Dr. Daniel Riew, MD

He is so knowledgeable and I was very impressed with the way he addressed my issue. The procedure was successful and relatively pain-free in post operative recuperation. I am very glad to have been referred to Dr. Riew.

Dr Riew's knowledge and talent are exceptional.

As a physician myself my expectations were I would have discomfort during recovery. It was rediculous how comfortable I was with minimal pain post op and only took 2 acetaminophen after being discharged from the hospital and nothing else ever since. It's absurd how well the procedure went and my recovery. So grateful to Dr riew and his expertise and skill and his caring for his patients. Staff and hospital also were very nice. Whole process was seamless and way better than I ever expected. Of course I have some muscle soreness and need to rehab to build strength and my nerve pain in arm will take upward of a year to resolve if ever etc but I expected those things. I'm 3mos post op have good range of motion given fusion limits that some and feel good. Glad I did it and Dr riew and his team are amazing.

The doctor listens and knows exactly what you’re feeling. I’ve gone to many physicians for my condition and listening wasn’t a quality that they have.Dr. Riew is one of the best in the world.

DR DAN RIEW IS A WONDERFUL PERSON ALWAYS TAKING CARE OF ME AND HE IS CALID AND COMPREHENSIVE I LOVED TO BE TREATED BY DR RIEW

I was diagnosed with upper cervical injury in Florida. The surgeon here wanted to do a level 4 fusion which would have limited my neck movement radically. He told me that this was my only option. I googled doctors to find a more qualified surgeon and found Dr Riew. After one visit I chose him as my surgeon. He said I did have options. Tampa Dr was Incorrect. I am not yet 3 months past my surgery and I am walking and running and back to all my exercise classes better than ever. I had a ten hour surgery and it was complicated and intense but Dr Riew was amazing and performed a miracle. I never believed that I would have a normal neck again, be pain free, and be unlimited in the things I want and can do. But it is true. I flew to NY to have this surgery and I am so very grateful that I did. Dr Riew is the best. Explains everything. Great bedside manner and a skilled and gifted surgeon. I will always be grateful to him for the quality of life he has given to me. He is truly the best!

If you have a complex neurosurgical problem, avoid this doctor.

I am 51 years old and recovering from a 4-level anterior and posterior cervical fusion with Dr. Riew. I am an orthopedic surgeon myself, and Dr. Riew is exactly the physician I aspire to be. He is kind, humble, thorough, never appears rushed, and he listens. Technically, his operative skills are superior. He is one of a very small number of spine surgeons who limits his practice to only the cervical spine. Simply put, he knows it. He is able to discuss options both non surgical and surgical, aggressive and less so. He asks you about your goals in helping to reach a decision on the course moving forward. Additionally, he is surrounded by staff (shout out to Giselle and Jenny) who are available and responsive in the pre and post operative period. I initially chose a local surgeon who I believed to be competent to do what I thought was a relatively simple single level ACDF. I had a very poor outcome. Skip my misstep. Feel confident putting your trust in Dr. Riew!

Dr. Riew explained his diagnosis of my condition, the surgical procedures that would be required to resolve the issues, and why other procedures that previous local surgeons recommended would not work or would require multiple future surgeries. His diagnosis was more comprehensive stating some conditions were actually structural due to genetics and not just age or injury's. Other surgeon's I met for the same conditions seemed to basing their choice of surgical intervention based on basically general statistics and nothing to due with structural genetics. No other doctor provided a complete surgical solution that covered ALL issues found in MRI's or X-Rays. I am extremely confident in Dr. Riew's diagnosis and the different surgical procedures that will be performed. No other doctor I met installed this confidence level during or after my appointment. I was more frustrated after those appointments which made me do online research to find a specialist in the field of Cervical Spine Surgery regardless of where they practice in the world. This research led me to Dr. Riew. It was well worth flying cross country for this appointment and will be well worth flying cross country for the surgery scheduled. As surgery is always the last choice I would take, I am actually looking forward to this comprehensive surgery and its results. I would in no uncertain terms recommend Dr. Riew to anyone that is having any cervical issues.

A maximum 5 STAR rating does not adequately reflect the true excellence of this physician. As an Orthopedic Surgeon of over 38 years I was forced to retire after a long history of neck pain. I have seen the mixed results of cervical spine surgery so I delayed my own surgery until I was unable to tolerate the pain any longer. In July,2022 I underwent a 3-level anterior decompression and fusion that was complicated by severe spinal cord compression. After recovery room I took only one narcotic pill just before my next day ride home. At 4 months I have essentially no pain. I am able to perform tasks I was unable to do for over 15 years. His bedside manner is marked by kindness and patience. He is an exceptionally talented surgeon respected by his colleagues internationally . His entire staff, from his office and hospital personnel to his Fellows were truly professional and courteous. This is why a 5 STAR rating for this Dr. Riew is wholly inadequate. He deserves a 10!

I had a C1-2 fracture that I apparently had for 30+ years and stenosis. Dr. Riew was patient, relatable, confident, and accessable. He did an amazing job with success. He was the last doctor I saw and so glad. I had a very unusual case and it went so smoothly. I still have some movement with is a win.

After meeting with multiple qualified surgeons, I felt instantly at ease with Dr. Riew, and scheduled my complex cervical surgery with him on May 4. Dr. Riew is not only unique in his unrivaled expertise, but also in his bedside manner and thoroughness in going over options for care. He never made me feel rushed, was clear in his explanations, and answered my and my husband's questions with great thoughtfulness. Dr. Riew clearly cares deeply for improving his patients quality of life. He is a kind person who has a reassuring, confident and warm personality that is rare in a surgeon. I found his and his team's professionalism impecabble, and would highly recommend this surgeon. Thank you, Dr. Riew! - ACDF in Idaho

After suffering from a herniated disc and broken neck for one year I finally researched and met every spine surgeon in NYC and am so happy I chose Dr Riew. I’m 35 years old so the thought of having spine surgery was my worst night mare. He assured me he would fix me and everything he said came true. 5 weeks post op I’m the old me again. The surgery was a breeze I’m still shocked how easy it was. Weil Cornell is the entire package from the valets, front desk to nurses I’ve never received such top notch care. I’m a PA myself and chose to go to Weil Cornell because as soon as I met them I knew these are world class professionals. Giselle his nurse is also top notch. I will forever be grateful to Dr. Riew he is not only the best spine surgeon out there but a lovely person.

Four weeks ago Dr. Riew performed a 2 level ACDF surgery on me. Immediately following the surgery I was totally pain free which was quite remarkable considering how much pain I was in for several months before I was operated on. I found Dr. Riew and his entire staff to be extremely competent and compassionate. His assistant, Jenny, was always available to answer any questions and/or concerns I had. Dr. Riew is masterful at cervical surgeries and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone who is experiencing neck pain.

Absolutely the best. If you need cervical spine surgery, he’s the man.

I had artificial disc replacement surgery with Dr. Riew at the end of July 2020 to relieve pain from a herniated C5-C6 disc. I am an otherwise healthy 53 year old runner who is in good shape. I had originally set a date for surgery with a very well known spine surgeon at HSS, but as the process went on I felt like a cog in a giant conveyor belt. I am so happy that I went with my gut and switched to Dr. Riew because my surgery was a total success. I was the first surgery of the day and was discharged by 2 pm. I walked 30 minutes with my wife the evening following the surgery. Three days later, I was on the stationary bike. One week later, I was back running. It is now twelve weeks after surgery and I feel terrific. While I was incredibly nervous about the surgery, in retrospect, it was the right decision and I am now pain free and back to myself after 6 months of great difficulty. If you are looking for a cervical spine surgeon, I highly recommend Dr. Riew.

After seeing 3 different Drs for my pain in the neck, with no results. Dr Riew knew exactly what my problem was. I had surgery, and pain went away!

I went to Dr. Riew for revision surgery. Dr. Riew performed ACDF C4-7 with C5 corpectomy on me in Jan 2019 and it was a total success. Immediately upon waking up in the recovery room, my arm pain was gone and the tingling in my thumb was also substantially diminished. The great news was that the painfree state continued. I was finally able to button my blouses, write with a pen again, scoop up purina nibbles for my doggie with my dominant right hand, carry teapot and do yoga again. I regained all strength & function in my arm & hand. Another surgeon at another hospital had done ACDF C4-6 on me in June 2018 which failed; my bones never fused and osteophytes continued to impinge on nerves in my neck causing me near paralysis of right arm and hand. Hence, I was very happy to find Dr. Riew because he fixed my cervical radiculopathy. He's a globally renowned surgeon who specializes in cervical spine, a true expert in this field. Plus, he's very professional which I greatly appreciated.

I met with Dr. Daniel Riew in early March. Dr. Riew's examination was extremely thorough and informative. He patiently answered all of my questions and explained surgical options. His expertise was obvious compared to other surgeons I had consulted with. Due the oncoming Covid lockdown in NYC he was not able to schedule me for surgery. Dr. Riew referred me to Dr. Joshua Li at UVA Virginia. I had surgery in June and I am rapidly healing. I am grateful to Dr. Riew for his medical advice and his recommendation.

As a physician I have a really high standard for other physicians, and as a pain medicine physician I see mainly the patients that haven't done well post-op. So I waited till my right arm was almost nonfunctional, I so wanted to avoid surgery. But I am so lucky to have had Dr. Riew as my surgeon: I woke up without pain from a C 3-7 (really extensive) cervical fusion, and have had steady return of my right arm strength. He's truly outstanding.