Please avoid this doctor. In 2016 he crashed his car in a single car drunk driving accident ON HIS WAY TO WORK WITH S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OVER 2. He apparently covered this up to them and continued working and performing surgery for 6 months afterward. Can't be trusted no matter how talented.

Submitted Sept. 12, 2021

I had a spinal fusion at c5-6 and several weeks later he suggested I come back for c3-4 and to schedule surgery immediately. I did not go back and went to several other drs for their opinions. I didn’t trust him and subsequently when I looked him up he had left Los Angeles and moved to San Diego where he was involved in a DUI and is on probation.

Submitted Feb. 25, 2021

I went to doctor Rhoten for a back surgery. He is the most talented surgeon I have ever met. I highly suggest you go to him if you need help with back pain or have a necessary back surgery needed.

Submitted Nov. 21, 2019

I had neck surgery that Patrick Rhoten did with Ted Goldstein. A simple walk in the park as they called it. I had a Fusion and playing at C5-6. I was pretty symptomatic prior but they convinced me to treat NRI findings. Several weeks after surgery I had all sorts of numbness tingling and sensations that I had never experienced, totally new and disturbing. I visited Dr Rhoten and he told me I needed C3-4 done immediately. I did not follow through and went to several doctors, all of whom confirmed that my spinal cord was nicked during my surgery, Patrick Rhoten and Ted Goldstein changed my life and for the worse and I can not go back. They do not care about you, they care about them; the book they are writing or grr vacation or something but not the patient,STAY AWAY!!!!!

Submitted April 16, 2018

I saw more recent comments in Feb. 2016 was that he went to Kaiser. I was fortunate enough to see him for the first time March 24, 2017 for severe spinal stenosis that put me int he hospital a couple of weeks earlier. Thankfully because of my doctor daughter being a neurosurgery resident for 3 years, she was able to get an appointment 2 days after I was getting to the point I was unable to walk and I was on 30 mg of morphone a day and flexeril for severe back spasms. I had L3 and L5 partial laminectomies and full l-4 laminectomy 7 weeks late ( Kaiser's scheduling) and 10 days after the surgery I was off of all pain medications and it is now 10 1/2 months later. He left Kaiser about 5 1/2 weeks after my surgery; I suspect he "bucked" the system. Although I was cleared EKG and anesthesiologist wise before a week before surgery It was almost halted by one "snippety " anesthesiologist who couldn't get a pulse on the top of my feet She wanted to cancel the surgery about 10 minutes before I was to go into the surgery suite. My feet has been swollen for at least a month and half prior to surgery secondary to other health issues that were diagnosed at the same time my spinal stenosis-vertebral degeneration-compression was. I had the surgery with a nurse anesthesiologist, came through with no complications afterward. And also the swelling stopped. within a few weeks after the surgery. The surgery was little longer than planned because he literally had to hammer off calcium despots off the ligament covering the vertebrae. . Dr. Rhoten knew that I did not want a life on morphine (opioids) and the was I was going I would have ended up in a skilled nursing home. My preference would have been to take my chance on the table and my family knew there would be no repercussions. So I found he was competent, listened to me and understood my desires and I will be eternally grateful to this man's skills. I was 73 years when I had the surgery.

Submitted March 22, 2018

My life hasn't been the same since this man operated on me! I HIGHLY recommend you go elsewhere!

Submitted March 18, 2016

Dr. Rhoten performed an artificial disc replacement surgery at C6/7 and it was not done correctly. I had pain ever since and now I am needing another surgery to correct his failed efforts. The disc he put in was not correctly placed and is putting pressure on my spinal cord and the left side nerve. He ordered an MRI but it did not show much because of the metal disc. He said everything looked fine and the pain will go away. Well it did not. I had another Doctor at Kerlin Jobe look at my neck and within 30 seconds said "I see your problem". When he put the disc in, he misaligned my vertabrae causing all of my pain. I need to have another more risky surgery now to re-do his mess. All of the problems he created were able to be seen on a simple xray. I believe he gas since moved on to Kaiser hospital i nSan Diego. Be aware.

Submitted Feb. 28, 2016

Dr. Rhoten performed spinal decompression surgery on me a few months ago. I have seen him four times over the 18 months prior to the surgery, and twice since. While he may or may not be a competent surgeon, the inability to get prompt esponses from him and his staff is deplorable. I was told at one point that it would take a month to get a phone call once he had seen my MRI results, instead I scheduled an (expensive) appointment and waited almost 90 minutes. Office visits frequently required waiting more than 30-45 minutes to see him. Then, since the surgery, he's taken 3-5 days to return my messages and calls, which is a long time when you're in a lot of (unexpected) pain. His staff is even worse. I never got a response from them without leaving 3+ messages or emails, and then, getting details is like pulling teeth. Immensely frustrating experience overall. Definitely would NOT RECOMMEND under any circumstances. Fortunately there are lots of very good spine docs in LA.

Submitted March 31, 2015

WHEN I STARTED OUT I WAS (60) yrs old. I HAVE HAD 4 or 5 SURGERIES DEPENDING ON HOW YOU COUNT. EVERY TIME I GOT CUT. IT WAS A SURGERY TO ME.
(ONE)<AGE 60>I HAD BACK SURGERY IN 2000, I HAD SIX (6) SCREWS PUT IN MY BACK.
(TWO)2006 <AGE 66> HE TOOK OUT THE (6) SCREWS OUT & PUT (8) SCREWS IN. ALSO CUT ON MY LEFT SIDE. "WHY"???
LATER ON HE TOLD ME, "MY BA CK WAS HEALED",. SHOWED ME MY THE NEW X-RAY, SAYING; "LOOK AT THE CURVE OF YOUR SPINE. I GOING TO "YANK THOSE SCREWS OUT".
(THREE) 2008<AGE 68>HE DID, WHEN HE TOOK THE (8) SCREWS OUT. "I WENT DOWN AS IF I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ON THE FLOOR". EACH TIME HE DID SURGERY HE WOULD SAY THIS IS GOING TO FIX YOU.
(FOUR) 2009 <AGE 69>HE PUT IN 16 to 20 SCREWS & RODS IN, ALSO TOOK A RIB OUT . "WHY"???
HE TOLD ME"YOU WILL BE PLAYING TENNIS IS SIX(6) MONTHS. "THIS IS GOING TO FIX YOU".
I KEPT GOING BACK SAYING, "HOW LONG IS GOING TO TAKE? "OH, AT YOUR AGE IT WILL TAKE UP TO TWO (2) YEARS TO HEAL.
<2011>AFTER (4) SURGERIES, I AM WORST THEN I WAS EACH TIME HE OPERATED.
<2012>HE SUGGESTED "ANOTHER 18 hr SURGERY, TO TRY TO REPAIR WHAT IS WRONG".
ALSO I WOULD HAVE TO SIGN THAT I KNOW I MIGHT DIE. I THINK HE DID EXPERIENTIAL SURGERIES ON ME.
I WENT AND GOT (3) THREE OTHER DOCTORS IN THE SAME OFFICE TO TELL ME WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
(FIRST) SAID "WHO DID THIS TO YOU"??????????????????
(SECOND) "WHY DID HE DO SURGERY AFTER SURGERY, AND WHY DID HE TAKE A RIB OUT"?
(THIRD) SAID "YOU WILL NEVER STAND UP STRAIGHT, HE HAS YOU SCREWED OVER IN FORWARD POSITION OR ANGLE".
I TRIED TO COMPLAIN TO THE MEDICAL BOARD, "IF YOU HAVE NOT FILED A COMPLAINT AFTER TWO (2) YEARS, YOU CAN NOT".
<2014> I WAS ON A ELEVATOR GOING TO THE PAIN CENTER IN THE SAME BLDG WITH
'DR RHOTEN'. WHEN HE GOT ON THE SAME ELEVATOR WITH ME SAYING, "YOU ARE STANDING UP STRAIGHT". I SAID "STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!
"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT, I HAVE ON A BACK BRACE TO HOLD ME UP FROM GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR, WALKING WITH A CANE"!!!!! "ARE YOU BLIND OR CRAZY"?????????
THAT IS WHAT EXPERIENCE I HAD WITH RHOTEN

Submitted Oct. 11, 2014

Dr. Rhoten is the smartest Doctor I have ever met. He was my 3rd visit to a doctor trying to diagnose my spine/back issue - he nailed it through combination of x-rays and analysis. This guy is an amazing genius! I would strongly recommend him to all.

Submitted Feb. 13, 2014