DISC Spine Institute

In his quest to improve the lives of his patients and relieve their pain, Dr. Mark Valente has become an expert minimally invasive spine surgeon. He treats many types of spine problems causing neck, back, arm and leg pain including bulging discs, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative discs, scoliosis, bone spurs and spinal arthritis.

This year, Living readers voted Dr. Valente Best Spine Surgeon in Northeast Tarrant County and Keller/Fort Worth. He has won Best Spine Surgeon in Keller for eight years in a row, 2017 to 2024.

A board certified and fellowship trained orthopedic spine surgeon, Dr. Valente boasts a reputation as one the most highly trusted spine doctors in the nation. He served as clinical instructor at both Michigan State University and the University of California San Diego.

While Dr. Valente’s medical training and experience are topnotch, what really drives him is caring for people. Compassion runs in his family as two of his four siblings are also physicians.

At a young age, “I had the realization that I could have a career that allowed me to quench my thirst for the sciences while directly helping others on a daily basis,” he says. “I have been passionate about my pursuit of medicine and helping people ever since.”

Dr. Valente and his highly trained team can offer a variety of cutting-edge surgical solutions to alleviate numerous painful problems. But he never starts there. He starts by listening.

“If you don’t pay attention to what the patient is telling you,” he says, “you’ll miss the diagnosis. You have to be a good listener.”

Dr. Valente will first try to determine if a patient’s neck or back problem has recently arisen. If it’s a new problem, typically 90% of patients will improve in the first four weeks with additional rest and
anti-inflammatory medication. It’s important not to overdo it physically during this time because that will likely aggravate the underlying problem which is typically a muscle sprain or a tendon, ligament, or disc disruption.

For patients with severe back or leg pain, weakness in their legs or chronic issues lasting for more than three or four weeks that prevent normal life activities, other approaches can be considered. X-rays or an MRI can help to discover the underlying problem at this point such as a torn disc, herniated disc, or pinched nerves.

The next step involves trying more minimally invasive treatments other than surgery to overcome a patient’s physical struggles. Those options can include physical therapy, acupuncture, anti-inflammatory medication, chiropractic care, and/or injections.

If less invasive options do not significantly improve the symptoms, then Dr. Valente can call on his extensive training and groundbreaking innovation to help. Dr. Valente routinely performs all aspects of spinal surgery: cervical, thoracic and lumbar, including minimally invasive procedures for herniated discs, stenosis, degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, compression fractures, and more.

Furthermore, Dr. Valente has pioneered a procedure he calls Intra-Disc Decompression (IDD). In contrast to spinal fusion, which can involve intricate hardware and long recovery times, this procedure is so minimally invasive, it doesn’t even require a suture but can alleviate back and leg symptoms.

While not everyone is a candidate for IDD, it can be life changing. The procedure takes less than an hour, requires only a small incision and a brief recovery period. The alternative, spinal fusion, can take up to a year for recovery.

In addition to IDD, Dr. Valente also performs complex spinal reconstruction and deformity surgeries, including scoliosis and revision surgery for patients who have undergone previous spinal surgery without success.

One patient, whose back had been injured in an accident, had this to say about her experience: “I love the staff. Phone calls and scheduling were so easy. He gave me three options and because I had already tried the first two, I chose surgery and for the first time in almost two years, I wasn’t in pain anymore. I feel like I am 100% again and I have Dr. Valente and his team to thank for that.”

Here are thankful words from another patient: “I feel privileged to have Dr. Valente as my doctor and believe his hands are gifts from God. He told me to expect less pain after surgery, but I honestly didn’t expect I’d have zero pain! I can dance and ride my bike again. In fact, both my husband and I have started living a more active, healthier lifestyle.”

If you’re ready for relief from pain, contact Dr. Valente. He, along with his expert and compassionate team, will guide you through the process of understanding your problem and finding the best solution for you.