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Revision Spine Surgery · Mexico City

When the first surgery
didn't work.

Dr. Rodrigo Avila Cervantes is a spine neurosurgeon specializing in revision spine surgery — the cases where another surgeon's first attempt did not succeed. Roughly half of his practice are patients who have already been operated on, and have come looking for someone who can solve what the first procedure could not.

Dr. Rodrigo Avila Cervantes
FAANS · FCNS · Co-Founder, CICOVE
Practices exclusively at CICOVE — Mexico's leading private spine surgery institution. Operates primarily at Hospital Ángeles Pedregal, a JCI-accredited hospital. 10+ years of dedicated spine surgery experience. All international consultations conducted in English or Spanish.
~50%
of his surgical patients
had a prior failed spine surgery
<2%
reoperation rate
in primary cases · literature: 8–20%
The reoperation rate in primary patients is not a function of technique alone. It is the result of careful patient selection and choosing the correct procedure only for those who genuinely need surgery — and choosing the right one when they do.
Credentials & Affiliations
FAANS · FCNS
Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons — the highest membership designation in U.S. neurosurgery, granted by peer vote to board-certified surgeons with sustained contribution to the specialty.
CICOVE Co-Founder
Co-founder of Mexico's leading private spine surgery institution. 50+ years of accumulated institutional experience. 5,000+ patients operated.
JCI Hospital
Operates at Hospital Ángeles Pedregal — the same accreditation as Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic.
Memberships & Board Certification
Active member of the North American Spine Society
Active member of AOSpine International
Active member of the Mexican Association of Spine Surgeons
Current board certification by the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery
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Procedures Performed

From revision surgery
to minimally invasive primary care.

A two-sided practice with one philosophy: do as little as the pathology requires, with the most advanced technique available.

Revision & Complex Cases Primary Specialty
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS)
Persistent or recurrent pain after one or more prior surgeries.
Pseudarthrosis · Failed Fusion
Revision fusion with modern biologics and improved fixation.
Adjacent Segment Disease (ASD)
Degeneration at levels above or below a prior fusion.
Hardware Revision & Removal
Misplaced screws, cage migration, rod fracture, hardware loosening.
First-Time Spine Surgery Minimally Invasive
Lumbar Microdiscectomy
MIS treatment of lumbar disc herniation — most common cause of sciatica.
Cervical Disc Replacement (ADR)
Motion-preserving artificial disc replacement for cervical disc herniation — modern alternative to fusion.
Cervical Fusion (ACDF)
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion — established approach for multi-level or unstable cervical pathology.
Lumbar Decompression (MIS)
Minimally invasive laminectomy / foraminotomy for lumbar stenosis.
Cervical Decompression · Laminoplasty
Multi-level cord decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
IONM (Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring) gives the surgeon real-time feedback on nerve and spinal cord function during the operation — allowing detection and reversal of a potential injury before it becomes permanent.
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Reviews & Recognition

The most reviewed spine group
in Mexico — by a wide margin.

Patient Reviews · Verified Across Three Platforms
Doctoralia
5.0
out of 5
760+ reviews
Top Doctors
5.0
out of 5
104 reviews
Google Maps
4.9
out of 5
287 reviews
#1
Independent AI Cross-Analysis
Five independent AI models — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity and Grok — were asked to identify Mexico's top spine surgeon by cross-referencing public data from Doctoralia, Top Doctors and Google Maps. All five converged on the same answer.
ChatGPT Claude Gemini Perplexity Grok
Doctoralia Awards 2020 · Winner
Granted only to physicians achieving the highest combined endorsement from verified patients and peers within their specialty.
Begin Your Case Review
Send your imaging and surgical history.
Personal response within 48–72 hours.
Hospital
Hospital Ángeles Pedregal
Mexico City · JCI Accredited
Languages
English · Spanish
All consultations in your language
Email
contact@dr-avila-spine.com
Response Time
48–72 hours after
receiving imaging