Ivan Stoev, MD

Telehealth visits are available

I am a board-certified neurosurgeon with sub specialization in spine surgery but also do a lot of brain surgeries as well. I immigrated to the United States from Bulgaria in 1993 by myself, at the age of 18, with intentions to obtain a higher education. I finished high school in the USA as an exchange student and continued on to college where I got an associate degree in science, arts, associate degree in nursing, followed by a bachelor’s degree in Biolo

There is always a lot of apprehension and anxiety when someone needs to see a neurosurgeon, or any surgeon for that matter. Most of this stems from the fear of the unknown. The prospect of surgery is very scary and many people find that overwhelming. My approach to patient care is to empower the individual with knowledge. I spend a long time explaining the problem, the reason for having pain or disability and the different options that are available. Surgery is not always the right answer, but in cases where it is needed, I make sure the patient understands the choices and we make the decisions TOGETHER. Knowledge eliminates a lot of that fear. Understanding the post-operative recovery makes that process much easier to go through. Having the correct expectations is one of the keys to successful recovery. The other is pairing the right patient with the right surgery. This is what distinguishes a good surgeon from a great surgeon! Much like a marriage, this pairing process is very important and can have many lasting effects. The last important factor is to feel trust and comfort with your surgeon. This is also a two-way street. You will put your life in my hands. This is the ultimate responsibility and privilege for me, but I also need to feel comfortable with you in order to take on this most important task. In some very rare instances, I will have to say “No” for your safety. My promise has been and always will be that I will not offer anything to you that I would not do to myself or any of my family.