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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Oscar

Increíble como estaba de dolores desde que me levantaba y como estoy ahora después de una filtración. Encantado y muchísimas gracias a mivi y al dc. Duca!! Espectacular!!

Elena Trujillo Trujillo

Atendimiento excelente

Santi Gutti

Muy amable simpática y trabajadora.

Andres Navarro

Araceli Sánchez

Excelente trato desde que entras en la unidad. Desde la primera atención en el mostrador hasta la tramitación de autorizaciones a la salida.
El Dr. Duca es inigualable. Busca aliviar y solucionar los problemas con los q llegas desde el primer momento.
La atención de las enfermeras en quirófano es de 10.
Sólo tengo agradecimiento por la implicación de todos en mi caso. Siento que ya no lucho sola contra el dolor.

Xavi Guerrero

Tuve la suerte de ser atendido en la Clínica del Dolor MIVI del Hospital General de Catalunya por el Dr. Fran Duca, y no puedo estar más agradecido. MIL GRACIAS!!!

Acudí tras sufrir un ataque de ciática provocado por una hernia discal en L5-S1, y desde el primer momento el Dr. Duca me transmitió confianza, profesionalidad y una calidad humana excepcional.

Su trato cercano, su capacidad de escucha y su profundo conocimiento médico me hicieron sentir en las mejores manos. No solo me explicó con claridad mi situación, sino que me ofreció un plan de tratamiento que me devolvió la esperanza. En un momento difícil, encontré no solo a un gran médico, sino a una persona que se implica de verdad con sus pacientes.

Gracias, Fran, por tu dedicación, tu empatía y tu excelencia. Estoy convencido de que, con tu ayuda, saldré adelante. ¡Un auténtico referente en su especialidad!

Martin Fuentes

Una atención excelente y muy profesional

Maria del Carmen Jurado Cordoba

Pasar por MIVI, con el Dr. Duca, ha sido como renacer. Tras dos infiltraciones, una de ellas en zona sacroiliaca, me ha devuelto la esperanza para poder seguir viviendo con ilusión. Tras unas semanas de la infiltración he podido hacer un viaje a Roma y caminar por sus calles y todo ello sin dolor !!!! Poder dormir en un colchón extraño y no levantarme clavada de ambas caderas, wowww ha sido increíble.
Sobre el doctor Duca os puedo decir que ofrece un trato muy profesional, cercano, muy empático y humano, se ocupó de buscar la mejor solución para mí desde el primer momento, teniendo una mirada amplia sobre toda mi situación general, cosa que agradezco, ya que una mirada amplia es garantía de éxito. No obviar ningún detalle del paciente es primordial, por lo que me sentí muy acompañada, entendida y cuidada con gran profesionalidad.
El personal de quirófano, un 10.
Gracias a todo el equipo de MIVI.

Nuria Villen Medina

He sido paciente durante casi un año por una capsulitis adhesiva del hombro y la experiencia ha sido muy positiva. Tanto en organización de las sesiones, como en la atención de los fisios y médicos, y de todo el personal administrativo. En especial Fran. Muchas gracias por vuestra atención!!!

Jonkel