For many years, the DeLaCastro family was a family plagued by neck and spine problems. Mother Dana Klaus, father Jon DeLaCastro and son Owen each had their own orthopedic conditions or injuries to the spine – Jon had suffered spine and neck trauma from a car accident, while Dana had a degenerative disc condition and Owen had a severe case of pediatric scoliosis. The family had seen several physicians without success when they met Dr. Michael Janssen, an expert orthopedic spine surgeon at North Suburban Medical Center (NMSC).
Three Orthopedic Surgical Procedures with Excellent Outcomes
Dr. Janssen has now performed several orthopedic spine surgeries for Jon, Dana and Owen. He performed corrective disc replacement surgery for Dana’s spine condition, returning her to full health and mobility.
In order to relieve Jon’s nerve pain, stiffness, atrophy and side effects of previous surgeries gone wrong, he required total disc replacement (TDR) surgery. One of Dr. Janssen’s specialties, he participated in the initial clinical studies for TDR and was among the first surgeons in the nation to perform the procedure. Today, Dr. Janssen has performed more than 1,000 total disc replacement surgeries, including the TDR procedure that helped Jon be pain-free and active in the gym again.
Owen’s severe case of scoliosis, which left him constantly in pain and unable to run or walk comfortably, was corrected with a life-saving 13-hour surgery that required advanced surgical skill and round-the-clock care. Months after the surgery, Owen is running, playing the saxophone, singing in the choir and participating in all the activities that make him happy.
An Experienced Surgeon with a Compassionate Approach
The DeLaCastro family recognizes Dr. Janssen’s expert knowledge in orthopedic spine surgery, but that’s not why they continue coming back to him and North Suburban time and again.
“Dr. Janssen has operated on all of us now, it’s almost like he’s a member of the family,” said Jon DeLaCastro. “We’ve trusted him for some of the most advanced orthopedic surgeries imaginable and he’s been so kind and attentive to our needs. We recommend him to everyone we know who is have neck or spine difficulties. We’ll continue to drive from Nebraska to Colorado to see Dr. Janssen because we know it’s worth it.”
“The best thing about working with Dr. J is that he’s comforting and he understands what you’re going through,” said 13-year-old Owen. “He gets on your level and explains the process of the surgery and what you can expect. I felt like he truly cared and the whole team at North Suburban cared about me getting better.”
For Dana Klaus, the compassionate team at North Suburban made the experience of going through spine surgery so much easier. “We had two physician’s assistants, Ruth and Rachel, who really took an interest in our family over the years. They were personable and friendly and continued to come by and check in with us, especially Owen. That meant a lot to us.”
Learn More
If you’d like more information about Dr. Janssen or the orthopedic spine surgery team at North Suburban Medical Center, please visit our website.
