Roman G. Guerrero, M.D.

Comprehensive fellowship in spine conditions

As a fellowship-trained spine surgeon, Dr. Guerrero treats conditions arising along the spine, from the cervical to the lumbar region. “I treat spine degeneration, nerve pain, disc herniation, and scoliosis,” he specifies. “As we reach our 60s and 70s, we are more active today than we were 40 or 50 years ago. Minnesota residents, particularly, are recognized for living a healthy lifestyle. My mature patients don’t restrict themselves to watching TV at home or sitting on the porch. They are playing with grandkids, sailing on Minnesota’s beautiful lakes, running along Twin Cities running paths, exercising, traveling, and living lives a 30-year-old would envy.

“I don’t want the 60-, 70-, and 80-year-old Minnesotans I treat to be limited due to back pain or arthritic spine degeneration,” he continues. I’m here to enable them to continue their activities whether they want to fish in the Boundary Waters or take in the latest MIA exhibit. There are good nonsurgical and surgical options to help keep these patients active and enjoying every single aspect of life.”

Philosophy of practice

“I have a definite point of view when it comes to my practice,” he says. “Nowadays, medicine is so specialized that I think it’s easy to lose the holistic sense of what it means to be a physician. When a patient comes to see us with back or nerve pain, we are trained to treat the condition. But I think we have to take a step back from the condition to look at the patient. I see my patients as whole people; they are more than the condition that brought them to my office. That’s my philosophy, and I think my patients appreciate my approach.”

Dr. Guerrero’s approach to spine surgery

“I tell my patients that spine surgery should be the last resort,” he states. “Having said that, when certain indications are present, spine surgery is possibly the best option. When I am discussing treatment options, I am also conscious of managing patient expectations. When I review treatment options, I make a point of explaining treatment limitations. Not all treatments will restore 100 percent of patient function or relieve 100 percent of patient pain. Some surgeries may help patients feel 70 percent better. When patients understand what to expect, they get better results.”

All of Dr. Guerrero’s surgery recommendations are backed by science-based research with literature that has tracked surgical outcomes for the patient’s specific condition. “It’s all about being well-informed,” he says. “If nonsurgical treatment is not working, I turn to peer-reviewed literature. When I treat patients with an indicated procedure for a specific type of disease, they are more likely to have a better surgical result.

Dr. Guerrero is also direct about the risks of surgical treatment. “I want my patients to understand that every spine surgery comes with risks,” he says. “There are risks associated with anesthesia. Infections, complications, and possible postsurgical chronic pain are additional risks. At the same time, when surgery is indicated and performed by a well-trained, well-informed physician, chances are high that surgery will give patients a better quality of life.”

Following advances in medical treatment

“I am watching the emergence of robotics in surgical care,” says Dr. Guerrero. “I think robotics is the future. We are on the brink of technology that will help us be more effective in surgery. As engineering and science merge in medicine, imaging and virtual intelligence will continue to improve. Currently, imaging allows us to see about 30 percent of a surgical site. With robotic imaging, we’ll be able to see 100 percent of the anatomy at the surgery site. This will make surgical procedures like placing screws more effective and safer. Robotics improves surgical precision, and that’s an exciting advantage.

The most rewarding aspect of Dr. Guerrero’s practice

“Sometimes, I’ll have patients who are bewildered by symptom causes,” he says. “They are in pain, they are suffering, and disease has limited their quality of life. When I am able to diagnose, treat, and resolve these conditions, their lives change completely. They heal and they become pain-free. That’s my nirvana. There’s nothing better than being able to change a patient’s life with sound medical recommendations and appropriate treatment.”