How Bloodless Spine Surgery Helped Robyn Get Back on Her Feet

Free of pain from a spinal tumor, Robyn Tarantino celebrates her newfound quality of life with a simple pleasure: a daily walk. 

Stay-at-home mother Robyn Tarantino loves going on walks with her dog and anyone else who wants to join. Just months ago, though, lower back pain made it a challenge to put one foot in front of the other. 

“I struggled with muscle weakness in my legs, mostly the right leg,” Robyn says. “I started tripping when taking the stairs or walking too fast.” 

Physical therapy and chiropractic treatment didn’t help. After an MRI revealed a tumor in her spine, Robyn began researching neurosurgery practices. She was ready to take the next step toward relief. 

In Good Hands 

With transfusion-free care a prerequisite for her, Robyn asked for a recommendation from The Bloodless Institute at Englewood Health. That led to a meeting with neurosurgeon Yakov Gologorsky, MD. 

Dr. Gologorsky and Robyn reviewed her MRI images, which showed a large tumor compressing her spinal cord. 

Fortunately, imaging suggested that the tumor was noncancerous. One of Dr. Gologorsky’s colleagues, Kevin Yao, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Englewood Hospital, advised Robyn that surgery would be the best treatment to restore her ability to walk. Without surgery, she would inevitably become more symptomatic, possibly even paralyzed. Robyn agreed to have surgery at Englewood Health, led by Dr. Yao and assisted by Dr. Gologorsky. 

“Dr. Yao spoke so clearly and calmly that he put me at ease,” Robyn says. “He’s very kind and understanding of the emotions a patient feels before such a big surgery.” 

Removing a Spinal Tumor Through Bloodless Surgery 

The neurosurgeons performed a laminectomy, a procedure in which part of the vertebrae (bones of the spine) are removed, to gain access to the tumor and spinal cord. 

“After the tumor and spinal cord were exposed, we performed microsurgery under a microscope to gently separate the tumor from the spinal cord and gradually remove the entire tumor,” Dr. Yao says. “Once the tumor was removed, the normal anatomy of the spinal cord was restored, setting the stage for the spinal cord to heal. Now that the tumor is removed, Robyn will be able to get back to living a full and normal life.” 

Robyn went home after four nights in the hospital. Months into her recovery, she’s doing great. 

“I walk every day and have no pain,” Robyn says. “The feeling in my right foot returned. I can walk without tripping or focusing on every step.” 

“Robyn’s case highlights Englewood Health’s ability to deliver excellent outcomes, even in complex cases, while adhering to bloodless surgical principles. Her story reflects the strength and precision of our bloodless medicine program,” Dr. Yao says. 

Published November 2025