Merit F. Gadallah, MD—Exceptional Physician

In November 2021 I was diagnosed with a severe compression of the spinal cord due to stenosis, L3-4, L4-5, that had reached the point where I had real difficulty walking. Following lumbar neurosurgery my condition progressively worsened. The surgical team thought this was due to lower extremity neuropathy and was ready to refer me to a neurologist for treatment, physical therapy. I took all my records to my MDVIP physician, Dr. Gadallah (known to his patients as “Dr. G”) who, being the exceptional internist and careful, thorough detective that he is, determined that I did not have neuropathy but, rather, most probably stenosis compressing the spinal cord at other levels of the spine that required further evaluation. Dr. Gadallah told me I had a problem that we would have one opportunity to fix and needed to be seen by the best. Before entering private practice, Dr. G was the Director of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, and later held the same position at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH. He referred me to the Cleveland Clinic FL where it was determined that I did, indeed, have more stenosis/severe spinal cord compression from C-3 thru T-1. Diagnostic studies revealed that my spinal cord was so compressed from C-3 thru T-1 that it was no wider than a sewing thread. The neurosurgeon moved me up the surgery schedule because he was concerned that if “[you] so much as turned [your] head sharply [you] could sever the cord and I can’t fix that”. Had it not been for Dr. G that may well have been my fate. Dr.Gadallah made sure I had the finest neurosurgeon and care at the Cleveland Clinic FL—that I was being taken care of by a neurosurgeon with “the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion, and the hands of an artist”. I could not have received better treatment and care at the Cleveland Clinic FL, and oversight by Dr. Gadallah. Because of Dr. G’s careful, considered analysis the 5 level cervical spinal cord compression was discovered and successfully surgically treated. I continue to recover lower extremity mobility strength, mobility, balance, and have full range of motion of my neck and head following 5/20/2022 surgery. I am eternally grateful for Dr. Gadallah—he is an exceptional physician with a heart and really cares about his patients. Thank you Dr. G.