BEYOND BACK BASICS SURGEON RELIES ON MODERN MACHINES FOR SPINAL FIXES.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

NEWBURY PARK - When Larry and Georgette Ike were running out of options for their son's crippling foot problem, little did they know that a master of kung fu could ease their worries.

Born in a province of southeast China, John Chiu may have been trained to use his hands as weapons, but he's just as skilled at using his hands to heal.

``We are very thankful we found this man,'' said Larry Ike, who traveled to Newbury Park from Grand Rapids, Mich., to have a surgical procedure performed on his son's back. ``He's been suffering from foot problems almost all his life, which has resulted in severe back pain.''

With a resume about 37 pages thick, Chiu is a neurosurgeon whose specialty is a minimally invasive spine surgery. His office is equipped with the traditional tools of the trade - scalpels, scissors, plenty of gauze - yet Chiu's unequivocal advantage lies in the very technology he incorporates into his practice.

Walking into one of Chiu's surgeries is like tearing the cover off a personal computer. Spiderlike arms stretch out across the room, entwined with multicolored wires. One flat-screen monitor flashes vital signs, while another provides a three-dimensional rendering of the patient's spine. A robot moves its mechanical arm, as a keyboard relays information about a herniated disc.

And yet, amid all the technology and sterility of a hospital environment, a few rays of sun trickle pass the fluorescent bulbs.

``I try to incorporate an environment that enhances general well-being,'' said Chiu, suggesting he added windows to his rooms in order to introduce nature into the often unnatural experience of surgery.

Since October, Chiu and his associates have performed several thousand surgeries at the California Spine Institute, which reveals its Web address, Spinecenter.com, off a stretch of the 101 Freeway in Newbury Park. The center is Chiu's brainchild, costing about $14 million to construct, coupled with myriad state licensing requirements for surgical specifications.

Many of Chiu's patients stem from workers' compensation cases. Without the help of insurance, Chiu's procedures cost between $30,000 and $40,000, according to Howard Hsu, the center's administrator.

Chiu performs around five or six surgeries a day, with patients generally able to walk out of the center three to four hours after arrival. Jody Sutton, 43, had suffered from a herniated disc for several months before her husband suggested she visit Chiu.

She said the pain was so great, it was difficult to get out of bed, let alone drive over four hours from Bishop to see Chiu. ``But here I am, hours after surgery, a little tender, although I'm still walking,'' she said.

And Sutton's condition will most likely continue to improve if she takes advantage of the center's rehabilitation services. A spiral staircase at the building uncoils into a foyer with rehabilitation rooms attached.

Joe Verna, vice president of operations at the center, said there are physical therapists on staff, ready to treat those patients who have undergone surgery. The therapists have access to a pool that tests patients' strength and mobility. Another area will soon offer psychotherapy to optimize a patient's overall well-being.

Access to such lavish services to rehabilitate the back and mind isn't cheap. Verna said if a patient is not covered by insurance, the physical therapy could cost around $55 an hour.

Even so, as the center develops its foundation, Chiu said consumer demand for a ``wellness center'' should grow exponentially, especially with baby boomers approaching late adulthood.

The center's Web site offers at least some proof that the center is garnering interest. Spinecenter.com is averaging around a million hits a month, with families like the Ikes traveling from all over the world for Chiu's surgery.

Hsu said an Alaskan fisherman had heard about Chiu being a supposed pioneer for noninvasive spine surgery. The fisherman underwent the surgical procedure with success and went back to Alaska a few days later.

``The next thing you know, we have a handful of people from Alaska that need the surgery,'' Hsu said. ``Word of mouth is a good thing.''

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Photo:

(color) Dr. John Chiu points to a three-dimensional reconstruction of the lumbar spine at offices of the California Spine Institute.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer