Dr. Ricardo Vallejo Salamanca

Honorary President MIVI Salud

Professional Experience

News Honorary President MIVI Salud
2024 - Present: CEO, C-Flow Labs Inc.
2021 - Present: CMO, Capri Medical
2020 - Present: CEO, SGX Medical
2018 - Present: General Manager, Lumbrera
2007 - Present: Scientific Coordinator, Pain Clinic, Quirón-Teknon
2007: Co-Founder, Pain Clinic at Quirón-Teknon
2010 - Present: Executive Board Member, American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
2017 - Present: Section Editor for Basic Sciences, Pain Physician.
2017 - Present: Editorial Board Member, Pain Physician.
2017 - Present: Editorial Board Member, Neuromodulation.
2016 - Present: Editorial Board Member, Interventional Pain Management Reports.
2006 - Present: Member of the Editorial Board, Clinical Journal of Pain
2006 - Present: Member of the Editorial Board, Pain Physician
2005 - Present: Member of the Editorial Board, The Journal of Opioid Management
2005 - Present: Associate Editor, Pain Practice
2016 - Present: Scientific Committee of the NANS Annual Congress.
2008 - Present: Member of the Clinical Guidelines Committee, ASIPP
2022 - Present: Member of the Committee of Evaluators, World Institute of Pain
2016 - Present: Member of the Evaluators Committee, European Pain Federation.
2009 - Present: Member of the Committee of Evaluators, American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians.
2007 - Present: Member of the Committee of Evaluators, World Institute of Pain
2009 - Present: Secretary, Illinois Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
2021 - Present: Board Member, Boston Pain Society
2021 - Present: Online Platform Editor and Peer Reviewer, Interventional Pain Medicine
2019 - 2021: Director of Research, National Spine and Pain Centers.
2016 - 2020: CEO, Stimgenics LLC
2019 - 2022: Board Member, Director-at-Large, NANS Board of Directors.
2017 - 2023: Editorial Board Member, Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management.
2002 - 2019: Director of Research, Millennium Pain Center
2012 - 2017: Editor-in-Chief, Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management.
2016: Scientific Committee Chair, American Society of Regional Anesthesia - 15th Fall Annual Pain Medicine Meeting.
2015: Scientific Committee Member, American Society of Regional Anesthesia - 14th Fall Annual Pain Management Meeting.
2014: Scientific Committee Member, American Society of Regional Anesthesia - 13th Fall Annual Pain Management Meeting.
2014: Expert Reviewer, National Agency for Prospective Evaluation (ANEP), Spain.
2002 - 2010: Member of the Research Committee, Central Illinois Neuroscience Foundation.
2005 - 2007: Professor, Opioid Management Society
2000 - 2001: Chief Resident, Department of Anesthesiology - University of Miami.
1999 - 2001: Resident Representative for Florida - American Society of Anesthesiology
2013 - Present: Pain Specialist - The Center for Out-patient Medicine, Bloomington, IL
2012 - 2023: Medical Director / Anesthesiologist and Pain Specialist - Unity Point Health-Methodist, Peoria, IL.
2012 - 2021: Pain Specialist - Presence St. Francis Medical Center, Evanston, IL
2011 - 2021: Pain Specialist - Advocate Condell Medical Center, Libertyville, IL
2011 - 2014: Pain Specialist - Holy Family Medical Center, Des Plaines, IL.
2009 - 2021: Pain Specialist - Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur, IL
2008 - 2021: Pain Specialist - Presence Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, IL
2008 - 2013: Pain Specialist - OSF-Saint James Hospital, Pontiac, IL.
2002 - 2021: Anesthesiologist and Pain Specialist - Advocate BroMenn Hospital, Normal, IL
2002 - 2021: Anesthesiologist and Pain Specialist - OSF Medical Center, Bloomington, IL

Training

1992-1994 - Ph.D., Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
1980-1988 - M.D., University Libre, School of Medicine, Cali, Colombia
2008: Diplomate - American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians
2008: Certificate in Controlled Substance Management, Coding, Compliance and Practice Management - American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians
2003: Fellow in Interventional Pain Medicine - World Institute of Pain
2002: Certification in Pain Medicine - American Board of Anesthesiology
2001: Certification in Anesthesiology - American Board of Anesthesiology

Academic and research experience

2015 - Present: Professor of the Master's Degree in Pain Research and Treatment - University of Valencia, Spain.
2014 - Present: Assistant Research Professor - Department of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University, Normal, Illinois.
2003 - 2016: Assistant Professor - Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois.

Publications

Amirdelfan K, Provenzano D, Yu C, Verrilis P, Vallejo R, Guirguis M, Tate J, Bradley K. Effects of Kilohertz Frequency on Paresthesia Perception Threshold in Spinal Cord Stimulation. Pain Physician 2025 Jan;28(1):E81-E91
Kapural L, Vallejo R, Cedeno DL, Chakravarthy K, Kallewaard JW, Abd-Elsayed A, Fishman MA, Murphy M, Gamache JE, Johanek LM. DTM SCS: A rational hypothesis. Journal of Pain. 2024. Under review.
Cedeño DL, Vallejo R, Platt DC, Williams JM, Litvak LM, Dinsmoor DA, Straka M. Evolution of spinal evoked compound action potential thresholds, visual motor thresholds, and impedances in a rodent spared nerve injury model. Scientific Reports Nature. 2024. Under Review
White T, Justiz R, Fishman M, Schultz D, Calodney A, Cordner H, Almonte W, Millet Y, Wu K, Gekht G, Will A, Kim P, Bundschu R, Sirianni J, El-Naggar A, Gupta M, Park W, Cedeño DL, Vallejo R. Differential Target Multiplexed Spinal Cord Stimulation for the treatment of chronic intractable upper limb pain: 12-Month results from a prospective, multi-center study. Neuromodulation, 2024. Jul 24:S1094-7159(24)00628-7. doi: 10.1016/j.neurom.2024.06.497.
White T, Justiz R, Almonte W, Micovic V, Shah B, Anderson E, Kapural L, Cordner H, El-Naggar A, Fishman M, Eshraghi Y, Kim P, Abd-Elsayed A, Chakravarthy K, Millet Y, Sanapati M, Harrison N, Goff B, Gupta M, Grewal P, Wilkinson M, Bundschu R, Will A, Satija P, Li S, Dulebohn S, Broadnax J, Gekht G, Wu K, Falowski S, Park W, Cedeño DL, Vallejo R. 12-month results from a randomized controlled trial comparing differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation and conventional spinal cord stimulation in subjects with chronic refractory axial low back pain not eligible for spine surgery. N Am Spine Soc J 2024, 19:100528. doi: 10.1016/j.xnsj.2024.100528.
Fabregat-Cid G, Cedeño DL, De Andrés J, Monsalve-Dolz V, Mínguez-Martí A, Escrivá-Matoses N, Asensio-Samper JM, Carnaval T, Villoria J, Rodríguez-López R, Vallejo R. Insights into the pathophysiology and response of persistent spine pain syndrome type 2 to spinal cord stimulation: A human genome wide association study. Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 2024. Jul 2:rapm-2024-105517. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2024-105517. Online ahead of print.
Kallewaard JW, Billet B, van Paesschen R, Smet I, Mendiola A, Peña I, López P, Carceller J, Tornero C, Zuidema X, Vesper J, Lehmberg J, Laloo W, Cedeño DL, Vallejo R. European randomized controlled trial evaluating Differential Target Multiplexed Spinal Cord Stimulation and Conventional Medical Management in subjects with persistent back pain ineligible for spine surgery: 24-Month results. European Journal of Pain, 2024. 28(10):1745-1761. doi: 10.1002/ejp.2306.
Vallejo R, Fishman MA, Shah B, Kim P, Benyamin R, Vetri F, Tilley DM, Cedeño DL. Targeted nerve root stimulation alleviates intractable chronic limb pain associated with complex regional pain syndrome: A prospective multi-center feasibility study. Pain Physician, 2024. 27(4):213-222.
Fabregat-Cid G, Cedeño DL, Harutyunyan A, Rodríguez-López R, Monsalve-Dolz V, Mínguez-Martí A, Hernández-Cádiz MJ, Escrivá-Matoses N, Villanueva-Pérez V, Asensio Samper JM, De Andrés J, Vallejo R. Effect of conventional spinal cord stimulation on serum protein profile in patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome: A case-control study. Neuromodulation, 2023, Oct;26(7):1441-1449. doi: 10.1016/j.neurom.2023.05.004.
Venkatraman V, Bharmi R, Coletti F, Gellad ZF, Lempel N, Amit N, Blank N, Brown J, Kumar C, Fishman M, Vallejo R, Datta D, Reeve BB, Chakravarthy K, Sharan AD, Lad SP. Real World Characterization of Chronic Pain, Success Rates and Implant Rates: Evidence from Digital Health Platforms of Patients Undergoing Spinal Cord Stimulation Evaluations. J Pain. 2023 Dec;24(12):2228-2239. Doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.07.008
Paladini A, Vallejo R, Guerrero M, Pasqualucci A, Peppin JF, Pergolizzi J Jr, Varrasi G. Cureus. 2023 Aug 16;15(8):e43561. Doi:10.7759/cureus.43561.eCollection2023 Aug
Cedeno DL, Kelley CA, Vallejo R. Effects of stimulation intensity of a differential target multiplexed SCS program in an animal model of neuropathic pain. Pain Pract. 2023 Jul:23(60):639-646. Doi:10.1111/papr.13236
Vallejo R, Benyamin R, Orduña-Valls J, Vallejo A, Thomas SM, Cedeño DL. A randomized controlled study of the long-term efficacy of cooled and monopolar radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of chronic pain related to knee osteoarthritis. Interventional Pain Medicine. 2023, 2(2):100249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inpm.2023.100249
Tilley DM, Vallejo R, Vetri F, Platt DC, Cedeno DL. Regulation of Expression of Extracellular Matrix Proteins by Differential Multiplexed Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) and Traditional Low-Rate SCS in a Rat Nerve Injury Model. Biology (Basel) 2023 Mar 31;12(4):537. Doi:10.3390/biology12040537
Staats PS, Vallejo R, Gasquet NC, Ricker CN. Effects of Provider Specialty on Medical Resource Utilization and Cost in Chronic Spinal-Pain Management. Pain Physician. 2023 Mar;26(2)207-217.
Cedeno DL, Vallejo R, Kelley CA, Platt DC, Litvak LM, Straka M, Dinsmoor DA. Spinal Evoked Compound Action Potentials in Rats With Clinically Relevant Stimulation Modalities. Neuromodulation. 2023 Jan;26(1):68-71 Doi:10.1016/j.neurom.2022.06.006
Platt DC, Apuzzo CF, Jones MA, Cedeño DL, Vallejo R. Development of a C6 Glioma Cell Model System to Assess Effects of Cathodic Passively Balanced Electrical Stimulation on Responses to Neurotransmitters: Implications for Modulation of Intracellular Nitric Oxide, Chloride, and Calcium Ions. Brain Sci. 2022 Nov 6;12(11): 1504. Doi: 10.3390/brainsci12111504.ONUD: 36358430
Deer TR, Russo MA, Grider JS, Pope J, Hagedorn JM, Naidu R, Petterson DG, Wilson D, Lubenow TR, Buvanandran A, Sheth SJ, Abdallan R, Knezevic NN, Schu S, Nijhuis H, Metha P, Vallejo R, Shah JM. The Neuromodulation Appropriateness Consensus (NACC): Recommendations for Surgical Technique for Spinal Cord Stimulation. Neuromodulation. 2022 Jan;25(1):1-34. Doi 10.1016/j.neurom.2021.10.015
Tilley DM, Vallejo R, Vetri F, Platt DC, Cedeño DL. Activation of Neuroinflammation via mTOR Pathway is Disparately Regulated by Differential Target Multiplexed and Traditional Low-Rate Spinal Cord Stimulation in a neuropathic Pain Model. J Pain Res. 2022 Sep 13; 15:2857-2866. Doi: 10.2147/JPR.S378490.eCollection 2022.PMID: 36156899
Cedeño DL, Vallejo R, Kelley CA, Platt DC, Litvak LM, Straka M, Dinsmoor DA. Spinal Evoked Compound Action Potentials in Rats With Clinically Relevant Stimulation Modalities. Neuromodulation. 2023 Jan;26(1):68-77. doi: 10.1016/j.neurom.2022.06.006. Epub 2022 Aug 10.PMID: 35961888.
Tornero C, Pastor E, Garzando MDM, Orduña J, Forner MJ, Bocigas I, Cedeño DL, Vallejo R, McClure CK, Czura CJ, Liebler EJ, Staats P. Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for COVID-19: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (SAVIOR l). Front Neurol. 2022 Apr 8;13:820864. Doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.820864. eCollection 2022.PMID: 35463130.

Awards

2025: Giants of Pain Management Award - American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
2024: Distinguished Research Award - American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
2024: Award for Excellence in Pain - Colombian Pain Association
2022: Best Poster - "Effect of DTM SCS Intensity on Cell-Specific Transcriptomics", World Institute of Pain Meeting, Budapest, Hungary
2021: ASPN Lifetime Achievement Award
2021: Researcher of the Year Award - National Spine and Pain Center, The Business of Pain Medicine, Arlington, VA
2019: Best of Meeting Abstract Award - 18th Annual Pain Medicine Meeting, ASRA, New Orleans, LA.
2019: Best Abstract Award - International Neuromodulation Society, Sydney, Australia.
2019: Outstanding Research Award - American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, 10th Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV.
2018: Best Basic Science Research Award - North American Neuromodulation Society Meeting, Las Vegas, NV (January 12).
2018: Best Basic Science Research Award - North American Neuromodulation Society Meeting, Las Vegas, NV (January 17).
2016: Clinical Excellence Award - West Virginia Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, Bahamas.
2014: Best Poster - "Pulsed Radiofrequency Modulates the Expression of Regulatory Genes Along the Nociceptive Pathways", Spain Pain Society Meeting, Toledo.
2014: Distinguished Service Award - ESRA Spain, 20th Annual Congress, Valencia.
07/16/2024: Patent US 12,036,408 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
05/03/2024: Patent US 11,918,811 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal or Multiplexed Electrical Modulation of Pain using Composite Electromagnetic Fields".
06/02/2024: Patent US 11,890,473 - "System and Method of Pain Relief Based on Frequency Based Analysis of Temporal Nociceptive Signals".
05/30/2023: Patent US 11,660,453 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
03/21/2023: Patent US 11,607,548 - "System and Method of Pain Relief Based on Frequency Based Analysis of Temporal Nociceptive Signals".
08/30/2022: Patent US 11,426,583 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
09/11/2021: Patent US 11,167,139 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain using Composite Electromagnetic Fields".
08/17/2021: Patent US 11,090,490 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
06/29/2021: Patent US 11,045,651 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
02/03/2021: Patent US 10,933,244 - "System and Method of Pain Relief Using Frequency-Based Analysis of Temporal Nociceptive Signals".
01/12/2020: Patent US 10,850,102 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
09/06/2020: Patent US 10,675,466 - "Method and Apparatus for Electrical Modulation of Pain using Composite Electromagnetic Fields".
12/17/2019: Patent US 10,507,326 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
11/19/2019: Patent US 10,478,624 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
08/10/2019: Patent US 10,434,311 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
07/08/2018: Patent US 10,039,930 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".
08/05/2018: Patent US 9,962,547 - "Method and Apparatus for Multimodal Electrical Modulation of Pain".

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Begoña Garrido

Cuando una persona necesita hacer uso de la Unidad del dolor, ya no hay solo un daño físico, sino también emocional, y este el punto en el que me encontraba cuando me puse en manos del doctor Justo Fernández Toro. Años y años de dolor y muy poca esperanza de mejorar, pero el doctor Justo y su ayudante Pablo fueron la luz que cambió mi vida. Sus manos, su coraje, su paciencia, su empatía y las ganas de ayudarme a recuperar parte de lo que ya había perdido. Jamás se rindieron y siguen buscando la forma de ayudarme en lo que aún puede que mejore todavía más. Les estaré eternamente agradecidos.

Response from the owner:Muchas gracias Begoña por tomarse tiempo en dejar esta reseña tan positiva sobre el Dr. Fernández Toro y equipo! Nos alegra saber que ha tenido una experiencia satisfactoria en nuestra clínica
Saludos

Itahisa Arteaga

Response from the owner:Gracias por las 5 estrellas Ithaisa. En MIVI Salud estamos para ayudar a nuestros pacientes de la mejor forma posible. Un saludo.

PEPE BLANCA

Excelente profesional. Tras la operación el resultado y el seguimiento ha sido inmejorable, así como el trato.
Lo recomendaría a cualquier paciente

Response from the owner:Gracias Pepe por tu reseña y recomendación! En MIVI Salud nos enorgullece brindar un trato maravilloso y soluciones efectivas a nuestros pacientes. ¡Esperamos verte de nuevo en nuestra clínica siempre que nos necesites! Un saludo

Laly Suarez Segura

La atención magnífica tanto de la señorita que me atendio en el mostrador, como de la dra de la UDO, fue súper amable y cercana.

Response from the owner:Muchas gracias Laly! Le agradecemos que manifieste públicamente su opinión. En MIVI Salud siempre intentamos cuidarles y atenderles con profesionalidad. Saludos.

Angela Vegas

Trato exquisito del doctor, muy humano. Ha tenido en todas las visitas una gran empatía y tiene la voluntad de quitar el dolor , no dudando en hacer cualquier procedimiento para conseguirlo. Muy profesional. Esta unidad, la del tratamiento del dolor, es absolutamente imprescindible y ayuda mucho a los pacientes

Response from the owner:Muchas gracias Ángela por tu reseña. Nos alegra mucho saber que te hemos brindado una experiencia tan positiva.Gracias por reconmendar MIVI Salud. Cuenta con nosotros siempre que necesites cuidarte
Un saludo

mari bueno

Response from the owner:Gracias por tu valoración Mari!
Un saludo

Marian Ledesma

Mi madre mejoró muchísimo gracias al dr García Andrés ,es un médico estupendo y Alba su administrativa un encanto ,muchas gracias.

Response from the owner:Gracias Marian por las 5 estrellas y por confiar en nuestros servicios y en el doctor García. En MIVI Salud estamos para ayudar a nuestros pacientes de la mejor forma posible.
Un saludo

M.Carmen Saez

Estoy muy contenta con todo el procedimiento

Response from the owner:Muchas gracias M.Carmen. Le agradecemos que manifieste públicamente su opinión. En MIVI Salud siempre intentamos cuidarles y atenderles con profesionalidad. Saludos.

Angeles Barroso

Muy recomendable la unidad del dolor, el doctor de Santiago y la enfermera Erica son unos excelentes profesionales, pero sobre todo lo más que valoro es el trato que tienen conmigo, muy amables y cercanos. Estoy muy agradecida por el cariño que me muestran, llevo tiempo haciéndome la radiofrecuencia en las rodillas y mi calidad de vida ha mejorado muchísimo.

Response from the owner:Ángeles, gracias por las 5 estrellas y por confiar en nuestros servicios y en el doctor Santiago y su equipo. En MIVI Salud estamos para ayudar a
nuestros pacientes de la mejor forma posible. Un saludo.

Stanislava Andreeva

Quiero expresar mi agradecimiento al Dr. Francisco Duca por poder olbidar de mis dolores de espalda. Gracias a su profesionalismo vuelvo a poder disfrutar la vida activa y alegre. Ademas el trato y su apoyo ha sido excepcional. Me considero muy afortunada por haber encontrado un gran profesional y la gran persona en que se puede confiar. Muchisimas gracias y bravo!!!