Henry E. Aryan, M.D.

Spine Surgeon and Neurosurgical Spine Specialist
Photo of Henry E. Aryan, M.D.
Physician Assistant(s):: 

D. Nicholas Marinakis, P.A.-C.

Johnathan C. Sivilay, P.A.-C.

Henry E. Aryan, M.D., F.A.A.N.S., F.A.C.S. is a board-certified neurosurgeon who completed a fellowship in the surgical and nonsurgical treatment of complex spinal disorders and neurospinal oncology at UC San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Orthopedics. A California native, Dr. Aryan received his undergraduate degree in cybernetics, with highest honors, from UCLA. He then went on to medical school at UC Irvine and neurosurgery residency at UC San Diego prior to his fellowship at UCSF.

Dr. Aryan specializes in complex spine surgery, surgery for spinal tumors, minimally invasive spine surgery, spine artificial disc placement, spinal radiosurgery, as well as robotic-guided spine surgery. In addition, he performs surgery for degenerative spine disease, spinal deformity, scoliosis, revision spine surgery, spine trauma, and metastatic disease. The procedures he performs include anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), lumbar/cervical artificial disc placement, lumbar fusion, microdiscectomy, and anterior/posterior spinal instrumented fusion of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.

Dr. Aryan is a member of numerous national and international professional organizations and societies. He is Associate Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at UC San Francisco.  He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications, written several book chapters, and is author of several textbooks on spine disorders. He is also a founding member of INCA (International Neurosurgery Children's Association), a charitable organization dedicated to providing free pediatric neurosurgical care.

When not caring for patients, Dr. Aryan enjoys spending quality time with his wife, a journalist, and their two children.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Aryan at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics, please call (559) 256-1030.

Education, Training, and Affiliations

  • Medical Degree, University of California, Irvine
  • Internship, General Surgery, University of California, San Diego
  • Residency, Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego
  • Fellowship, Complex Spinal Surgery and Neurospinal Oncology, University of California, San Francisco
  • Diplomate, American Board of Neurological Surgery
  • Founding Member, International Neurosurgery Children's Association
  • American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
  • Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)
  • Western Neurosurgical Society (WNS)
  • Founding Member, Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS)
  • American Medical Association (AMA)
  • California Medical Association (CMA)
  • American College of Surgeons (ACS)
  • American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR)
  • California Association of Neurological Surgeons (CANS)
  • North American Spine Society (NASS)
  • AANS/CNS Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care
  • AANS/CNS Section on Tumors
  • AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves

Licensure and Certification

  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Certified
  • California State Medical License, Renewed and Unrestricted
  • United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) License, Renewed and Unrestricted
  • Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, Certified
  • Cyber Knife Radiosurgery, Certified
  • Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Certified
  • C-Arm Fluoroscopy, Certified

From Dr. Aryan:

Our mission is to provide our patients with the safest, most effective, and most technologically advanced treatments of spine disorders.

We are dedicated to providing our patients with leading-edge neurosurgical treatments that focus on robotic-guided and minimally invasive techniques to restore function and treat pain in the most effective manner.

Dr. Aryan specializes in:

  • Evaluation and Management of Spinal Disorders
  • Surgery for Spinal Disorders
  • Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
  • Robotic-Guided Spine Surgery
  • Treatment of Failed Previous Surgery and Revision Spine Surgery
  • Spinal Arthroplasty (Artificial Disc Placement and Removal)
  • Evaluation and Treatment of Work-Related Spine Injuries
  • Clinical Research
  • Patient Education

In addition, Dr. Aryan works closely with his colleagues to provide his patients with:

  • Advanced Pain Management
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Chiropractic Services
  • Acupuncture
  • Disability Management
  • Rehabilitation Services
  • Aquatic and Hydro Therapy
  • Biofeedback
  • Traction
  • Nutritional Services
  • Imaging Services (CT/MRI/PET/Discogram/Myelography)
  • Electrodiagnostic Studies (EMG/NCS/SSEP)

Research

Dr. Aryan is actively engaged in clinical research in the following areas:

  • Spinal Fusion Surgery Without Iliac Crest Harvest
  • Revision Surgery following Microdiscectomy
  • PEEK Spacers for Intervertebral Fusion
  • Expandable Cages for Vertebral Reconstruction
  • Cervical Arthroplasty
  • Occipitocervical Fusion for Rheumatoid Disease
  • Total En Bloc Spondylectomy for Primary Tumors of the Spine
  • Robotic-Guided Spine Surgery
Specialty: 
Spine Center

Patient Testimonials

"I waited a long time for a neurosurgeon to come here that had the training and knowledge and experience to help me and my spine. When I heard that Dr. Aryan was coming, I looked up his background and specialties and decided I would wait for as long as it took for him to move his practice here. He was definitely worth waiting for.

I had already had four previous spine surgeries and now my vertebrae were kind of collapsing on top of each other. UC San Francisco told me I wasn't bad enough for surgery. The next year, I saw Dr. Aryan. He spent about 10 seconds looking at my MRI and said, "You need surgery." Finally, a doctor who understood what he was seeing and wasn't going to wait until I was 'bad enough,' whatever that meant.

It was the hardest and most painful recovery of all of my five back surgeries, but I would do it all over again. Eight titanium screws and four rods later, I can't tell you how I feel. To have a stable lower spine, discs that are spaced like they should be and knowing it would stay that way forever was something I hadn't had since 1980. I would be lost without Dr. Aryan" --Juliann B.

"I have had three different surgeries in the past six years or so by three different doctors on your staff, and I am always amazed at how effecient all three offices are with timing from the moment you sign in. You're scooped up to X-ray, then back to the office and into the room you're going to be examined in, and then the doc walks in does his exam. I've never gotten to read a magazine yet! It's all so well run—perfect!!  I work for a large group of doctors  myself, and our patients wait for hours!! Charts lost, the X-ray wait is long, the office help is rude. Your office is beautiful, clean, and all employees seem happy!!!" --anonymous

"I had an accident where I hit a deer and rolled over a cliff. I had 83 fractures (two compound, hip and ankle). I was 29 then and am now 68. As you get older, arthritis sets in. I had an MRI in 2011 that showed I had disc damage  in my back causing a pinched nerve (numbness and pain in legs and lower back). Dr. Aryan had viewed the MRI and found the problem right away. He said it was up to me, but the pain would probably tell me when I couldn't go any longer without surgery. A couple of months later, I was back. Surgery was performed on October 31st 2011. A few hours after surgery, I was walking with no pain. Overall, it's 90% better. I can happily leave with that. Thank you, Dr. Aryan and Nick." --Roger C.

"Dr. Aryan is amazing. He is my hero. His expert surgery has taken me out of unbelievable pain. I can't thank him enough for giving me life again. We are so lucky to have such a skilled and brilliant surgeon in Fresno. He also has a great team working with him." -- Jeanne K.

"My experience with Jonothan and Dr. Aryan is great. Dr. Aryan is very good and thorough. I am happy to have found Dr. Arayn because he trained with the best. I really enjoy the service I received with Sierra Pacific Orthopedics. I have had a knee replacement with Dr. Hanson and am currently in the process of getting another one." -- Raymond F.

"Excellent! Once my films were seen by Dr. Aryan it was only a matter of days before my surgery took place. Rosemary played a key role in keeping me informed and facilitating the insurance, surgery center, etc. Today I am doing great!  I am one year out from the surgery and have resumed all exercises I did before experiencing the worst pain I have ever had. Nerve pain is so debilitating and I am so thankful that my doctor sent me to Dr. Aryan who was so informative, personable, and skilled. Thank you and happy holidays!" -- Christie C.

"I heard positive feedback from people that I would run into as I would go shopping or at the bank. I heard that Dr. Aryan had a great method to correct back surgery. I decided to check it out. I made my appointment and met my doctor and said yes to have surgery. I did not feel pain after surgery. It felt great when I started to walk with no sharp pain coming down my back legs. Also, I had feeling in my right toes which I had no feeling at all for a long time. I felt so happy I had my surgery. My doctors came to see me and the hospital stay was great. Today, I am 23 days healing and so far no pain medication. Thanks again." -- Mary V.

"I've enjoyed the profession as a RCP (respiratory care practitioner) for the last 35 plus years and know the importance of compassionate care to patients. The care I received from Dr. Aryan, and his staff was exemplary from the minute I walked into his office through my last visit, which was an entire years worth of follow up care. I would highly recommend this orthopedic group to everyone. Thank you." -- Ansel H.

"After having severe pain for over two years and trying everything from a chiropractor, acupuncture, physical therapy to injections, back surgery with Dr. Aryan came next. I took my last pain pill 12 days after the surgery, did six weeks of physical therapy, and feel great. My husband and I walk two and a half miles six mornings a week (though I confess that we go just half way when the temps top 103 degrees). I now am able to sit on card table chairs to play bridge and in church pews for the entire sermon without wincing. Life is good these days!" -- Sylvia H.

"I had lived with chronic back for more than ten years. I had tried physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, and pain pills, but the relief never lasted long. I had ridden horses since my early teens. I had accepted back pain as a part my life. But, last year my left leg began to go numb several times a day and after different physical activity or inactivity. My back pain and leg numbness grew steadily worse and debilitating. Regardless of my back pain and my leg numbness, I continued to ride horses and practice dressage, a riding sport that is physically demanding and requires both legs to ride. As the pain and numbness grew worse, I recognized that riding horses was becoming more dangerous. I realized my worsening physical condition was causing me to have trouble engaging in many other physical activities and undermining my quality of life. Despite the pain and leg numbness, I very much wanted to continue to ride, especially since I had purchased a great riding partner a year or so earlier (a nine year old warm blood dressage horse). So I was very motivated to seek treatment. I discussed my condition with my personal physician and sought treatment with other medical specialists and I came to the conclusion I needed to seek a surgical option.

I met with Dr. Aryan in April 2012. After consulting with him, I believed surgery was my only solution, even though I understood that surgery might not help me fully recover the feeling in my left leg or cause my back pain to cease. But, I knew the only way I could ever possibly continue to ride my Beau would be to have surgery. On May 22, 2012, Dr. Aryan performed spinal surgery on me: fusing five vertebrae (L2 – S1). Twelve hours after surgery, I was up and walking the hallways of the surgery center with no numbness in my left leg! Ten days after surgery, I was walking a mile a day; a week after that, I was walking at least two miles a day with absolutely no numbness in my left leg. A month after surgery I was able to cease taking any medication for pain. Three months after my surgery, I walk at least two miles each day and I actually enjoy physical therapy! I can feel myself getting stronger every day with no numbness in my left leg. Best of all, I am totally pain free! I am very confident that I will continue to recover and once again I will be able to ride dressage with my riding partner, Beau. I am very thankful that Dr. Aryan agreed to perform surgery on me. I am also very grateful to him and his great staff for giving me a pain-free back, a numb-free left leg, and a future as an equestrian!" -- Carol P.

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