My husband and I have used ONS for three separate problems. Doctors, PA’s and all staff are very professional. Their orthopedic urgent care service is excellent!! (5 Star Review on Google from A.W-H)
Dr. Mark Camel has operated on me 3 times over 10+ years and I feel very lucky to have found him and ONS. The disc procedures restored mobility and strength in my arm and leg and allows me to enjoy life normally. I recommend Dr. Camel and ONS highly. (5 Star Review on Google from M.B.)
I began to have numbness in both feet after chemotherapy and thought it was related to treatment. After 4 years the numbness began to spread quickly from my feet to my legs and I was soon diagnosed with dropped foot. I visited ONS and after nerve testing was diagnosed with compressed nerve at the L4/L5 vertebrae. I was losing function rapidly. Dr. Camel performed back fusion at the very end of May 2020 during Covid-19 lockdowns with obvious risk to himself and staff at Greenwich Hospital. The surgery was a complete success and I have since been playing 18 holes of golf regularly. If you want to remain physically active I would highly recommend Dr. Camel. 5 Star Review on Healthgrades from C.S.)
Dr Simon is a compassionate and very clear and thorough specialist. He is very experienced in a complicated surgery that was needed and someone who inspires trust. I would highly recommend him. (5 Star Review left on Healthgrades by B.)
I feel like I’ve gotten my life back after having back surgery performed by Dr. Fiore. He was honest, thorough, patient and kind. I was able to walk without pain the day after surgery and slowly (you have to take it easy for 6 weeks) learned how to move, bend and use my body correctly with physical therapy. Thank you Dr. Fiore. (5 Star Review on Google from E.R.)
Dr. Apostolides is a great doctor! He is extremely professional, compassionate and knowledgeable. He was very thorough with his examination, reviewed my spine xrays and MRI, clearly explained my diagnosis of lumbar stenosis and all the treatment options. Dr. Apostolides and his staff are wonderful and the office is very comfortable and welcoming. Dr. Apostolides has my highest recommendation! (5 Star Review on Google from P.T.)
(Dr.) Scott Simon is terrific. I had terrible sciatica and he did a minimally invasive laminectomy and I was pain free but for the temporary impact of the surgery. My wife had a hip replacement by (Dr.) Frank Ennis with positive results, as well. (5 Star Yelp Review from J.R.)
Thank you, Dr. Simon and Team. From surgery to Paris in less than six months! Your 4 – 5 excavation and flying buttresses worked. I went from sitting to circumvent numb legs to striding to keep pace with my brothers: Notre Dame, Montmartre, Eiffel Tower. Merveilleux! Longest lasting side effects: Balance still improving. Smiles still excessive. (Comments in a letter from M.Y.)
I have sent several of my clients to ONS and all of them have been very happy with the service and their surgeries. Great doctors. (Comment on Facebook from M.L., MPT, OCS)
I saw Dr. Simon today. He asked all relevant questions and did series of tests (none of which the Neurologist or Physiologist in Stamford had done when I saw each of them separately last year.) He is an excellent listener and provides substantive insights. While my issues appear to be systemic and not directly spine related, I highly recommend him based on his thoroughness, professionalism and taking the time to listen with care. (5 Star review on Healthgrades from 55 year old patient from Ridgefield, CT
Dr Scott Simon is as GOOD as it gets!! I would never go to anyone else and would trust him with my life! He is caring, empathetic, so kind and gives me all the time in the world whenever I need him! Cannot say enough about him – no one in my entire medical history compares to Dr. Simon in any way shape or form!! And of course he is a great surgeon!! (from D.H. patient survey)
I went to see Dr. Simon after two back surgeries with another doctor. At first he thought I might need a third surgery, but when he looked at my back, he saw I had a slight rash. He took a picture of the rash, called the hospital to speak with disease control, and sent a doctor the picture. The conclusion, it was Shingles! I was amazed at his level of caring, and can’t recommend him enough. In all my years, I’ve never seen a more diligent doctor. Need room here to add more adjectives! The BEST! (5 star review on Healthgrades by M.T. in Pound Ridge NY)
Dr. Camel did the job and I was walking within a week. Takes the time to explain in detail what the issues are and what he’s going to do to fix it. (Five star review on Healthgrades by D.M. of Boca Raton, FL)
Dr. Simon is compassionate and attentive. His medical expertise is only surpassed by his humble demeanor. (S.R.)
I met with neurosurgeon Dr. Scott L. Simon last week. I found him very knowledgeable, kind, concerned and passionate about his field. I came in with multiple symptoms of pain in my hips, leg, lower back and buttocks. He performed an exam thoroughly and ordered x-rays. Upon my request, Dr. Simon gave me a copy of the x-ray without hesitation and a print out of his diagnosis. He also ordered blood labs to rule out any underlying problems. I felt confident with Dr. Simon, in fact, I’ve already recommended him. Now I await the results. (Comment from Rate MDs)
Dr. Simon is a rockstar. I needed emergency surgery from a car accident and will thank God every day that I got Dr. Simon as my surgeon. He is an amazing doctor that has a kind heart, and I am alive because of him. He inspires me to be great at what I do in my own field of work. Thank you! (Comment from Health Grades)
I recently underwent a 5 level spinal fusion surgery with Dr. Fiore. Surgery took 10 1/2 hours, and 5 nights in the hospital. I was walking with the hospital therapists the day after surgery and doing stairs the next day. Dr. Fiore motivated me to walk often, so I did, and I didn’t have to go to a rehab hospital. Dr. Fiore’s skills as a surgeon, manner with me, and overall ability to communicate effectively all contributed to a superb recovery and magnificent result. I’d love to give him 100 stars. (Comment from Health Grades)
Dr. Apostolides assisted my neurosurgeon, Dr. Amory Fiore, in a recent 5 level spinal fusion surgery. Surgery lasted 10 1/2 hours. Before surgery, Dr. Apostolides was kind enough to come in to wish me well. He has a lovely bedside manner and I knew that from former spine surgeries he assisted Dr. Fiore with, the results would be superb, and they were. Having inherited two spine diseases from my father, I feel blessed to have found these gifted neurosurgeons and lovely human beings. 1000 stars are not enough. (Comment from Health Grades)
Dear Dr. Apostolides, you gave me hope. Then, you repaired my broken body and gave me new life (I’m walking 1/2 hour, 3 times per day!). Thanks again. (DMT)
Dr. Heftler has an excellent bedside manner and takes his time with you. I was just in for an epidural injection for a bad herniation of my L5-S1 and he provided me with the time I needed, to be certain all of my questions were answered. On the day of the procedure, the doctor was extremely pleasant and kept my mind calm with plenty of fun conversation. My fingers are crossed that I get some relief from the injection, but hands down he is highly recommended and I won’t go anywhere else. (comment from Health Grades)
I have been going to Dr. Simon for over 5 years now. He consistently comes up with new ways to help my chronic back pain when there seems to be no options available. He has called on weekends and holidays to check in and discuss MRI results. He is willing to call other affiliated doctors in order to do specific procedures. Not only is he extremely personable and patient, but he also truly cares about each patient and takes the time to understand the pain and discusses all the possible options. (comment from Health Grades)
Dr. Camel is an outstanding professional. Incredibly knowledgeable, very easy to approach and straightforward about conditions/options. (comment from Health Grades)
I would highly recommend Dr. Camel to anyone I know. He is a kind, confident and thorough surgeon. The hospital he is associated with, Greenwich Hospital is just by far the best hospital I have been to. What a team, thank you! (comment from Health Grades)
Dr. Simon is an exceptional doctor. His skill set as both a neurosurgeon and spine surgeon set him apart from the field, lending him a much finer quality to his diagnosis as well as surgical skills. In my initial discussions with the Dr., he picked up on things that others were unaware of, and was generally better informed than anyone else I met with regarding my health and choices to heal. The quality of his bedside manner and surgical prowess is outstanding. When other doctors see my scar, I am regularly treated to exclamations regarding how excellent the work is. I credit him and his wonderful team with providing me with a new and better life. (comment from RateMD)
I was injured in my military career and for 29 years, have managed through neck and spine pain that was caused from it. It became unbearable with numbness in my fingers and inability to sleep, sit or work. I have never had nerve pain like I did and when I saw Dr. Nocek, he sent me for an X-ray then MRI to determine what was happening. While waiting for results, he sent me to physical therapy and to Dr. Heftler, a physiatrist, for an injection to help relieve the symptoms until we could determine what to do. Bottom line, I needed spine surgery. I saw ONS neurosurgeon Dr. Fiore, who got me right into surgery, repaired 3 discs, and cleaned up the problems. Immediately, and that’s no joke, immediately, I could tell I was on the mend. I’ve had chronic pain for 29 years and now, almost three months out, the constant ache and nerve pain isn’t there. I had lost feeling in part of my had and fingers which has since returned. Best part of my ONS experience was that everything is onsite and getting to the bottom of this just took a few short days. Everyone works like a team. They are specialists, unlike my experience at the VA. Meanwhile, they helped me manage the pain. I have never experienced this before and I’m very pleased with the results. If you need a neurosurgeon, specialized orthopedist, physiatrist or physical therapy, I totally recommend ONS. ( RateMD)
I wish there were 100 stars available for Dr. Fiore. He is that good, dedicated, compassionate and knowledgeable. I have been his patient, due to hereditary spine diseases, for over ten years now, and even other neurosurgeons are in awe of the results he has achieved on my spine. My entire spine, except cervical, is fused. I have total mobility and walk standing tall and with perfect posture. Each surgery has had a wonderful result, and his ability to instill confidence in me has been a huge part of my recovery. Awesome neurosurgeon and person. (comment from RateMD)
Top in his skills, knowledge and manner, along with his partner, Dr. Amory Fiore, the two of them make an incredible winning team. They have operated on me with astounding results, and if I could give them both a rating of 100 stars, I would be happy. Dr. Apostolides exudes great confidence in his patients and you know he will perform his surgery brilliantly, which he always does. There is a reason he has such a fine reputation and it is well deserved. He and Dr. Fiore are both top in my book. (comment from RateMD)
Dr. Simon is absolutely one of the most caring, considerate, and capable doctors I have ever had the pleasure of taking care of me. (Patient Survey)
Dr. Simon was EXCELLENT! I would highly recommend him. (Patient Survey)
Dr. Simon was wonderful, kind, and compassionate. He explained everything in detail thoroughly. The staff was also very thoughtful and extremely helpful, especially Lisa who is the nurse and MRI scheduler. It was an absolutely pleasant experience. (Patient Survey)
Dr. Apostolides is an absolutely wonderful doctor. I would never go anywhere else. I give him 5 stars and he is simply the best of the best!! (Patient Survey)
Everyone is always so professional …and Dr. Camel and Sommre are the best!..thanks for everything. (TC)
Dr. Apostolides – Thank you so much for finding the time to come and celebrate my grandmother’s 102nd birthday with us. We were so pleased to see you. You are a very special person to both of us and we know that ‘Amy’ would not have had the quality of life and additional years if she had not had the surgery that you so skillfully performed. Thank you again for joining us for this joyful celebration. (RB)
Dr. Apostolides: Thank you so much for believing in my mother almost 10 years ago in 2003. She is still doing great at 89!! I just recommended you to a friend and it brought me back to realizing how you changed the trajectory of her and our lives. My mom had become a body filled with pain and anger, with litttle of her true personality left. I was having the last grandchild and worried that my daughter would never come to know what a wonderful Grandmother she had. You came along and told her that at 81, you would get her back on the tennis court! The other doctors just told her she was old and “this is what happens.” You got her back on the court!! (ES)
Dr. Simon– R.M. had been fighting cancer, which began as male breast cancer, since November of 1999. After his initial treatment with chemo and radiation, he was symptom free for five years. However, three years ago, the cancer metastasized to his lumbar. He endured intense pain for six months despite taking narcotic pain medication and curtailing many activities. He had to stop playing golf, which had been very helpful in managing the stress of his illness. His radiation oncologist, Dr. Frank Masino of Stamford Hospital suggested he might be a candidate for treatment with CyberKnife®, a noninvasive image-guided robotic radiosurgery system that delivers highly precise beams of radiation to its target. He sent Rick for an evaluation with neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Simon.
“R.M. had two options,” explained Dr. Simon. “He could undergo an extensive spinal surgery to remove part of the tumor with a spinal fusion, or he could be treated with Cyberknife to try to shrink the tumor non-invasively by pin pointing radiation directly to the tumor site.” R.M. chose Cyberknife.
After a dry run to check radiation beam alignment, Dr. Simon and the Cyberknife team at Stamford Hospital administered four treatments over four days, each one lasting about two hours. By the end of the second day, R.M. already felt some relief from the pain. At the end of the fourth treatment, the pain was gone. R.M. was thrilled, even more so when he was able to return to golf just a couple of days later. He has been pain free ever since.
“The Cyberknife allows us to use maximum doses of radiation, with minimal risk to the normal surrounding tissue,” said Dr. Simon. ” R.M. responded quickly but every patient is different, and it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to experience the full benefit of the treatment.”
In 2003, I.M. began to experience periodic episodes of pain in what she thought was her tooth. At first the attacks lasted a minute or two but before long, they became unimaginably bad. She had spells that would last every five to ten minutes, sometimes for periods of several days. After a number of visits to her dentist, desperate to pinpoint the source of her discomfort, the problem just got worse. Eventually, it moved to the side of her nose, then settled just under her bottom teeth, and then became so severe it often prevented her from talking and eating.
It took years of tests and visits to dentists and other specialists until she was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder of the nerve which carries sensation from the face to the brain. Effective treatment for her condition however, was even more elusive. I.M.’s condition worsened and she was forced to quit her job. Her life was turned upside down.
Then Dr. Rod Acosta, her primary care physician in Stamford, told her about neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Simon who uses the Cyberknife at Stamford Hospital to treat trigeminal neuralgia. The Cyberknife technology is specifically designed for the delivery of stereotactic radiosurgery and operates through collaborative efforts of the neurosurgeon, radiation oncologist, and radiation physicist. Treatment consists of aiming precisely focused beams of radiation on the trigeminal nerve. The hour-long procedure is non-invasive, painless, requires no incision, and patients go home the same day. Desperate and hopeful for relief, I.M. scheduled treatment.
In a preliminary appointment, a mask of her head was created that would be used to calibrate and guide the beams of radiation. Two weeks later she returned for the actual treatment, which lasted about an hour. That night she had another attack, but over the next few weeks the frequency and severity of the episodes gradually diminished and in four weeks, they had vanished completely. After seven years of agonizing pain, I.M. has made a full recovery and is now living life pain free.
Dr. Simon- M.S. was unaware that from birth, she had a rare brain condition known as Chiari malformation, until she took a fall while skiing that triggered intermittent headaches and sensations of intense head pressure in the back of her head near her neck. The episodes, which were also characterized by dizziness, and feeling tired and “foggy”, lasted from two to five minutes. They happened without warning, with no predictable pattern or timing, and eventually were occurring daily. Most disturbing to M.S., at night she perceived a sense of burning in her head and was having intermittent numbness in her feet and hands.
Both M.S. and her primary care physician initially thought her symptoms could have been related to allergies but when they persisted, her doctor advised her to see a neurosurgeon. Dr. Scott Simon, who performed a thorough neuro-cognitive evaluation and ordered CT scans and MRIs which revealed that she had Chiari malformation.
Chiari malformation is a condition that occurs when the cerebellum is pushed down through the opening in the bottom of the skull, compressing the brain stem, diminishing the flow of spinal fluid in the skull. Chiari malformation occurs in one of 2,000 people; mostly women. For many, the condition may not be detected until after age 30. Characteristic symptoms are severe headaches that are often made worse by neck extension, neck pain, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, a sense of pressure in the head and trouble with balance.
Dr. Simon recommended that M.S. undergo Chiari surgery in order to enlarge the opening at the back of the skull to decompress the brain. M.S. underwent surgery at Stamford Hospital on November 30, 2009. She stayed in the hospital for three days. It took two weeks until she was again steady on her feet, and during her recovery she was very sensitive to the touch on her head. She took it easy for the following month before returning to work but her headaches were gone. Now she has resumed her regular workout routine which includes jogging, fitness classes and weight training, and no longer worries about having a sudden attack.
D.L. was almost blind by the time she arrived at the office of neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Simon. Over the last 3 weeks she had been experiencing progressive loss of her vision that prompted her ophthalmologist to order an MRI of the brain. The scan revealed a large pituitary tumor compressing her optic nerves at the base of her brain. Dr. Simon admitted D.L. directly to Stamford Hospital and preformed a minimally invasive resection of the tumor, accessing the site completely through the nose. After surgery, D.L.’s vision completely returned and she continues to be tumor free without any side effects.
