Dr. Villavicencio

About Alan T. Villavicencio, MD

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Striving for innovation and excellence … even for the most challenging cases

“By its very nature, neurosurgery is challenging. The challenges are what drew me to the specialty. Another reason is these patients need resolution. Often the resolution is relief from longstanding suffering. In many cases, life is in the balance. For me, caring for these patients is the very essence of medicine and has fueled my pursuit of excellence.”

“I perform outpatient procedures that many surgeons still perform as several hour long open surgeries that require several days of hospitalization. My colleagues and I provide care for patients from Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. Other patients come from the East or West coasts for consultation. The level and quality of care provided by Boulder Neurosurgical Associates is comparable to the best centers in the world. Personally, I stop at nothing to help patients get their lives back.”

Dr. Villavicencio graduated with honors from Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA in 1995 and went on to complete a neurosurgical residency at the renowned Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC in 2001. He then went on to do a specialty orthopedic spine surgery fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA in 2002 and is one of only a handful of surgeons in the country with dual neurosurgery and orthopedic spine training.

Dr. Villavicencio is board certified and the senior practicing partner at Boulder Neurosurgical Associates. He specializes in complex spinal reconstruction surgery, including treatment of scoliosis and other types of spinal deformity. Dr. Villavicenio also specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. He treats most types of brain and spinal disorders, including all types of brain tumors and performs approximately 500 operative cases each year.

Dr. Villavicencio is Director of Research and Development for Boulder Neurosurgical Associates (BNA) and is Director of Neurosurgery at Boulder Community and Longmont United Hospitals and Director of Surgery at The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute in Colorado, which he founded.

Dr. Villavicencio's goal as a neurosurgeon is not just to stay at the forefront of neurosurgical care, but to advance the field through continued development and application of innovative nonsurgical and surgical treatment options. He is among the few neurosurgeons in the country dedicated to improving clinical outcomes and patient safety by promoting and implementing evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.

Dr. Villavicencio is the Founder and current Program Chairman for the annual regional neurosurgical symposium entitled Current Techniques in the Treatment of Cranial and Spinal Disorders. This symposium is in its 6th year and draws approximately 200 physicians and allied health care providers each year. Dr. Villavicencio is also the Founder and Chairman of the Board for the Justin Parker Neurological Institute, a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization with an annual budget of approximately $250,000 located in Lafayette, CO. The Institute’s principle purpose is to conduct and disseminate clinical research and other information to patients and the medical community.

Dr. Villavicencio has presented hundreds of abstracts at national and international neurosurgical meetings. In addition, he has published more than 60 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in leading neurosurgical journals and textbooks. Dr. Villavicencio also is principle investigator for several ongoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) IDE (Investigational Device Exemption) prospective randomized trials.

He is a member of American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), North American Spine Society (NASS), Colorado Neurosurgical Society (CNS), Colorado Medical Society (CMS), AANS/CNS Section on Tumors and Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves.

Dr. Villavicencio is a devoted husband and father of two children; a three year old boy and a two year old girl. In his free time, he operates a small organic farm that includes about 30 head of cattle, 75 chickens and five pigs. He is an avid athlete and runs a sub three hour marathon. He has competed in 32 marathons, 28 triathlons and 14 full Ironman events, including the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii on several occasions. He has a great interest in using his skills and experience in nonoperative treatment and minimally invasive surgery to help fellow athletes and other patients, including the elderly, to recover quickly and attain peak physical condition.

Click here for Dr. Villavicencio’s curriculum vitae