Dr. Michael D. Burdi, MD, Mission Viejo CA

A fabulous doctor who doesn't rush to do surgery. I had sciatica and he worked his magic on L4 and L5 in addition to freeing my trapped nerves. He worked with me for 2 years until I absolutely needed the surgery. He gave me my active life back.

Nine months ago I had very successful lower back surgery performed by Dr. Michael Burdi with assistance from PA Tyler Waldron. I feel extremely fortunate that my chiropractor, after multiple treatments failed to resolve severe pain/numbness/tingling down my right leg, referred me for an MRI and then to Dr. Burdi.
The staff at Dr. Burdi’s office were friendly, professional and very prompt in managing my care. Dr. Burdi provided a clear diagnosis (L4-L5 spinal stenosis and synovial cyst) and explanation of the factors causing my symptoms and was very direct in outlining treatment options and his recommendations. At every visit prior to surgery, he took the time to review my X-Ray and MRI results to ensure I had a clear memory and understanding of my specific situation. We agreed on first treating with spinal steroid injections, even though Dr. Burdi was clear that he felt long-term improvement via this technique had a low probability in my case. After the injections proved to provide only partial and temporary reduction in pain, I made the difficult decision to go ahead with back surgery. Honestly, the decision was not easy but it would have been much harder if Dr. Burdi had not been so clear and direct during my appointments. When he explained the specifics of my spine, bone conditions, etc.he was able to build my confidence in the surgical procedures (laminectomy, cyst removal and spinal fusion), his experience/expertise and his expectations for a positive result.
Surgery went smoothly and I was on my feet, the pain down my right leg was gone and I was released from the hospital the next day! The first week or two (as Dr. Burdi warned me) were quite painful but after that the pain reduced quite quickly. I have not taken any pain reliever (really ……. None!) specifically for back pain in many months. At 6 months progress was sufficient that they removed all remaining activity restrictions (other than contact sports – LOL).
I hope that this review will encourage you to not let fear of surgery hold you back. Find out what is causing your specific back issues, get an MRI if appropriate, get treatment and seriously consider surgery if appropriate for your situation. Without reservation I can recommend Dr. Burdi, Tyler Waldron and the entire staff at Community Orthopedic Medical Group. They can and will guide and help you through what seems like a daunting medical/physical challenge!

I've been dealing with back issues for over 10 years, mainly sciatica, I've done epidurals with several doctors. I was referred to Dr. Burdi and we tried to do all we could to avoid surgery. End result was surgery of my lower back L3-5. The moment I woke from surgery there was zero pain or numbness in my sciatica and left leg that was at a point that kept me from day to day responsibilities. Now, two weeks out I'm amazed at the relief he has brought me. Zero pain and zero pain meds. Dr. Burdi is an Expert in his field and I could not be more please with the out come.

I'm a long time patient of Community Orthopedic for all my soccer injuries, but when I hurt my back lifting furniture in Dec. '21, I was nervous. I saw Dr. Burdi and PA, Tyler. They quickly diagnosed me with herniated disc in S1-L5. The sciatica was so bad that by mid Jan '22, I couldn't stand, walk, or sit for more than 2 minutes. I ended up having the laminectomy microdiscectomy. Pat is a phenomenal asset to that office and went above and beyond to get me scheduled. I am one week post-op and I have no sciatic pain- I am able to walk twice a day for 30 minutes each and can stand for long periods of time. Dr. Burdi is direct and to the point and sets very real expectations because he is so knowledgeable. They have done so many of these surgeries that based on my symptoms he knew it was the perfect solution for me. Tyler spent a lot of time talking me through my injury, what the MRI showed, and how the surgery would work. They answered all of my questions and took me step by step through the entire process so that I wasn't nervous. I'm very grateful for their care

So,
This is long over due and I should've written this last year LOL, better late than never I say.
Anyways- back to the review.

Beginning of 2021 I had gone to Dr. Burdi due to lower back pain- Back story; There were days where I couldn't even put socks on, sit for more than 5 minutes, and basically do "normal" every day things. Sharp pains, sciatic pains, "fuzziness" tingling in legs/feet- you name it- So I finally make an appointment and I was specifically referred to Burdi because
1) Fam Dr said he was great and
2) Many other people said the same and I felt good knowing many people trusted him/ has an amazing background, and years of experience.
3) He gets straight to the point, he wont sugar coat anything for you, and will set a realistic plan and of course try everything before deciding on surgery.
4) We did scans etc- Turns out I had a 8MM herniated disc. The plan was to try everything before surgery so we can rule out what could work/ what doesn't work. Did rounds of PT, an Epidural steroid shot, etc in the end since everyones body is different- that did not ease the pain for long in my case- but thats why im happy I tried everything before making the decision of having surgery and appreciate the fact he/we ruled out these different options with careful/logical consideration in each approach we tried.

5) He goes over EVERYTHING with you, when getting to the point of considering surgery- he made sure to let me know what kind it would be- went over how the surgery is done and always answered any questions i had.it was a Discectomy/ Laminectomy, they took the problematic fragments out and sewed me back up. Its minimally invasive, small incision, and small scar which I personally don't mind) I had no doubt when going into this surgery- which means a lot given this is usually a surgery many would back out of (no pun intended). The whole team they have in the office and in the surgical center are great, professional, and always very nice. From the PAs, Nurses, to Doctors- they are ALL highly educated and know what they are doing.

If you need a Doctor who cares about his patients and cuts straight to the chase- Dr. Burdi should be your choice. I've never felt more calm going into a surgery before. Highly recommend-
Not to mention my back pain is gone and recovery did take more than a few months but from March 2021 to February 2022 I'm working out, lifting weights (with good form ofc), and doing what I do normally without the pain.

Once again,
Sorry for the late review and thank you for your dedication to making your patients lives better!

Best,
Savannah Bonetto

Honest no-nonsense Doctor and Surgeon.
I went to Dr. Burdi after going through a colleague of his, Dr. Hanjan. Both Doctors are excellent at their practise, however by the time I reached Dr. Burdi I had been in pain for months.

Obviously since I had already run through other treatment options, Dr. Burdi quickly went to work diagnosing the issue, and then following up with a surgery date etc. Pat in his office assisted in getting me all the details and Dr. Burdi did all the delicate work of diagnosing, surgery and treatment. I got a Microdiscectomy, as well as something else that should prevent future herniated discs.and now am on the road to recovery.

I honestly would never go anywhere else.
Dr. Burdi's straightforward manner is so refreshing in a world where you spend months trying to get an issue addressed. He wants to do his work, do it efficiently and effectively, and while some may think this makes him brusque in his demeanor, it can't be farther from the truth. He is a doctor that truly cares about his patients and work.

We need more Dr. Burdi's in the world (and Pat too).

Would I recommend Dr. Burdi? The short answer is yes, 100%, without a shadow of a doubt, I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Burdi & his staff!

If you have a little more time, here is why: 4.5 years ago I was referred by my primary doctor to Dr. Burdi for my herniated disk. Right from our 1st appointment I liked his straight forward approach. He mentioned surgery is always a last option and will try every conservative option first. That I appreciated b/c back surgery was not something I wanted. Good news after about 2 mths of physical therapy & an epidural steroid injection I got relief from my herniated disk & was back to my life. Fast forward to March 2020, I woke up one morning to the pain of my herniated disk again. This time we literally threw the “kitchen sink” of conservative options at it with no progress, so I knew my only option was surgery. I was at peace with my decision, I trusted Dr. Burdi and I still believe that God has blessed Dr. Burdi with the skills, gifts and abilities of being a very talented orthopedic surgeon and he has an incredible team around him. My surgery was in the morning and later that evening was the first time they had me get out of bed and walk and I walked with no pain in my back, leg, ankle or foot! That was the first time in 5.5 mths that I could stand and walk with no pain! If you need a caring, friendly, knowledgeable, talented team to help you work through your back pain I HIGHLY encourage you call Dr. Burdi, you wont be disappointed! I am very grateful for Dr. Burdi, Dr. Waldron, Pat, the front office and back office staff, THANK YOU doesn’t seem like enough. I have my life back, I had a very successful surgery and as I go in for my 9 mth check up in 2 days, I must say I have also had a very successful recovery so far and I am looking forward to my 12 mth all clear check up!

100% recommend Dr. Burdi & his professional team! I had a successful Lumbar Fusion L4/5 done 6 months ago. It corrected chronic back issues that I have been having for many years. I am so grateful to Dr Burdi, Tyler & his staff for taking such good care of me from start to finish. Dr Burdi sets very high standards for himself and carries it throughout his office team. When you arrive at the hospital, the nurses all know it too, as they are ready for him when he gets there! He is highly respected by his medical peers. The Pre-Op spine class that they had my husband and attend was very helpful and informative also.
My thanks to Dr Burdi, Tyler & all the staff! You deserve 10 stars!

I highly recommend Dr. Michael Burdi and his team at Community Orthopedic Medical Group. I met Dr. Michael Burdi at the beginning of 2019 after a change of insurance plans with work. I had spent most of 2017-2018 with severe neck pain due to severe spinal stenosis and found little pain relief with epidural injections, physical therapy, cold packs, hots packs, etc. I worked with Dr. Burdi to put a plan of action in place and after enduring another 6+ months of pain, weakness in my left arm, accompanied by numbness and tingling sensation in my left hand, it was decided that surgery was the next step. I had C/5-7 cervical fusion mid-September and I am beyond happy to report that my recovery is going extremely well! I did extensive research before choosing Dr. Burdi as my surgeon and feel extremely confident in his skill set as an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Burdi was extremely thorough in his knowledge of my case, was patient with me and answered all my questions and explained each step of my surgery to me. Dr. Burdi has an incredible office staff – Pat, his medical coordinator, is an absolute blessing. Tyler Waldron, PA is phenomenal to work with.

I'm not sure if the good doctor was in a bad mood the day that I saw him but his demeaner was odd and he was condescending and accused me of being a chronic drug abuser, which couldn't be farther from the truth. I have to say that a lot of doctors that I have seen for my specific pain management have selectively forgotten that it was them not their patients who prescribed opioids like it was candy.very strange.

Very good care of me. I'm so grateful to have such caring, experienced, knowledgeable health care available to me. I feel I was really blessed to find and choose Dr Burdi to treat my low back and nerve related issues and ultimately perform surgery on me. They were patient with my resistant insurance to finally approve surgery and did a great job at moving things along and keeping me updated.
Dr Burdii explained everything to me at a level I could understand and gave me realistic expectations good and bad.
It's been 2 weeks post op. I feel great and immediately upon waking from anesthesia had no pain in my legs or butt. Honestly, I expected this to be a more painful, slow, dehabilitating recovery. I think it is but Dr Burdi does such a excellent job. He called me in the hospital about 2 hours after I was awake from anesthesia and explained all he did and gave me peace of mind telling me how pleased he was that everything's went very well and gave me confidence I made the right decision. Dr Burdi is my hero. Pain free after 9 months of continuous pain at high levels and resistant to conservative treatment