Main Office:
17525 Ventura Blvd.
Suite 203
Encino, CA 91316
P: 818-986-0200
F: 818-986-4393

Meet The Doctors

Payam Vahedifar M.D.

Non-Operative and Interventional Management of Spinal Disorders and Muscle and Skeletal disorders, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

Dr. Payam Vahedifar is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and has extensive training in interventional pain management. He works with a team of medical professionals committed to improving the lives of patients of reducing pain and restoring both physical and mental health.

Dr. Vahedifar’s expertise includes the non-surgical management of spine, sports, and occupational injuries. Based on his training as a physiatrist, he emphasizes functional restoration in the treatment of muscle skeletal problems. He has special training in minimally invasive spinal procedures including, diagnostic and therapeutic injections using fluoroscopy, neucleoplasty, specialized pain procedures such as spinal cord stimulator and pain pump implantation, and the treatment of vertebral compression fractures (vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty). Dr. Vahedifar uses the procedures listed above to help control pain and facilitate rehabilitation. He also has a significant amount of experience working with spine surgeons and is well versed in the indications for surgical intervention for spinal disorders.

K. Rad Payman M.D.

Dr. Payman focuses his practice on the comprehensive treatment of patients with spinal disorders. He specializes in reconstructive cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine surgery, including the most advanced techniques of minimally invasive and microsurgical spinal procedures. He has extensive experience with adult degenerative spinal conditions, complex spine trauma, spinal deformity, motion preservation technologies, and intervertebral disc replacement surgery.

Dr. Payman graduated from the University of Virginia, the nation's top public University, as an Echol's Scholar, an honor given to the top one percent of students. He earned his medical degree at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, considered by many to be the world's best Medical School.

He completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the UCLA Medical Center and affiliated hospitals and obtained additional training in Spinal Surgery with world renowned spinal surgeon, Dr. Henry Bohlman, at the nation's premier comprehensive spine surgery fellowship. He has authored many peer reviewed scientific articles and textbook chapters in the field of spinal surgery and has appeared in national and international television broadcasts discussing advancements in Spine Surgery.

Elliot Ryan Carlisle M.D.
(Not available after september 2008)

Dr. Carlisle focuses his practice on the comprehensive treatment of patients with spinal disorders. He specializes in reconstructive cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine surgery, including the most advanced techniques of minimally invasive and microsurgical spinal procedures. He has extensive experience with complex spine trauma and spinal deformity, and intervertebral disc replacement surgery.

Dr. Carlisle is a native of Southern California and a graduate of Agoura Hills High School. He graduated with Highest Honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology and Genetic Engineering. Dr. Carlisle earned his medical degree at the prestigious Baylor College of Medicine, a top-ten medical school. He was one of only two medical students elected to the medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha before his junior year. He went on to graduate first in his medical school class as the valedictorian and the Dr. Michael E. DeBakey Scholar.

Dr. Carlisle completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the UCLA Medical Center and affiliated hospitals, including Orthopaedic Hospital, and the Shriners' Hospital for Children. He completed his training in Spinal Surgery with Dr. Harry Herkowitz at the nation’s premier comprehensive spinal fellowship at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan. He has authored many peer reviewed scientific articles and textbook chapters in the field of spinal surgery.