I had lived with TN for over 7 years and have seen many Doctors and one other well known TN surgeon. I was told I was not a candidate for MVD and was in pain every day after two failed rhizotomys. Dr. Lee was willing to try MVD even though nothing showed on my MRI. I was pain free right after waking up and have my life back. It was unbelievable how there were so many roadblocks I faced along the way, but I am forever grateful to Dr. Lee for listening to my struggles and having the courage to help me when others turned me away. THANK YOU Dr. Lee for being an amazing surgeon and for really listening to me.

When I had unexpected complications post surgery, Dr. Lee visited me in the hospital every evening after his work was completed for more than a week (sometimes staying and talking with me and my family members for over an hour). Dr. Lee treated me with respect by listening to my questions and concerns and being 100% honest and transparent with me. It is clear from his extensive experience and wonderful reviews/outcomes that Dr. Lee is a talented brain surgeon, and my treatment was no exception. I highly recommend Dr. Lees bedside manner and expertise! As a bonus, he was even able to save some of my hearing!

Five weeks ago, Dr. Lee performed Microvascular Decompression Surgery for my hemifacial spasm, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome — I am finally 100% free of spasms! I began to research the procedure a year ago, as the spasms worsened and I realized that the only longterm cure would be surgery. My neurologist’s top recommendation was Dr. Lee. After my first consultation with him, I felt confident enough in his extensive experience and skill with MVD that I would not need to consult anyone else. Dr. Lee trained under the surgeon who pioneered MVD, so my choice was a no-brainer (pun intended)! I appreciated Dr. Lee’s matter-of-fact and calm demeanor in explaining all aspects of the surgery and patiently answering all of my many questions. I was also fortunate to experience his great bedside manner when he called me to reassure me that a post-op complication I was experiencing was temporary. Lastly — Dr. Lee’s CRNP assistant and his entire Care Team were really outstanding throughout. Thank you, Dr. Lee, for giving me my smile back. 😊

I was diagnosed with a large acoustic neuroma and suffered with debilitating symptoms. I found Dr. John Lee after two other consults and he listened carefully to my questions and concerns and advised surgery as soon possible. Saving my facial nerve was of utmost importance.. His team of doctors performed the translabyrinthine approach on January 6th, 2021 at the hospital of Pennsylvania and I recieved exceptional quality of care from the nurses and doctors! I couldnt of asked for a better outcome. I highly recommend Dr. John Lee and his team!

Being in my 30s and a fresh Penn graduate sudden diagnosis of a brain mass on 21st Aug 2020 was a shocker to me and my family. I was diagnosed with a very rare condition called Congenital Epidermoid Cyst in my cerebellum. Since a year I did have symptoms like having no balance , not able to walk but a brain tumor was not even in our slightest dream.Since the moment I met Dr Lee in his office he made me feel comfortable. I had thousand questions running in my head which he patiently clarified one by one.Within a day I was scheduled for surgery.. He maneuvered around his schedule so he can fit me in.The surgery went exactly like he explained to us. There were no side effects like facial paralysis etc. I felt /looked exactly like I was before.The other crucial and sentimental thing for me was my hair which he shaved very minimum ( like 4 fingers) and due to location of the tumor luckily at the back of my head.His extraordinary perfect understanding of the brain anatomy unparalleled with his dexterity in his hands and the finesse in working with critical structures. My balance problem or not able to walk is not perfectly resolved yet in a month but much better than before. I use to always feel heaviness in my left knee and limp as a result which is gone now..I dont know if I would have been somewhere else this unique diagnosis and its treatment would have happened flawlessly.Being at the beginning phase of my life my anxiety was limitless.I have many dreams to fulfill personally and professionally like any normal person but he gave me a second innings of life to do so. Guess I was lucky to have him as my surgeon . Also, he turned out to be a very jovial person and was extremely friendly to me and my husband, Both of us loved him.You will be extremely fortunate if those magical hands are gonna work on YOU !

On May 27, 2020 I had surgery to remove an acoustic neuroma by Dr. Lee. I was under anesthesia for 9.5 hours and when I awoke, I was in great shape. The tumor was removed, there was no facial paralysis, and it even eliminated my tinnitus (not a guaranteed result.) Dr. Lee and his team were so completely professional and focused from the first appointment to the last that there was never any doubt about a great outcome. Their game plan was set early and he even introduced me to former patients that went through the same procedure. I was so sure and confident going in that I really think it helped in my speedy recovery. I was able to walk out of the hospital 36 hours later! I cannot thank them enough for the incredible job they did. Quite simply one of the best ever.

Dr. Lee is excellent Neurosurgeon. I am physician and diagnosed with pituitary tumor, Surgery performed in august 2020 with good results. I recommend Dr. Lee very highly for brain base surgery, Thank you so much for all that you did for me

Dr. Lee is a life savior. I was battling rare case of fibrosarcoma for over 3 years. The tumor is just outside of brain, which makes the situation very complicated. Ive tried different kinds of treatment - multiple chemo therapies and proton radiation at UPenn - none of it seems to stop the disease for good, and tumor keeps coming back. The only way to fight it is to surgically remove the tumor.Ive had 4 surgeries with Dr.Lee, all very complex, but all of them were successful. Dr.Lee is the best surgeon you can hope for when it comes to brain-related surgeries. Not only hes an exceptionally experienced, but he also takes every case personally. Hes the doctor you can really trust.

He really made me feel comfortable with my surgery I was not scared nor nervous. I knew that I was in great hands. Highly recommend him and his team. Truly one of a kind awesome personality awesome and caring guy.

A few months ago, I experienced sudden hearing loss. After receiving an MRI, I was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma. Fortunately, I landed in the care of Dr. John Y. K. Lee, a neurosurgeon at Pennsylvania Hospital. Dr. Lee thoroughly and honestly presented me with my options. Both he and Denise Miller, the nurse practitioner, patiently answered my myriad of questions. I opted for a retrosigmoid craniotomy and was scheduled for surgery 11 days later. The day of my surgery, Dr. Lee met with me before entering the E.R. His warm and confident mannerism put me at ease. Thanks to Dr. Lees precision and expertise, the surgery was a success as the post-MRI showed no residual tumor. I did not experience any facial paralysis, which was a concern for me. During my hospital stay, Dr. Lees team continued to provide me with the utmost care. Now, two months after surgery, I feel close to full recovery. I would undoubtedly recommend Dr. John Lee to anyone in need of brain surgery.

Dr. Lee is the best... i HAD been dealing with hemifacial spams since I turned 40. Five plus years of Botox treatment and it just wasn’t working. I did a ton of research for neurosurgeons in the Philly area. Dr. Lee learned from the man that invented the MVD procedure; Dr. J. (RIP). I initially tried to talk myself out of it, as it is brain surgery! The doctor giving me the Botox injections set me straight, I had the potential to live with this BS for another 30 plus years! Yeah, no thanks. Dr. Lee is a straight shooter and answered all of my questions. I had the procedure and it changed my life. Greatest decision I have ever made. I actually got emotional a few days after the surgery when I saw myself smile in the mirror and I wasn’t all contorted like I had been for the past several years. It’s legit brain surgery so don’t blow it off, but for me it was well worth the hassle. Thank you Dr. Lee. Also the entire Penn experience was top notch. Flat out awesome on every level!

Dr. Lee is a great doctor and an excellent neurosurgeon. He performed my surgery perfectly. I am fully recovered and doing very well. Dr. Lee and his team are very caring, efficient, and highly intelligent. They provided excellent care before and after surgery. I appreciated Dr. Lee’s efforts and patience with me. He was very polite, answered all questions, and explained things in detail. I always had great followed up appointments with him and his staff. I would highly recommend Dr. Lee and his team.

Dr. Lee performed a MVD (micro vascular decompression) on me 4 weeks ago. After meeting for an evaluation in 2019, I was immediately convinced of his knowledge, competence and confidence. Id been dealing with increasingly awkward and sometimes painful facial spasms for 10-12 years. I was treated with Botox as a management therapy, which was becoming less effective with each treatment. He identifed me as a prime, viable candidate for MVD, and provided multiple resources to research on my own. I did my homework, and was convinced. COVID happened, delaying my planned date, so had to wait.Even facing the possibility of loss of hearing in one (my left) ear, I was willing to chance that to lose the spasms. In the pre-op conversation, he asked if I was clear on that possibility. I said I am. Lets do it.As I awoke in the PACU, the first sounds I heard were with my left ear! Next, I noticed the constant pulling on my left eye and lips was gone! Two boxes ticked off, I started worrying about all the other neurosurgery complications.Neurosurgery takes a lot out of you, and his team, and the nursing staff, at PAH pushed my rebound.Move forward 4 weeks, I saw him today for the post-op conference, he confided that my procedure was a bit of a challenge, and shared multiple videos of the procedure to explain.(Hes a total tech nerd for sure!) Dr. Lee has such a focus and passion for his work.Ive coached adult sports for many years, and recognize the value of recognizing, and gambling on confidence and skill. I took a gamble on Dr. Lee, and came out a winner.5 stars, no argument.

Brilliant surgeon! Cured my trigeminal neuralgia 100%. Excellent hospital and support staff. I would recommend John Lee as a brain surgeon with many years experience. He is the best of the best.

After reviewing neurosurgeons across the region, I decided on Dr. Lee to remove my medulloblastoma tumor in my posterior fossa. This was a difficult tumor and location with risk for cerebellar mutism or stroke. My identity was at stake, not just life and death. Dr. Lee achieved a full resection of the tumor and left my identity fully in tact. I made a recovery weeks ahead of schedule and was able to start cancer treatment ahead of schedule.I have had multiple cancers, surgeries, and more doctors than I can count. When I was looking for a neurosurgeon, I wanted someone who is in the operating room often (not just the board room) and experienced in the challenges of rare tumors. I couldnt recommend Dr. Lee enough. He saved my life and preserved my mental acuity. You would be lucky to be in his care.

I came to Dr. Lee with a pituitary brain tumor. From the moment I stepped into the office for the first time, I was treated like family by Denise Miller - (MSN, CRNP), and Dr. Lee’s entire staff. They quickly devised a strategy to address my issue and made me feel like I was in the best place possible to achieve a positive outcome.Concerning the surgery, I could go on with paragraphs of praise for Dr. Lee but I will summarize this way….. Dr. Lee is one of the most talented and gifted surgeons I have ever met and has hands of gold. He successfully extracted my pituitary tumor with such precision, that even now after two years out of surgery, there still is no trace of the tumor left behind.I can’t describe in words, the gratitude and appreciation I have for Dr. Lee and his entire staff. I will just say, I feel extremely blessed to have been under his care at this most stressful time in my life.Thanks again Dr. Lee and staff.

Dr. Lee and his staff made a very scary operation not so scary. Dr. Lee’s confidence level made a difference in my confidence that the operation would be a success and that they would get the whole tumor, which they did. His sense of humor and openness made me feel like a friend was operating on me. Everything was explained before hand by Dr. Lee and his nurse practitioner, Denise, that I didn’t have one question before. They truly cared about what was happening to me. Thank you to you and your whole staff!

I had suffered over 2 years from hemifacial spasms. Dr. Lee was highly recommend by my neurologist to correct my problem. I had surgery on June 2, 2020 and it was 100% successful. I would like to thank Dr. Lee , his staff and UPENN hospital for taking such good care of me. This has changed my life thank you.

I used to work in the operating room a few hours outside of Philadelphia. So when I was diagnosed with a pituitary macroadenoma that needed removed, I reached out to several doctors I have come to know throughout the years and received the same answer ... go to Penn and see John Lee. I am glad that I took their advice. The office staff treated me with respect, and a question I emailed was answered quickly. When it came to the surgery, Penn was a well oiled machine and since surgery is one thing I know well that really put me at ease.I experienced some complications (which he warned may happen - CSF leak & diabetes insipidus) that made me stay in the ICU for a few extra days. It was all handled well and I was impressed with the level of attentiveness and care I received. I would recommend Dr. Lee to any of my friends and family.

I was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma and was fortunate to have consulted Dr. Lee for treatment & surgery. My surgery was performed in May19 by Dr.Lee and it was successful with full tumor removal. Post surgery recovery went as planned. Dr.Lee and his team (Denise - Nurse Practitioner & Angela - Secretary) were great and helped every step throughout the process. Amazing doctor and his team.

2 years of suffering with Trigeminal nerve pain, completely resolved from the moment I awoke from the anesthesia!!! Post operative discomfort was nothing compared to the nerve pain and eased quickly within the first two weeks. Dr. Lee was warm and friendly, putting you at ease with his knowledge and confidence in the success of the procedure. He and his staff are highly professional and accommodating. My family (and I) were fascinated with the you-tube video of the procedure. Only sorry I waited so long to have it done.

First Id like to start out with a little background about myself: I am a board certified anesthesiologist with an extensive background in the study of pain medicine. In addition, I understand how ORs, ICUs and hospitals in general function as I have spend a great percentage of my adult life working in this arena.After 3.5 years of suffering severe, debilitating facial and oral pain, I had no choice but to seek surgical treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia as medication management was no longer effective enough for me to live a normal life. As I spent a year researching various surgical solutions, I made the conclusion that Dr. John Y K Lee MD offered a less invasive endoscopic alternative to the traditional craniotomy technique.Often the simple task of making a timely appointment to see a healthcare provider can easily prove a dubious one. After registering with the MyPennMedicine website and a few phone calls later, I found myself scheduled for an appointment at a date that was much sooner than I had experienced elsewhere. Angeline went out of her way to help me gather imaging studies and medical records to compile a chart.My first encounter with the surgical team consisted with an appointment with Dr. Lee and Denise Miller CRNP. I immediately found them both highly professional, affable, and highly experienced with surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia. Dr. Lee offered a complete and thorough explanation of how the surgery was performed and what to expect during recovery. These expectations were also mirrored by Denise as she also made sure that any questions and concerns were fully addressed. In summary, my first impressions were positive enough to offer me a high degree of optimism for a successful surgical outcome.I was pleased to learn the surgery was scheduled the following week at Pennsylvania Hospital. This facility has had the reputation of being the hospital where doctors prefer to send their own family members. While brain surgery will most likely never be a blissful experience, my peri-operative experience was an absolute positive one. I was truly impressed and appreciative of the care I had received there. While I could go on and on about all the details relating to how well the surgical, anesthesia, nursing, and dietary teams did their jobs, let me just say that the degree of professionalism and compassion was second to none.After two nights in the hospital I was discharged and returned to the OR to work after two weeks of recovery. The short length of hospital stay and swift recovery underscored why it was important for me seek an endoscopic, minimally invasive surgical solution.At the time of this review, six weeks has passed from my surgical experience. I no longer take carbamazapine. I am totally pain free as I can freely eat, talk, and my spouse can touch my face. I can normally tolerate wearing a surgical mask and don full PPE. I feel normal again.I honestly cannot find enough words of thanks to offer the various teams of individuals involved in my overwhelmingly positive surgical outcome, let alone Dr. John Lee MD for his skill and expertise.

Dr. John Lee, MD, MSCE saved my mothers life. About 6 months ago my mothers sarcoma had spread to her brain. She had difficulty talking appropriately, couldnt remember how to write or say certain words, and became increasingly confused. Radiation or chemo werent appropriate treatment for her particular case. The future didnt look hopeful until Dr. Lee had become available to perform her surgery. My mother was very nervous. It was either surgery or hospice care. She chose to trust him and the results couldnt have been better. I will forever be grateful to the life saving work at Pennsylvania Hospital and to Dr. Lee; a miracle worker among us. He was God sent and my mothers strength never ceases to amaze me. She is thriving and I owe my thanks to this talented neurosurgeon!!! Thank you for saving my mothers life!!!! You not only are a talented neurosurgeon but you were such a kind man to my mother!! A brillant mind with a gentle heart! Thank you always! Please see the photos.. images of before and after my moms surgery!

Dr. Lee, literally saved my life. I suffered for two years with trigeminal neuralgia. It would come and go at first, but gradually episodes became progressively more frequent and painful. My pcp kept sending me to an ENT, but to no avail. I was being prescribed tegretol and neurontin, but nothing reversed the bouts or ever increasing pain. It came to the point that I couldnt talk or eat without incurring extraordinary pain. The pain could best be described as if someone stuck a red hot poker in my left cheek, and electrified it. Sometimes I couldnt even shower as the water on my face would cause excruciating pain. I final went to another pcp and was given a referral to see a neurologist, Dr. Lubek. My appointment with Dr. Lubek was the turning point, as he referred me to Dr. Lee, saying surgery was clearly needed and Dr. Lee was the best. Dr. Lee and his his entire Team, including Nurse Practitioner, Denise Miller, were so reassuring and helpful, and soon I was scheduled for surgery. When I woke up in the ICU, lunch was being served. That hospital food was the best I ever had. Absolutely no pain. Ive been pain free for eight months now. Its as if my life was given back to me. Im just sorry I had to suffer for two years before my many doctor visits would finally lead me to Dr. Lee.

Dr. John Lee is compassionate, caring, knowledgeable and professional when it comes to his patients and their family members. My daughter had a shunt revision, May 2018. He and his staff took the time to research old shunts, 27 years old, and make a comprehensive decision for the best quality of life. He is one of a kind....I would highly recommend his services to anyone! Nazareth, PA

Dr. Lee is my hero. I do not think I can adequately express my profound gratitude to him. I highly recommend him to anyone facing the challenge of a brain tumor diagnosis. He is a top notch skull-based neurosurgeon who does these types of surgeries frequently.Dr. Lee removed fully a 2 cm brain tumor near my brain stem that was causing Trigeminal Neuralgia (excruciating face pain). I had no serious side effects from the surgery - just fatigue and temporary minor double vision. Additionally, my face pain was eliminated. After one month of recovery, I felt back to normal. I am so thankful that I chose Dr. Lee.On the morning of my surgery, Dr. Lee stopped by my bed to check in before the operation. He told me that he had visualized the entire surgery the evening before. His passion, dedication, confidence, warmth and drive for excellence were evident and put me totally at ease. I was ready!As others have noted, the entire Penn team is wonderful, from Denise, his nurse practitioner, to Angela, who handles arrangements to the valets who make it easy to park your vehicle in the city.Heartfelt thanks to Dr. Lee and his team.

Dr. Lee is a God-send. From our first consultation to our most recent post op appointment, we were delighted with Dr. Lee. He listens, gives you the time you need, explains and answers questions, is straight forward and kind. My surgery was complicated and Dr. Lee performed my surgery perfectly. I was told by doctors, nurses and others that the incision was beautifully done as well. My husband and I felt that we were in the very best, most capable hands for my brain tumor surgery. This is the only doctor to use.

I was diagnosed with an Acoustic Neuroma last year and was very fortunate that I was introduced to Dr Lee and his assistant Denise Miller! Due to the size of the tumor, I had no option but surgery! Dr Lee and Denise were with me every step of the way! Dr Lee is very compassionate, knowledgeable , professional , and a perfectionist! There are no words to say how grateful I am to both Dr Lee and Denise Miller for getting me through the worst time of my life! Truly the BEST!

Amazing Doctor and staff. Great bedside manner with Patient and their family members. I am alive today thanks to his professional skill. My family is very happy with how they were treated and with the outcome of my procedure.Truly a very professional Doctor and staff.

Dr. John Lee is the best. He is professional and kind with great bedside manner. My mom had an acoustic neuroma removed; he explained everything and was very thorough. My mom’s procedure went exceptionally well; she did not have any facial paralysis and got back to her normal routine within a couple of months! We were terrified of all the risks involved, but we trusted Dr. Lee, and he sure did not disappoint. My family and I would like to thank Dr. Lee and every single staff member for taking care of my mother. I trust Penn and their exceptional care and knowledge. I can’t express my gratitude enough.

Dr. Lee and his staff (Angela and Denise) are just amazing! Six weeks ago Dr. Lee removed my meningioma. Upon my first consultation we reviewed the pros/cons of both evasive and non-evasive treatments. In my case, both approaches were acceptable and he let me chose which approach I was most comfortable with. He has a great bedside manner along with the demeanor you want in a surgeon.All my appointments were on time (and sometimes early). Angela (Administrative Assistant) and Denise (Nurse Practitioner) were both VERY responsive when I had questions, needed anything and quick to provide documentation for my disability leave.I find my self very lucky and fortunate that I followed my neurologists recommendation to see Dr. Lee (even though I really didnt want to drive to Philly). Seeing Dr. Lee was one of the best decisions Ive ever made.

Dr Lee took on my brain surgery when no one else would. Two other Drs turned their back on me because it was a hard procedure with anticipated problems. I cannot thank you enough for all you’ve done for me and my family. It’s because of you I was able to continue on with my life, continue working as a CCU nurse and have a forth baby! My husband and I were so traumatized by our prognosis but you reassured us, made us feel safe and never left our side. I can’t believe even to this day you remember my case so well. It shows your dedication and kindness. Even Your NP Denise was amazing and took the extra time to sit with my Family. You are an amazing Dr with an amazing crew! I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome with such a scary prognosis.

Dr. Lee’s name was given to me by another doctor about six years ago, when I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor. Over the years, Dr. Lee has gained great national reputation; he is so passionate about his work; and is a very gifted surgeon with many years of experience. Dr. Lee is a neurosurgeon whom I would trust and have confidence with. Early this year, Dr. Lee has performed a surgery on me and no one could tell that I have had a head surgery.Dr. Lee has led a top medical team. His nurse manager Denise Miller and the event coordinator Angela Williams will response my questions and needs very quickly. They are very thorough and detail oriented. Everything is very well planned and executed. You can rely on them 100%. They gave me a peace of mind as it can be very scary to go through a head/brain surgery. Pennsylvania hospital is a wonderful hospital with so many top doctors; well trained nurses; and great adminstrrators. It provides wonderful programs; facility and quality care.Dr. Lee is also a pioneer on research by using ICG and other fluorescence dyes infusion to enhance tumor imaging. This technique has been used on my surgery for better surgical precision. His research team has always seeking new and advanced technology and application to achieve minimal invasive goal and excellence surgical work.

Dr Lee is an incredible surgeon and a wonderful person. Hes very caring and compassionate making sure his patients are priority

Dr. Lee is world class and first class! He operated on my mother who has a tumor and she has never felt better! Over 10 years she’s been in pain and after meeting with Dr. Lee last year and having him do the surgery she is living life brand new. I can’t keep up with her and she’s in her 70’s. Dr. Lee thank you for your compassion and truly being the best neurosurgeon we could have chosen.

Dr. Lee and his staff are wonderful. He has been treating my mom for an Acoustic Neuroma for about a year. He is the best in his field. Dr. Lee is personable and kind with a great bedside manner. My mom had the Gama Knife Surgery and loved everyone at the Gama Knife center. She had a stress free experience with positive results, thanks to the Dr. and his team at Penn Neurosurgery.

No words! Amazing head, incredible hands! That is him, Dr. Lee.So many things could go wrong, and none did! Thank you doctor, thank you the team, Denise, Angela and everybody else involved, the ICU nurses. This was as good of an experience as one could get, under the circumstances - brain surgery (big meningioma in a close proximity to ophthalmic nerve and cavernous sinus). Thank you!

I have TN and Dr. Lee performed a Microvascular Decompression on me in March 2018. The entire experience was as pleasant as it could be and I was immediately confident in his skills. I went out of my insurance network for him knowing how much it would cost because of how comfortable I felt with him. I have no numbness and had no negative side effects. I would 100% recommend him and his team.

I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia about 15 years ago. After being on numerous meds and burning the nerves the pain was not being controlled. My pain specialist referred me to Dr. Lee. After reviewing my MRI Dr. Lee said I was a candidate for the MVD. 2 weeks later I had the procedure & it was the best decision I ever made. Dr. Lee put me at ease right away with his confidence and calming manner. His nurse practitioner was always available to answer all questions. After waking up in the ICU I was amazed to be completely out of pain. My whole experience at the hospital was fantastic. Everyone was so attentive especially when I asked if I could have coffee shortly after waking up. Now I am a month after surgery and still completely pain free. My whole life has changed because of Dr Lee and this procedure. He truly saved my life and gave me my life back to enjoy my family & boyfriend. Thank you doesn’t say enough!!!

Dr Lees skills are wonderful. He cured my trigeminal neuralgia and has given me back a normal life. His wonderful smile is always reassuring and he has an excellent manner and focus on the patient. Thank you Dr Lee!

Dr. John Y.K. Lee -extraordinary perfect understanding of the entire brain anatomy unparalleled as with his dexterity in his hands and the finesse in working with critical structures.Tumor in brainstem, and in life threatening ,top dangerous location- deeply hidden (Anterior Ventral Vertebral Artery) in center of brain where the larger number of vital structures sensitive to injury crowded together.He pioneered a new surgical technique accessing the tumor location. Tumor region caused many issues daily and intermittently before surgery. Dr. Lees unbelievable knowledge , talent, critical thinking to surgically remove 85% of tumor from the Artery and Brainstem was a surgical masterpiece.Just some of the 40 some symptoms I experienced before surgery were swallowing difficulty, falling down, numb/tingling limbs and extremities, balance, eye movement, clumsiness, weakness, loss of hearing , pronouncing some words, vocal chords, facial numbness, headaches, monthly excruciating neck/shoulder pain, and so many more that I was in denial of.Became a normal person after surgery and my mind was instantly sharper than ever. Excellence in care by Pennsylvania Hospital.Had Gamma Knife radiation due to some regrowth that caused a few recurring symptoms; gone after radiation. His utmost expertise in the Gamma Knife radiation remarkable. He and his excellent NP Denise made it a breeze procedure for me with no side effects, only very pleasing post radiation results.My surgery and Gamma were the highest degree of perfection! My post surgical and Gamma Knife radiation outcomes define the meaning of a great surgeon!

Dr Lee did surgery on me to relieve trigeminal neuralgia pain. I was in a lot of pain but now I have none. I’m exceptionally pleased with the results.

Dr. Lee was one of the two neurosurgeons that removed an acoustic neuroma from my 8th cranial nerve. I felt that he was the best in handling that procedure. I believe he was very skilled in performing the surgery. Dr. Lee was patient and answered all questions. He took the time to explain things. Recovery is going well! If you decide to use Dr. Lee as your surgeon, know that you are in excellent hands!

Amazing experience all around. I felt comfortable in his hands- with his skill, as well as his personality. Even the woman doing my preop blood work had nothing but nice things to say about him! The postop visit where he explained the video of my surgery was amazing ro see.

July 2018, I had a medical appointment to see Dr. Lee for trigeminal neuralgia; I flew from Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Lee asked, “How did you find me?” I replied, “God sent you.” At this time, I was lost for a doctor, and God sent Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee has a wonderful administrative assistant, Angela Williams. She is professional and friendly. She supported me from the appointment through the surgery. Dr Lee’s nurse practitioner Denise, demonstrated professionalism during my entire care, and she is very knowledgeable in her content area.Dr. Lee performed micro vascular decompression surgery on the right side of my brain. Prior to surgery, during my appointment visit, Dr. Lee explained the procedure, and then left me in the exam room to watch the surgical procedure on video. After watching the video, it was easy for me to make the decision to have surgery.September 18, 2018, I had surgery. I followed-up with Dr. Lee on October 29, 2018. Today, I am pain free! Dr. Lee is the “kinda” doctor who has true love for his patients, and very passionate about providing quality care for his patients. He puts “care” over “billing.” Dr. Lee takes pride in the service he provides. He is a humble man, and an expert in his field.Penn Medicine has been graced by a genius!

Dr. Lee is phenomenal. Dr. Lee is confident in the best possible way. Leaving my boyfriend in the competent hands of Dr. Lee for a removal of an epidermoid cyst was very scary, but I was relieved at Dr. Lees obvious skill, expertise, and passion for performing brain surgery. The surgery and recovery went far smoother than I could have ever imagined! My boyfriend left the hospital with NO adverse effects from the surgery and nearly all the symptoms he had before surgery are gone! Our experience with Dr. Lee, his team, and Pennsylvania Hospital as a whole was my best experience in healthcare thus far. I would have Dr. Lee perform this surgery again without hesitation if necessary. Brain surgery is very scary, but there is no one better than Dr. Lee and his team to perform it.

After 10+ years of increasingly debilitating pain from trigeminal neuralgia, I was referred to Dr. Lee by my neurologist for gamma knife surgery. At my initial consultation, Dr. Lee was clear in his recommendation for microvascular decompression. He was correct. I have now been 100% pain-free since my surgery 5 weeks ago and without medication. My experience with Dr. Lee and his team has been absolutely positive.

In October 2018 I was diagnosed with a large Acoustic Neuroma. I had an initial consultation with Dr. Lee shortly thereafter, at which time we reviewed the results of my MRI, options for treatment, and the potential complications. He informed me that due to the size of the tumor and associated cysts, surgery was my best option (versus gamma knife). My surgery was done without complication on November 20th. Dr. Lee and his team did an amazing job! Dr. Lee showed great compassion in addition to expertise. I was also impressed my follow-up visit(s) and the game plan for monitoring this aspect of my health moving forward. To give you an example of my confidence in his surgical skills, I wouldn’t hesitate to let Dr. Lee operate on either one of my children, which is something any parent reading this knows that says a lot. The attached photo was taken today, less than two months later. I am happy to be returning to life as normal and I feel better than I did before the surgery.

Dr Lee is the best surgent I had a brain tumor on my temple lobe and instead of him doing surgery right away he said let’s watch it. After a couple MRI’S it keep growing so he said it was time to take it out. When he did surgery I had a great surgery he went over everything and was very helpful. Everything turn out great I heal a lot faster then I thought I would. I would recommend Dr. Lee to everyone. He is a great sergeant and knows what he is doing.

After a month long headache I was diagnosed with a large acoustic neuroma and from one neurosurgeon to another I was referred to Dr. Lee. Upon consulting with Dr. Lee regarding the tumor, he immediately displayed the utmost confidence that this would be taken care of without serious problems or lingering effects no matter how serious an operation. On July 12, 2017 Dr. Lee performed a roughly 15 hour successful surgery. Its hard to put into words the feeling of gratitude someone can have for his competence and dedication towards his trade.

Dr Lee will run through all of the worst case scenarios related to your procedure, so you will know exactly what the risks and potential outcomes are from the front end. I appreciated that, although I admit it made me nervous. However, his work was excellent, and none of the issues came to pass. Because of his work and skill, my recovery was also expeditious. Even though I had a craniotomy to treat an acoustic neuroma, I was back on my feet and able to drive in a few weeks, and back to work in about a month. I also offer a shout-out to his nurse practitioner, Denise Miller, who was very supportive, knowledgeable, and personable as well.

Dr. Lee performed microvascular decompression surgery on my facial nerve yesterday and today my facial spasm is completely gone. Dr Lee is an amazing neurosurgeon who cares deeply about his work and he and his team work tirelessly to secure the best possible outcomes for their patients. I can’t believe how good I feel just a day after cranial surgery.

Hello my name is Don I have been suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia for about 7 years. In the beginning I was told that the pain was tooth related so I had numerous teeth pulled and root canal work performed. Finally I was told by a different dentist that it was either Trigeminal or sinus problems . The sinus were ruled out and I started years of medication for TNWhen the medication stopped working I went to a neurosurgeon that highly recommended Gamma Knife. I did not like the odds of TN returning so I looked and found Dr Lee. He told about the success of MVD and I knew it was for meOn September 11 2019 Dr Lee performed the surgery. I was told that I could have headaches - nausea and would be in the hospital for 2-3 daysMy surgery went so well that I had no headaches or nausea and left the hospital in 25 hours after the surgeryIf anyone reading this has TN please stop suffering and go see Dr Lee! His staff of Denise and Angela are top notch and Penn hospital can not be beat

Dr. Lee and his nurse practitioner, Denise Miller, CRNP saved my life. I was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia and with each passing day, this disease started to consume my life. I tried three different medications without success and injections and other over-the-counter therapies, but nothing worked and I was completely fed up. My best friend and my mothers best friend both saw Dr. Lee for TN and had an MVD done by him. I met with Dr. Lee for the first time on 10/30/19 and he not only listened to me, but showed true concern for my health, mental well-being and he answered all of my questions. After looking at my MRI and having a radiologist say my MRI with and without contrast was normal; Dr. Lee pulled up my MRI in front of me and found the compression right away. He said I would be a great candidate for the MVD (microvascular decompression) and I would be one of his star patients. I had to move back home from college and drop the semester and told him I would be starting college again and moving back for the spring semester in January. I also told him that since I was turning 21-years-old in January, I am supposed to go away to Disney World for a week, he said his goal was to get me feeling better before Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday trip and starting college again as a new person. Dr. Lee told me to hang tight after we decided to proceed with surgery and he came in and said how does November 12th work for you? I was in total shock, because that was only two weeks away from my initial consult. I said yes and went ahead and scheduled it and my pre-admission testing appointment with Denise; Dr. Lees nurse practitioner. Denise is truly one of a kind and youll never find another nurse practitioner like her. She went over everything in detail, showed great concern for her patients, wanted to ensure a successful outcome, and went above and beyond. Im currently three days post-operation without TN pain. When I woke up from surgery my face pain was gone. I thought I would be stuck with this pain for the rest of my life. I could not even touch the left side of my face, talk, chew, have water from from the shower hit my face, a breeze of air, or live a normal life. Drinking water became so painful and so did eating that I lost 13lbs and multiple ER trips just to become hydrated again. One of the first things I did when I woke up from surgery, I had my whole family there and my boyfriend. I kissed my boyfriend again for the first time in awhile, since kissing would cause tremendous amounts of pain. Dr. Lee is a superhero dressed in blue scrubs. Denise is superwoman dressed in her white coat. They truly make the medical field what it should be. When I was wheeled back to the operating room and was laying on the OR table, Dr. Lee came and held my free hand, because of how nervous I was and Laura, my neurophysiologist held my other hand, my CRNA Kristen made me feel so much better, all of my OR nurses, surgical tech, the students, and my anesthesiologist. My pre-op nurse Wendy went above and beyond for me as well. Pennsylvania Hospital and, especially, Preston 7 (med-surg) floor were amazing. I cannot say enough amazing things about Dr. Lee, Denise Miller, Penn Medicine and Penn Neurosurgery. Please dont wait or hesitate to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lee. I cannot believe I waited as long as I did, when I could have been pain free a lot sooner! You will not regret having Dr. Lee as your neurosurgeon. Everyone in his office is amazing as well. Make that appointment and do not sit in pain anymore! November 12th, 2019 changed my life for the better and I do not know how I could ever say thank you enough to Dr. Lee or Denise! Dr. Lee will be doing another MVD for me on the other side of my head on 02/25/20 and I know I will have the same amazing results. Just an amazing doctor.

I am very grateful for the very skilled Dr. Lee. He gave me back what I thought was gone my sight. I want to share my blessing for anyone considering Dr. Lee for surgery.My whole life I had great vision and the occasional headache. August 2018, I started noticing vision loss. I figured majority of my family has vision problems so I wasn’t worried I just figured I need glasses. No big deal. I have what some might call a white coat syndrome, so I waited. My headaches increased so bad I couldn’t go one day without getting one and they progressively got worse. In October I sucked up my white coat syndrome and went to the eye Dr. and got glasses. I could see much better and my headaches started to fade away. I was so happy.Life continued and by February 2019 my vision was already changing and my sight fading away again. However, the headaches were still pretty constant they were controlled by medicine. How could this even be happening?? So being a the very stubborn individual I am I did not go back to the eye doctor my left eye had gotten so bad I could only see dark shadows, I lost full peripheral vision, no color. AHHH!!! What was even going on I told my husband and parents I have a bad feeling something is very wrong yet I still did not schedule another eye doctor appointment!!! When I had to drive home one stormy night and was so afraid because I really couldn’t see I scheduled an apt.September 2019, I have my apt. got a new script but she wanted me to have an O.C.T. test done so she had to refer me to Eye Consultants in Lebanon PA to see Dr. Shaw. September 23, 2019, I have my appointment with Dr. Shaw (who is an incredible eye doctor), he referred me for an MRI. My worst fears coming to life. The morning of September 27th, 2019 I have my MRI. Afternoon I am told I have a .17mm mass on my occipital lobe. Crash!!!!!! My mind was racing I have 2 beautiful girls an amazing husband is this going to kill me? Dr. Shaw referred me to Penn Medicine in Philly.October 7th,2019 I have my first appointment at Penn Medicine at the Pearlman center to see Ali Hamedani. There I was referred to Dr. Lee October 10th, 2019 I had my first appointment with this incredibly humble, talented, knowledgeable Dr. who will be my lifetime blessing. He said the tumor needs out now. October 17th,2019 I had my tumor removed!!! WOW what a great process!!! Not only Dr. Lee but every hand that helped me from the gals checking me the nursing staff, everyone was amazing at Penn Medicine.December 2019 I am back to work I can see 100% and don’t even need glasses!!!! I cannot express my graduated to Dr. Lee enough!!! Thank you from not only me but my entire family!!!

A truly amazing surgeon and a wonderful, compassionate doctor, Dr. Lee quite literally gave my wife her life back. Diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia in 2016, she managed the pain with medication until early 2019. However, in the course of just a few days her condition changed dramatically. It went from manageable to excruciating pain almost 24/7 She could not eat and could barely speak and was eventually hospitalized. We were incredibly fortunate to be referred to Dr Lee in April 2019. Dr. Lee returned my initial call within hours and had her in surgery at Penn Hospital in Philadelphia just 4 days later. She entered the hospital nearly paralyzed with pain and woke up at noon completely pain free. Within 30 minutes of post op, she was eating solid food for the first time in weeks and smiling joyfully.It is now 7 weeks after her microvascular decompression surgery with Dr. Lee. She has gotten off all medications related to the Trigeminal Neuralgia and remains 100% pain free. Her life has returned to normal and our post operative visit with Dr. Lee was a wonderful closure.We are grateful beyond words to Dr. Lee and his incredible staff for the medical miracle we experienced.

Dr. Lee is a very confident, compassionate neurosurgeon that has given me my life back. After my microvascular decompression surgery I am pain free from the most debilitating pain from trigeminal neuralgia. Thank you so much Dr. Lee for all you have done for me.

When my doctor suggested I see Dr. Lee to discuss surgery for facial spasms I was skeptical. The thought of having “brain surgery “ was out of the question. The moment I met Dr. Lee I felt comfortable. He’s kind, caring and most of all very confident. Dr. Lee performed the Microvascular decompression surgery on my facial nerve Oct. 8th and the next day I was free of facial spasms. Thank you Dr. Lee and Team for giving me back my self confidence and smile. You are the best!!

Horrible, discouraging appointment in 2016 that made me lose faith in our healthcare system. I have been in pain for 10 years and no one can figure out what I have. I came to Dr. Lee to see if he had any ideas. I typed up a three page summary of everything I have already tried, and also brought in ALL of my medical records. During the appointment he seemed uninterested, talked over me, and rushed me through what I had to say.At my second appointment, he introduced himself, gave me the same run down as the first appointment, and asked my name . He finally admitted he thought I was a new patient. When I brought up a clinical trial he told me to look into, he was shocked I knew about it. He forgot he told me about it. I was absolutely devastated. I put a lot of energy (for someone in chronic agonizing pain) to drive from far away to get to these appointments, and even went through every piece of my medical record to compile a three page summary of medications and treatments that I already tried. It was clear he did not take a single minute to look through ANYTHING I gave him, or remember anything at all about me. At the very least, he could have scanned through my file for five minutes before he entered the room to see I had seen him already but he didnt even care enough to do that.Needless to say, I did not go back, but he represents everything wrong with our system. He did not have enough time or concern to address my needs in the slightest. Its impossible to care less than Dr. Lee about patients. If he had just spent TWO minutes looking at my chart, he would see I was a returning patient! It was absolutely heart breaking, as someone who is so desperate for any relief from this pain, to feel so uncared about.

7 weeks and no more pain. Dr. Lee performed surgery for my Trigeminal Neuralgia (MicoVascular Decompression) and I had immediate relief. 7 weeks later, I had my final post-op visit and was declared clear for work (I was ready after 5 weeks, but because of vacations and holidays, it extended to 7 weeks). I will definitely recommend Dr. Lee to anyone who needs relief from the pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Dr Lee took such wonderful care of my father in a 13 hour surgery. Only one is ever trust no love this man.

Dr. John Lee took his time and expertise to explain and evaluate my acoustic neuroma case and what options I had during my appointment. I felt extremely comfortable and safe under his care. He answered all of my questions with honesty and detail. He provided me with all of the information that both my physician husband and myself needs to make the best informed decision for me. His dream team is exactly that——a DREAM TEAM!!!!! My experience with his stellar staff was professional, courteous, patient, kind, the list is endless. If you are lucky enough to become a patient of Dr. Lee’s, consider yourself in wonderful, capable hands. I had a 2.8cm acoustic neuroma near my brainstem. My surgery went awesome. I’m glad to be blessed with an amazing surgeon.

Dr. John Y K Lee is amazing! He’s an upbeat doc who takes away any apprehension and fearof the patient. It has been 3 yrs since heremoved my acoustic neuroma tumor, 6/27/16 to be exact. What should have been a 12-hr procedure in my case took 14. As he puts it ,“ they have to be extra careful of the delicate areas”. Credits too to Dr. Charles Bigelow who performed the surgery with him. To all the pleasant staff: Denise Miller (NP),ICU unit, recovery floor unit , not to forget the Good Shepherd Rittenhouse rehab and outpatient Penn Cherry Hill rehab. Thanks! for making my stay comfortable.To those seeking treatment on trigeminal neuralgia,acoustic neuroma and similar conditions, please google his website and see what Dr. John Y K Lee can do for you. It’s worth the time and travel.

Dr. John YK Lee recently did surgery on my family member who had a very large acoustic neuroma. As a clinical pharmacist I was very involved in asking a lot of questions prior to the surgery and Dr. Lee was beyond patient and compassionate. I really appreciated his time prior to the surgery to fully explain what to expect. There were no surprises thanks to his thorough overview. He performed this long surgery the day before Thanksgiving 2018, and checked in on him on Thanksgiving Day! The follow up appointment went stellar last week and my family member is doing fantastic post-op! When dealing with a procedure that can have risks, it’s so important to spend time preparing for any outcome. Our whole family is grateful for the time Dr. Lee spent pre and post op with our loved one. I will forever be grateful for the outstanding outcome my family member had thanks to Dr Lee’s outstanding training and commitment to patient care. He takes each procedure so personally and it shows.

After 12 years living with TN mostly under control until last year, I was ready to look to a surgical solution. Through a fellow parishioner of my son, I learned of Dr. Lee and the wonderful work he is doing with MVD surgery at Penn Medicine. It took a total breakdown of pain relief earlier this summer for me to seek surgery.From the moment I met Dr. Lee, I knew I was going to be in good hands. He answered all my questions, explained some of the side effects that could occur, and showed me a video of one of his MVD surgeries. Once I said I was ready to proceed, his very capable staff took over and made all the arrangements. His Nurse Practitioner Denise is a treasure and always ready to answer questions.The staff at Penn were wonderful, and the surgery went without a flaw. I awoke in Recovery and immediately clicked my teeth together and rolled my tongue without a trace of the TN pain. When he stopped in to see me at 7p.m. on his way home, Dr. Lee was overjoyed when I told him how quickly the relief had come.During the post op appointment, Dr. Lee again answered my questions and even shared portions of my surgery with me on a computer screen.All I can say is if anyone is dealing with TN and its pain, see Dr. Lee. Run, dont walk. I wish I had done it much sooner.

Thanks Dr. Lee!!! It’s been a little over 6 months since the removal of an epidermoid cyst in the CP angle measuring 3 cm. I lost my hearing in my right ear, had head pressure headaches and was constantly dizzy and losing my balance. On November 8th 2017, Dr. Lee removed almost all of the tumor in a 6 hour surgery. 2 days later I went home. I cannot express my appreciation of what Dr. Lee and his team did for me. Being told you need brain surgery might be one of the scariest things you can be told. When they tell you all the ‘possible’ issues resulting from surgery, how do you say yes? Having confidence in your surgeon, that’s how. It’s all because of Dr. Lee and his team of Rock Stars!! All of my symptoms have disappeared. I have regained my hearing and I am no longer dizzy or off balance. Life has returned to normal again. Words cannot express how grateful I am to them and how they helped me every step of the way!

Words cannot express my gratitude for Dr.Lee and his knowledge, Denise and her willingness to help, her compassion and the rest of their crew!! I am 6 months post-op from a MVD for Trigeminal Neuralgia and the happiest Ive been in the last 8 yrs. 7 years of the regular doctors not knowing what I had and with symptom after symptom developing until I was finally referred to a Neurosurgeon. I am smiling, laughing, applying chapstick, actually chewing food again, getting kisses on the cheek from my loved ones and enjoying life with my family to the fullest. I was referred to Dr. Lee by my local neurologist. From the moment I met Dr. Lee my gut told me I was in good hands and that I could trust him (ya know, he was opening up my skull and all!!) Dr. Lee KNOWS HIS STUFF! He gave me information in terms I could understand and walked me step by step through the procedure PLUS I was able to watch his YouTube video on the procedure over and over. He put my mind at ease... literally! Pun intended...added bonus I can laugh as hard, loud and as long as I can without cringing in pain!!!...All thanks to Dr. Lee!!

Hello my name is Bruce I suffered from trigeminal neuralgia for about seven years. It first started with a pinch feeling in my tongue then progressed to a toothache feeling.So went to my dentist but he couldnt find any bad teeth so went to family doctor.He though it might be a irrated nerve so gave me a shot and medication didnt help.Pain contued and seemed to be worse so went back to dentist he thought I might be one of my back teeth sent me for root canal soon as the novacane wore off pain was back. This went on for a long time progressively worse.Finally I went to a neurologist he said that I might have T N he put me on oxycarbazine and sent me for a MRI no tumor.The pain continue to get worse the neurologist increased the oxcarbazepine two more times I had to take ibuprofen also.It hurt to talk eat brush teeth shave even touch face! A friend of a friend said she had the same thing and had Dr Lee operate on her changed her life.So I went to see him and he felt he could give me relief.We had surgery on December 4 2018 soon as I came out of surgery the pain was gone mind you I had the surgery pain but the pain in my face was gone.Now I am pain free seems I have my life back.Thank you Dr Lee you and your team are awesome.

Dr Lee performed a Micro Vascular Decompression on me to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia. The entire experience went wonderfully. Didnt even need pain meds after I went home from hospital. I did not have any pain. The worst part was just getting back my stamina. I would definitely recommend Dr John Y K Lee to anyone suffering from TN.

All of the horror stories you hear about Trigeminal Neuralgia are true.I have not had any pain in the four months since Doctor Lee performed Microvascular Decompression surgery. Doctor Lee and his support staff guided each step from the first meeting to the hospital stay and the follow up afterwards. I could not have asked for anything more.Doctor Lee is a Philadelphia treasure.

Dr Lee is wonderful, can’t thank enough him to give new life to my wife.

Dr. Lee gave me my life back! He is a Godsend. I had been battling Trigeminal Neuralgia for almost 3 years, when the meds stop working I researched MVD surgery and Dr. Lee, I couldnt have made a better choice I am COMPLETELY Healed no more PAIN! He and his staff will be forever in my prayers..... Update, when I think about the BRUTAL PAIN I WAS IN I could kick myself for not getting the surgery sooner. My heart BLEEDS FOR anyone suffering from TN the Pain is unimaginable!!! But it is light at the end if the tunnel.....

I met with Dr. Lee recently for a consultation regarding my Trigeminal Neuralgia. The episodes of my facial pain were becoming more frequent and more severe.I am 88 years of age. I mention this to let people with Trigeminal Neuralgia know that something can be done, non-invasive, for pain relief and to return to normal activity.I found Dr. Lee to be very personable. Although he had a computer on his desk, he spent most of his time facing my daughter and me. He is a great listener. We had a good dialogue. He answered all of my concerns. At no time did I feel rushed.Dr. Lee explained in laymen terms, what happens when one has Trigeminal Neuralgia, the procedure available for pain relief, and possible residual effects. I had the gamma knife procedure done. I am still in the post procedure period. I am 90% improved. How great it feels to sleep through the night, pain free. Thats just one of my positive results.I have great respect for you and the work that you do. I would recommend you to anyone needing help in your field. Thank you Dr. Lee.

Dr. Lee is a talented professional with a good sense of humor.