Dr. John Elliott, MD

Dr. Elliott is an incredible neurosurgeon. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable in his field, he is also very humble and compassionate. These qualities seem to be rare with so many doctors. I’ve been to hundreds of appointments (not exaggerating here- if you count the reoccurring treatments I’ve had) and seen about 30+ physicians for my condition/symptoms of partial cauda equina syndrome and pudendal neuralgia, which started immediately following a ski accident. I had no prior history of low back pain, genital pain, or incontinence. Many doctors scoffed at me, especially surgeons that seemed to have god-complexes, insisting my condition couldn’t have come from the “minimal amount of compression” in my spine. I got passed around by so many in the medical field being told that it’s simply pelvic floor issues, symptoms of pain, etc. Dr. Elliott was one of the few physicians who confirmed that the compression in my spine could absolutely be a big part of my medical struggles. It took taking myself to the ER on a gut feeling to get someone to take me seriously in order to find Dr. Elliott. The ER referred me to him once I stayed overnight, and I am so grateful. Only 2 months out of surgery and 90% of my stabbing genital pain is gone! My urinary incontinence has been cut by about 60-70%, some days even 80% or more! Nerves can take over a year to fully recover, so I’m very hopeful that it will only continue to heal/improve. The low back pain I’m experiencing now is muscle pain, not nerve pain, which I’m working on strengthening/rehabbing through physical therapy. Thank you, Dr. Elliott, from the bottom of my heart, for actually hearing me out and taking me seriously. You’ve truly changed my life. I also am very grateful for his support staff in helping along the way. They were always responsive and empathetic. These life changing surgeries couldn’t happen without them! Once more, Dr. Elliott, I am forever grateful and will always refer those struggling with spinal conditions to you. Your dedication to your craft and your empathetic nature makes you truly one of a kind in this field.

Dr. Elliott is a very meticulous neurologist and surgeon who takes great pride in his work. He can come across as arrogant at times but I would not have anyone else perform future back or neck surgery on me. His PA's can be dismissive and can lack compassion and empathy for patients. The office staff are something to be desired and are the reason for the 3. They are rude, incompetent and lack follow through. They like to make the patient feel like they are in the wrong when they are called out for their laziness and lack of communication and organization. If you can get past all the obstacles of the front office and be your advocate, Dr Elliott is so worth it.

I have had a number of back and neck fusions done by Dr. Elliott. I have had great care and his office staff was very helpful and friendly. Dr. Elliott has great bed-side manner and is very good at what he does. His medical assistant Kim is great too. She took time to meet with me when I had questions or concerns and I never felt rushed. I would recommend him and his office always!

I saw Dr Elliot for years and from the first appointment he said “the last thing we want to do is surgery.”After 3 years of trying everything else we both agreed it was time for surgery.I had sciatica down both legs to my ankles. As a result of my laminotomy surgery my back pain is completely gone and I am back to a normal productive life. I am forever grateful to Dr Elliott for this surgery and his ability to break everything down to a layman’s level so I could understand everything.

Successful spine surgery requires a committed patient and a skilled surgeon. If you're committed to doing your part for your back problem, your best bet is Dr. Paul Elliott. He was recommended to me by two former patients, a spine nurse, a physical therapist, and a physiatrist who treats many back patients. He was friendly, honest with me, and explained well the procedure and likely outcome. He did a L4-L5 fusion and laminectomies on L3 through S1. I'm not back 100%, but at 11 weeks out am progressing nicely. I could not be happier with Dr. Elliott.

Dr. Elliott performed surgery on me in 2008 at Swedish Hospital in Denver, Colorado. He is exceptional and I had amazing care from him and the staff. I highly recommend!

I love Dr. Elliott, however his receptionists act like I'm imposing on them when I call (this goes back a few years as well.)Recently, I spoke to a receptionist and waited a few days to hear back about an appointment date and necessary imaging before I could schedule. I had to call back. It's so frustrating.

Dr. Elliot performed spinal decompression surgery at several of my lumbar spinal levels six weeks ago, and the entire process from initial assessment through post-op care has been nothing short of excellent. He is highly skilled, as evidenced by the ease of my surgery (very little discomfort, minimal need for pain medication postoperatively) and seeing resolution to my symptoms, and he also exhibits a warm and compassionate bedside manner every step of the way. His team is also very competent and responsive when I’ve had questions. I enthusiastically recommend Dr. Elliot and would absolutely seek him out in the future if I need any more neurosurgical intervention.

Dr. Elliot is awesome. Very confident and sure handed. Excellent bedside manner, set my mind at ease with his pre-surgery visit. I couldn't be happier with the results of my lower back surgery and I had high anxiety beforehand. I would recommend dr. Elliot and CBSI to anyone in my life and have already! Thank you Dr. Elliot!

Dr. Elliott is fabulous. This talented surgeon fused six vertebrae in my back. He did such a great job. When he got in there, he found more damage but kept working - ten hours in total. What a guy - dedicated to doing the perfect job - at least as perfect as can be done. He was also so compassionate and thoughtful in dealing with me. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

This was a post-op visit, after spinal fusion surgery in Oct. 2021, that had to be redone due to failed hardware complications by ANOTHER neurosurgeon. He is very caring and explains everything, and answers all your questions. He takes the time to THOROUGHLY review your MRI/X-rays, and ensures everything that needs to be done during surgery, will be. I would definitely recommend him.

I really liked Dr. Elliott when I was able to have contact with him (rare). His staff is another story. It's very difficult to get a hold of anyone and they always keep you waiting for virtual appointments with not communication. After my surgery I had complications with medication and it took 8 hours and 3 phone calls for someone to get back to us and be mildly helpful. I ended up calling an urgent care for after surgery help and they were much better.

Amazed at some of the positive reviews. Every interaction with Dr. Elliott & his staff left me feeling like nothing more than a statistic & a dollar sign: -Very quick to recommend surgery & presented a high level of confidence in it fixing my injury. This was coupled with a very rosy recovery timeframe unmoored in reality;  -once it became apparent surgery was a failure and a waste, he basically shrugged his shoulders and admitted that he was shooting in the dark; -poor bedside manner: in addition to the above, when I awoke from surgery, he was no where to be found! Apparently had better places to be!  -dealing with CBSI staff is a nightmare--they were late for every single appointment (one was over 2 hours late!), they misscheduled one of my post-ops, and even NO SHOWED for a Zoom appointment! -poor communication: you need to force any questions on him Dr. Elliott seems like a calm, confident professional, but in reality it's simple indifference to his patients. Avoid at all costs.

I have had numerous spine surgeries by Dr. Elliott. All of them have resulted in immediate relief from the terrible symptoms, pain, weakness, numbness loss of function and more pain!! He talks in a way I can understand. He gives me options and explains the values of each. I have terrible degenerative disc disease and had several spinal injuries when I was a police officer. Dr Elliott is straight with me and my surgeries, all except one that was done by someone else because Dr. Elliott was out of the country, were very successful. I have one more coming up and I have no reservations placing my care and my spine in his hands. He is the best!

Dr. Elliott and his team (Stephanie, Clare, Anneleisse, Barb) are excellent. My cervical disc replacement procedure was successful. I highly recommend Dr. Elliott and the team at Colorado Brain and Spine Institute.

Dr. Elliott impressed me from the first visit and continued to do so until discharged from his care. The office is well organized with scheduling, instructions and post op care. He is conservative but not hesitant to treat when a known issue is present.

Dr Elliott is fabulous surgeon. My husband had an epidural cyst and Dr Elliott expertly removed it and cleaned out the inside of the spinal canal. Carefully, without any issues. My husband instantly had increased use of his calf. Dr Elliott approached us with genuine concern and compassion; He was highly recommended by my doctor. We had a second opinion, but Dr Elliott was still our first choice and we are very pleased!!!

It is not often that you find a doctor who is gifted and has a wonderful beside manner. Dr. Elliott is both of those things! From the minute we met him, we felt confident that we had chosen the right doctor. After neck and back fusion surgery, Rick has his life back without pain! Dr. Elliott's staff is as wonderful as he is. Barb, his MA, is sweet, kind, and efficient. She has a way of making you feel relaxed in stressful times. Margret, his PA, is knowledgeable, friendly, and calming!

Totally amazing surgeon. After several surgeries (by another doctor) that left me feeling hopeless and in constant pain Dr. Elliott turned my life around. Thank you Dr. Elliott. Words can't express my gratitude. Life is good again.

Office is unresponsive and does not return calls in a timely fashion. Poor post op follow up.