free for 8 years. I am eternally grateful for Dr. Sekula."
"Writing this review post MVD surgery for HFS. It has been 2 months since the surgery. My decision to have the surgery was not taken lightly, have been considering it but was not brave enough. The b treatment stopped working for me and I finally decided to get the surgery done. Now post-surgery wondering why I delayed.I had a very good experience with Dr. Raymond Sekula and have been following him since he was at UPMC. Knew that if I wanted to get the MVD surgery it had to be with Dr. Sekula, considering his experience. Would not trust anyone else. Travelled from out of state to New York. At Columbia Neurosurgery, New York I had an initial tele appointment with Dr. Sekula, he was very patient and answered all my questions ,be prepared, write them down. He also has a wonderful team and they really guide you along the entire process. My experience at Columbia Neurosurgery was great, right from the initial consultations, actual surgery and post-surgery care at the hospital. "
"Excellent Neurosurgeon! - Writing this review post MVD surgery for HFS. It has been 2 months since the surgery. My decision to have the surgery was not taken lightly, have been considering it but was not brave enough. The b treatment stopped working for me and I finally decided to get the surgery done. Now post-surgery wondering why I delayed.I had a very good experience with Dr. Raymond Sekula and have been following him since he was at UPMC. Knew that if I wanted to get the MVD surgery it had to be with Dr. Sekula, considering his experience. Would not trust anyone else. Travelled from out of state to New York. At Columbia Neurosurgery, New York I had an initial tele appointment with Dr. Sekula, he was very patient and answered all my questions ,be prepared, write them down. He also has a wonderful team and they really guide you along the entire process. My experience at Columbia Neurosurgery was great, right from the initial consultations, actual surgery and post-surgery care at the hospital. "
"My father had semifacial spasms and had decompression surgery in late 2019. He has not had a twitch since and other than a scar, no one would ever know his eye would close shut when he spoke or ate or even breathed. Dr. Sekula gave my father a second chance for a social life and comfort of knowing that he isn’t a medical mystery that no one can fix. When Dr. Sekula moved from Pittsburgh to NY, he even personally called my father to let him know. I will forever sing praises about Dr. Sekula and his amazing treatment of my father."
"Dr Sekula is an incredible doctor. A one in a million neurosurgeon. His knowledge and understanding of trigeminal neuralgia is above and beyond. He did microvascular decompression on me and I have never been happier. He and his staff are very caring and kind. The speed of their responses are amazing. I am so grateful to have found him. There's no one else I'd recommend. He is top-notch. "
"Top Notch - Dr Sekula is an incredible doctor. A one in a million neurosurgeon. His knowledge and understanding of trigeminal neuralgia is above and beyond. He did microvascular decompression on me and I have never been happier. He and his staff are very caring and kind. The speed of their responses are amazing. I am so grateful to have found him. There's no one else I'd recommend. He is top-notch. "
"Dr Sekula is an amazing human and a very skilled Surgeon /took time to explain everything I was recommended by a patient of his and she was so right / He removed a meningioma with a minimally invasive technique no complications He recommended a different procedure for me but if I need surgery He will be my surgeon."
"I suffered for 18 1/2 years with the suicide disease. Dr. Sekula operated on me and he by God's grace healed me. Dr.Sekula is an exceptional doctor and human being. I am grateful for my mvd."
"Dr. Sekula graciously agreed to see me, without an appointment, after he completed his last consultation of the day. After five years of ever-increasing trigeminal neuralgia pain and countless doses of medicines that had ceased working, I found myself talking to a very knowledgeable, professional, kind and caring doctor. Confidence was immediate. The official diagnosis and treatment, (Microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve) were arrived at only after a very thorough discussion regarding the history and symptoms of my condition as well as further medical imaging. And now, recovery seems surreal. Free from pain, I have my life back again. Many thanks, Dr. Sekula, to you and your wonderful team of professionals!"
"Highly recommended- Dr. Sekula - Dr. Sekula graciously agreed to see me, without an appointment, after he completed his last consultation of the day. After five years of ever-increasing trigeminal neuralgia pain and countless doses of medicines that had ceased working, I found myself talking to a very knowledgeable, professional, kind and caring doctor. Confidence was immediate. The official diagnosis and treatment, (Microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve) were arrived at only after a very thorough discussion regarding the history and symptoms of my condition as well as further medical imaging. And now, recovery seems surreal. Free from pain, I have my life back again. Many thanks, Dr. Sekula, to you and your wonderful team of professionals!"
"A Completely Positive Experience - I met Dr. Sekula via telemedicine for trigeminal neuralgia. He was very personable and listened carefully. I traveled to NYC for a high-resolution MRI and, if indicated, microvascular decompression surgery (MVD).Dr. Sekula reviewed the MRI images with me and patiently answered all my questions. He felt the MVD would benefit me and I made the well-informed decision to have the procedure the next morning.Dr. Sekula visited before surgery and conveyed his confidence that this was the right course of action. He visited in recovery, debriefed the successful surgery, made an icepack for me and called friends to let them know I was OK. I spent the night in the hospital, was visited by Dr. Sekula and team at 0900 and was discharged at 1200. Recovery has been quick with follow-up at home by email, text and telemedicine.Space doesn’t allow for me to adequately convey my gratitude to Dr. Sekula who is, in my opinion, both a great surgeon and a kind, friendly and compassionate human being."
"I met Dr. Sekula via telemedicine for trigeminal neuralgia. He was very personable and listened carefully. I traveled to NYC for a high-resolution MRI and, if indicated, microvascular decompression surgery (MVD).Dr. Sekula reviewed the MRI images with me and patiently answered all my questions. He felt the MVD would benefit me and I made the well-informed decision to have the procedure the next morning.Dr. Sekula visited before surgery and conveyed his confidence that this was the right course of action. He visited in recovery, debriefed the successful surgery, made an icepack for me and called friends to let them know I was OK. I spent the night in the hospital, was visited by Dr. Sekula and team at 0900 and was discharged at 1200. Recovery has been quick with follow-up at home by email, text and telemedicine.Space doesn’t allow for me to adequately convey my gratitude to Dr. Sekula who is, in my opinion, both a great surgeon and a kind, friendly and compassionate human being."
"Dr Sekula is an amazing surgeon. He removed a brain tumor from me two years ago. It couldn’t have gone better. I would not want anyone else working on me."
"In 2018 I was diagnosed with glossopharyngeal neuralgia which was treated with prescription medication until they became ineffective after three years. Extensive research led me to Dr. Raymond Sekula and within ten days an appointment for micro vascular decompression surgery. The surgery was a complete success. Dr. Sekula is an amazing surgeon, very compassionate, and I feel went out of his way to accommodate my need for surgery. I feel he probably saved my life. He and his office staff were outstanding. Ron Date of surgery-March 9, 2021"
"Dr. Raymond Sekula performed a micro-vascular decompression (MVD) on my 7th cranial nerve to alleviate a hemifacial spasm. The surgery was a complete success! The experience was the best medical experience I have ever had. His staff is top notch-responsive, caring, professional, and highly experienced with hemifacial spasm patients. Dr. Sekula himself is a quiet and unassuming man, with a quick smile and dedicated to excellence in the treatment of hemifacial spasm using a minimally invasive technique that allowed me to go home the day following surgery. I would (and have!) highly recommend him for hemifacial spasm patients. I traveled from Florida to Pennsylvania solely because I would have no one but Dr. Sekula be my surgeon. I trusted him 100% and he answered all of my questions patiently and fully. His office is efficient, kind, and well-organized. He's simply an awesome, caring, expert surgeon! Five stars is not high enough for this man !"
"Dr.Sekula and his team were remarkable. Very knowledgeable in my hfs condition. I trusted him and his team. Everyone was kind and helpful!"
"What can I possibly say that can be worthy of what an Amazing Human, and Surgeon this man is. I did my research, and traveled to him. He is truly the best of the best, and I wouldn’t have gone to anyone else. MVD surgery in anyone else’s hands could have consequences that I would never want to face. He is the Master. I have been spasm free since the day he laid hands on me 7/19/16. God Blesses and guides his hands."
"Dr. Sekula saved my life in a way. Two years I could not eat,drink, or even talk without pain. He performed brain surgery on me and it worked and now I am myself again. I can have dinner with my wife and not be embarrassed by having her cut up my food in tiny pieces for me to eat. I can have a drink with the neighbors and not have to suffer through serious facial pain. I can now shave in the morning without putting an ice bag on my face to numb it to be able torun a razor over it. What a great person Dr. Sekula is a great doctor very compassionate and understanding of my problems. You will not find another doctor In Pittsburgh Pa or anywhere who is so dedicated to his profession. The good doctor follow up procedures are outstanding. He called me personally to ask how I was doing he really cares for his patients. I was so lucky to have him as my doctor."
"My husband Don and I are from DE. Dr Sekula was our guardian angel. After a year of suffering and visiting other doctors, Dr. Sekula cured my husband’s trigeminal neurolgia, eye/facial pain, w much confidence. He is very professional, and personable. Very up front, honest, very caring, and VERY committed to his work. I cannot stress enough—-he is an amazing doctor in every way!! My husband has been 100 % pain free since March 2019."
"Dr. Sekula is AMAZING! I had surgery 13 years ago for a Chiari Malformation. I have had so much relief even 13 yrs. later. He is very kind, caring, and an extremely talented Dr. I highly recommend him!"
"After 10+ years of suffering with a facial nerve disorder (hemi-facial spasms), I met with Dr, Sekula at his UPMC Presbyterian Hospital office. He confirmed my diagnosis and performed MVD (microvascular decompression surgery the next day. He was successful in giving me back my normal face. He is thorough, compassionate and caring with his patients!"
"Dr. Sekula is an incredible surgeon. He is very thorough and thoughtful. He was very blunt about what could go wrong but his stats were on my side with less than 1% of his 1,000 patients having hearing loss or stroke. I came out of surgery on Friday spasm free and he stayed all weekend to make sure I was healing and comfortable. Two big thumbs up. Highly recommend him. It was a life altering event for me. Thank you Dr. Sekula!! "
"After nearly 8 years of dealing with hemifacial spasms due to an arterial compression I finally flew up to see Dr. Sekula for a consultation. He confirmed the diagnosis with an MRI, lateral spread test, and by observing my clinical symptoms. What a relief it was to watch Dr. Sekula look at my MRI and say “there it is”. After years of facial twitching, spasms, sensations I finally had an answer. And it could be treated via MVD surgery. Dr. Sekula performed MVD surgery on me in October of 2017 with excellent results. I am writing this review 18 months post surgery and still can’t believe what a fantastic outcome I’ve experienced. The entire staff at UPMC is very professional and treated me with kindness and compassion. Dr. Sekula’s resume speaks for itself. MVD is incredibly specialized surgery. I can’t imagine what my life would be like had I not made this important decision. No regrets. "
"Dr. Sekula is a very skilled neurosurgeon. His bedside manners were awesome. He performed Glossopharyngeal neuralgia surgery on me in Dec 2017. The surgery didn't work. I feel as though he forgot about me. He is a busy Dr & I get that but to leave a patient in this kind of pain is just wrong. I have no idea who or where to turn to now. All I can do now is pray for God to take this pain away & put this behind me. I am not mad at Dr. Sekula, just dissappointed. I would still recommend him to others b/c he is a very skilled Dr. Racquel Goad"
"A few weeks ago I got a surprise call from Dr. Sekula. 2 1/2 yrs ago he performed micro vascular decompression surgery on me for TGN which I suffered with for 15 yrs. He wanted to know how I was doing and if any pain had come back. I was happy to report to him that I still have no pain and haven’t had to deal with the side effects of tegretol! Dr. Sekula saved my sanity. I owe him my pain free life. He & his staff were wonderful! I give him the highest rating possible! "
"I first met Dr. Sekula when my husband and I went back to support my daughter and son-in-law through his macro decompression surgery to treat his very painful trigeminal Neuralgia. We met Dr. Sekula who was very gracious and informative about the surgery. He answered all of our many questions andmade us all feel very comfortable. More importantly, the surgery was a complete success and Roy has had NO PAIN since the day of his surgery and was released from the hospital the next day. Three years later I was diagnosed with the same disorder. The pain was "over the top" and when it reached the point of really limiting my life style, I called Dr. Sekula's office and asked to be scheduled for surgery. I was scheduled for the following week, flew back to Pittsburg from California, had the surgery, woke up to absolutely no pain and have never experienced any pain since. My surgery was Nov.2, 2015 and I now celebrate it as my second birthday. Dr. Sekula worked a miracle in my life and I thank God every day for physicians such as him. Additionally, he found that I have an aneurism which Stanford Hospital totally missed in my MRI. Thank you, thank you, Dr. Sekula"
"Five stars is not nearly enough to rate my experience with Dr. Sekula. He gave me my life back, cured my trigeminal neuralgia completely with a complicated surgery that he is the absolute best at. Patients come to him from far away for good reason. The entire neurosurgery dept. is the best, but Dr. Sekula is the best of the best. "
"I had MVD surgery for Hemifacial Spasm last April, and I am absolutely delighted with the results. My spasms were immediately gone when I awoke. Dr. Sekula and his head nurse Ann were very nice, patient and answered all my questions. Dr. Sekula was there when I awoke from surgery to no more spasms. I had a private, quiet room with great care, and my recovery was very quick. Drove back to Michigan 3 days after the surgery."
"I was diagnosed with atypical trigeminal neuralgia and was two weeks away from having Microvascular Decompression Surgery with another doctor at AGH. Through much research, Dr. Sekula was discovered. My family and I traveled to Hamot UMPC to meet with him for a second opinion. At Hamot, I received a MRI that specifically targeted the nerves on the left side of my jaw. When we met with Dr. Sekula, he said that I was not a candidate for MVD surgery and that it might make my condition worse to have the surgery. This appointment was bittersweet for me. I was hoping that I would be out of pain soon with the surgery, but I am grateful that Dr. Sekula took the time to investigate whether I was a good candidate or not. Type 2 trigeminal neuralgia is rare (constant chronic pain); the research my family under covered suggested that MVD surgery only has a 50/50 chance of success. After Dr. Sekula examined my MRI, he saved me from having brain surgery that would not have been successful. He made suggestions to help me cope with the pain. I am hoping that with time they work."
"I met with Dr. Sekula after having a terrible experience with medicines and several procedures that failed by another doctor. My encounter with Dr. Sekula was life-saving! I suffered with trigeminal neuralgia for three miserable years and had one bad experience after another with neurologists and neurosurgeons. After a successful and minimally invasive procedure by Dr. Sekula, I am completely off massive doses of medicines that produced terrible side effects and my pain is 90-95% gone! "
"Dr. Sekula cured me of my hemi-facial spasm! I had my operation in 2010 and it was a success! He gave me my smile back and allowed me to re-enter life and work again. For those who do not know, a hemi-facial spasm is an ongoing tic or spasm of one side of the face and eye that cannot be stopped without surgery. 24/7 spasm! I am so grateful that Dr. Sekula chose to go to medical school for his career and grateful that he is so learned and talented. :)"
"After eight years of dealing with TN, I researched the top five TN neurosurgeons in the US and I chose Dr. Sekula. I like that he is innovative in his technique and he has a 95%+ success rate. He doesn't use a halo, he uses a microscope, he glues the incision, and I was able to go from consult to post surgery in one six day trip to Pittsburgh, I awoke from surgery without TN pain and have been for over six months now! compassionate care by phone and email post surgery. Great guy! "
"Best Neurosurgen in the country, I have trigeminal neuralgia, he did a micro vascular decompression after a botched one in Fl. I was all over the I was searching for help, and finally found Dr. Sekula. TN is a difficult, extremely painful condition. Starting in Fl. with gamma knife that was one of the worst things I had done, radiating the sheath off the nerve instead of a scar on the nerve. Then a MVD to remove one blood vessel off the nerve and screwed the skull together. Now the screws have scar tissue the size of peas. I can't lay on the left side of my head. Then 2 years later I found Dr. Sekula in Pittsburgh, he and Dr Peter Jenneta, the developer of the MVD took off 4 more blood vessels and put a piece of Teflon between a major blood vessel and the nerve. Since then Dr. Sekula did 3 glycerol rysoyomys. All successful, but since then I have had several procedures done Fl. Which left me worse than before. I'm waiting until summer to go back to Pittsburgh, to cold now for me. The success rate in Orlando is nil to none for my condition."
"He is the best!!!! Had surgery for Chiari Malformation and I was bad but he Dr.Sekula made me a new person. He did an awesome job. I only have a small cut and its been about 2 months with no recurring symptoms. He is my angel. I was at so many drs. Thank You Dr. Sekula."
"Dr. Sekula is more than a 5 star neurosurgeon. He has excellent interpersonal skills and takes the time to explain needed to explain procedures and potential outcomes with patients. I would encourage anyone suffering with trigeminal neuralgia to consult with him. I am so thankful to have found such a skilled and caring clinician."
"Dr. Sekula is an amazing doctor. I was seen by 14 different doctors and each told me my symptoms were stress related. My family doctor ordered an MRI and found that I had a chiari malformation. 7 years ago I went to Dr. Sekula and he was wonderful. I only had a 1 inch incision and was in the hospital 1 night. I would highly recommend him! He has excellent bedside manner and truly cares about his patients."
"Dr. Sekula performed my MVD surgery for hemifacial spasm a couple of months ago He did an excellent job, and the surgery was a real success with no side effects or complications. He is a brilliant surgeon, extremely capable, caring and compassionate. Very highly recommended."
"Dr. Sekula should be the model for the medical field. Outside of being an outstanding surgeon, he is an incredible human being. Dr. Sekula performed MVD surgery for hemifacial spasm in 2012 and I have been spasm free since waking from the recovery room. Dr. Sekula changed my life and if you are unlucky enough to have this condition, he is the one surgeon that can relieve the situation."
"Doctor Sekula is exceptional. He understands trigeminal neuralgia, and he will make certain that you receive the correct treatment."
"Dr. Sekula is a fabulous person and Dr. I had a microvascular decompression of my left trigeminal nerve in Dec 2009, and although my surgery did not cure me, I feel that I was in the best hands. Before surgery he introduced me to the people that were going to be in the operating room, and afterwards he chedked on me several times. He is a very caring and compassionate Dr. and I feel that he is the best Neurosurgeon I have ever met, and I have met several due to my condition. He still keeps tabs on me and I know that one day he will be able to fix my problem. If you have trigeminal neuralgia this is the man to see."