Chester Donnally III, MD

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Addison, TX
Chester Donnally III, MD

As a third generation Texan, Dr. Donnally is compassionate to the needs of his community and the patients he serves in his native city of Dallas. He prides himself on performing the least invasive amount of surgery to alleviate a patient’s spinal pathology while concurrently accelerating their post-operative rehabilitation. Additionally, he stresses surgical techniques that minimize post-operative

pain and medication use. While Dr. Donnally is passionate about minimally invasive surgery he is also committed to complex corrective procedures for adult spinal deformities. Early in his career Dr. Donnally placed an emphasis on medical research. His contribution of more than 70 peer reviewed publications and a dozen book chapters has allowed him to be invited to many speaking engagements across the country to present his findings. He is dedicated to advancing the spinal community’s knowledge base through research and education. He continues to work with various scientific and product teams to identify modern techniques that will better diagnosis spinal conditions and manage these pathologies. A true local, Dr. Donnally graduated from Highland Park High School in Dallas and then earned Magna Cum Laude honors while at Southern Methodist University. While attending medical school at Texas Tech Health Science Center he graduated top of his class with a Distinction in Research. Dr. Donnally completed his Orthopedic Surgery training at University of Miami Hospital/Jackson Memorial Hospital. He continued his Spine Surgery training as a fellow at the world-renowned Rothman Institute in Philadelphia. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha honor societies. Additionally he earned the distinction of Eagle Scout with local Dallas Troop 82.

04/25/2026

PATIENT TESTIMONIAL: TWO LEVEL DISC REPLACEMENT

I’m extremely fortunate that patients trust me to share their stories 🙏 — it helps others who are fearful of spine surgery realize there is real hope ✨

This was a wonderful patient of mine who had a significant problem with a relatively straightforward solution 💡 She’s now doing fantastic 🙌

Cases like this remind me that while spine surgery can be complex and stressful 🧠, the outcomes can truly be life-changing ❤️‍🩹 when done for the right reasons

Treating my locally home community in Dallas, Texas 📍(sadly… no financial ties to any disc replacement companies! Also not biased 👀🤣)

04/21/2026

𝑼𝒍𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 🦴⚡
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As a spine surgeon in hometown🏡 (Dallas), I use this tool to help open up nerve tunnels and take pressure off pinched nerves in patients dealing with spinal stenosis and other forms of nerve compression- Yes, I still use ultrasonic technology in certain fusion cases, including scoliosis correction. 🐍
But the mindset I bring into surgery is bigger than that: when possible, I want to use precise tools to reconstruct the spine, relieve pressure on the nerves, and potentially avoid a fusion. ✅🕵️‍♀️

Fusions are absolutely the right operation when they are indicated. But having a tool that helps safely and precisely remove bone around delicate neural structures is a huge advantage—and in my opinion, it is useful in almost every spine practice.📚

⭐ Sadly, no financial ties to this video. ☹️😢😢😢

SpineSurgeon Dallas Orthopedics MedicalEducation

04/15/2026

🚬Smoking and spine surgery do not mix. 🚭

Ni****ne can hurt blood flow, slow healing, increase complications, and lower the chance of a solid fusion after surgery. If a patient wants the best possible outcome, quitting smoking is one of the smartest moves they can make.

In this video, I explain why smoking matters so much before and after spine surgery!!

neckpain spinesurgeon donnallyspineconsult

04/11/2026

🚫Not all spondylolisthesis is the same — and the type you have SHOULD determine how it’s treated. 📚
There are 6 types. Today I’m breaking down two of the most common: degenerative and isthmic.
Degenerative spondylolisthesis tends to be more stable. That means in many cases, fusion isn’t necessary — and we can manage it without surgery or with a less aggressive approach.
Isthmic spondylolisthesis is a different pathology entirely!!! It’s often unstable, and unstable spondylolisthesis has better outcomes with stabilization and fusion. Pubmed.gov
Same-sounding diagnosis. Completely different treatment path. This is why getting the right diagnosis matters.

04/05/2026

A true game changer in spine surgery. 🦴⚡

This technology allows surgeons to cut bone with impressive precision while helping protect nearby soft tissue structures. In the right setting, that can make decompressions more controlled, more efficient, and technically easier when working around delicate anatomy.

Tools like this are one of the reasons spine surgery continues to evolve—better visualization, better precision, and better ways to safely treat pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.

BackPain SpineSurgeon

03/26/2026

🔥 Sciatica is not a diagnosis by itself—it is a symptom, and it often means a nerve is being pinched in the lower back.

Common causes include a disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, or thickened arthritic joints in the back of the spine that narrow the space for the nerve. When that happens, pain can shoot from the low back into the buttock and down the leg, sometimes with numbness, tingling, or weakness ⚡🦵

Understanding the cause of sciatica matters, because treatment depends on what is actually pinching the nerve 🧠

03/22/2026

🦴 Spine Surgery Breakdown: Not all cages are created equal…

From PLIF → TLIF → LLIF → ALIF, each approach reaches the spine differently, but the goals are the same:

✅ Restore lumbar lordosis
✅ Achieve a solid fusion
✅ Open the neural foramen to relieve pressure on the nerves

But the type of spacer and the surgical approach both come with tradeoffs.

An ALIF cage offers major advantages, including better access for restoring lordosis and placing a larger implant, but it often requires an additional access surgeon and brings unique risks from going through the abdomen! These are no joke! But the trade offs can be particularly impressive 🪜

A TLIF cage, on the other hand, keeps the procedure entirely posterior, which can show an advantage in the perfect setting. The TLIF may sacrifice some of the benefits seen with ALIF when it comes to lordosis restoration and, in some cases, fusion potential. L5/1 MIS TLIF 🤮

And a LATERAL (LLIF) is great at L1-L4, harder at 4/5, and very rare/tough at a true L5/S1.

Different path. Different pros and cons. Same mission. 👊

Understanding the approach helps explain why a surgery is chosen—not just what is done.

03/19/2026

Heavy legs when walking? Maybe it’s not just “getting older.” 🚨

Neurogenic claudication happens when arthritis in the lumbar spine compresses the nerves going down to your legs.

Patients often describe it as walking with cinder blocks on their feet… or making it halfway to the mailbox before their legs suddenly stop working.

The key clue? It improves when you sit down or lean forward.

The good news — this is very treatable once properly diagnosed.

03/05/2026

Excited to share a small accomplishment in spine surgery here in Texas 🤠🦴

I recently combined two✌️ advanced technologies — Spineology instrumentation and Joimax endoscopic spine surgery technology — to facilitate a lumbar spinal fusion. This minimally invasive approach allows surgery through very small incisions while still achieving the stability of a fusion.

According to AMAZING reps’ knowledge, this is the first time the combination of and technologies has been performed in the GREAT state of Texas!! ⭐️

I’m incredibly grateful for the mentors who helped shape my training. One of the pioneers of endoscopic spine surgery, Dr. Mike Wang, showed me this technique almost a decade ago during my residency at the University of Miami. 🙏

The goal is simple: smaller incisions, less tissue disruption, and faster recovery for patients. ⚡️

Fun fact: Texas is bigger than France. 🇨🇱🇫🇷

texasdoctor

03/01/2026

2026 Hybrid Spine Surgery: Some insurance carriers are now approving hybrid cervical surgery — combining a fusion at one level and a disc replacement at another.
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For years, patients were often forced into “all fusion” even when one level was better suited for motion preservation. That’s starting to change due to great leadership in the spine community
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Hybrid surgery can allow:
• Stability where it’s needed
• Motion where it’s preserved
• More individualized surgical planning
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It’s 100% not for everyone — proper patient selection matters — but this shift represents real progress in how cervical spine conditions are treated. To be clear, fusions are great when indicated, but let’s use all the tools we have!
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📍 Dallas, TX
Educational spine content weekly.

SpineSurgeon

02/25/2026

What does the Eiffel Tower have to do with spine surgery? 🗼

In this video, I explain how modern lumbar fusion implants are designed using structural engineering principles — similar to the way the Eiffel Tower distributes force.

Not all interbody cages are built the same.
Some are designed to:

• Improve load distribution
• Increase surface area for bone growth
• Reduce stress shielding
• Enhance long-term fusion potential

As a spine surgeon, I’m always thinking about durability, stability, and biomechanics — not just what looks good on an X-ray.

Understanding how implants are engineered helps patients better understand why certain surgical strategies are chosen.

If you’re researching lumbar fusion, disc collapse, or spondylolisthesis — this breakdown will help you think about spine surgery in a different way.

📍 Dallas, Texas
🌎 Educational spine content weekly

02/20/2026

𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗨𝗕$… 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁$?👀💸

Let’s look at the math for just ONE spine surgeon:

🔹 130 operating days per year
🔹 ~4 vendors/reps on an average surgical day

That’s 520 vendor appearances per year.

𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚.

Vendors often come when the surgeon isn’t even there to:
📦 Drop off trays
📤 Pick up equipment
🔎 Check in sets
📅 Prep for next-day cases

Many reps cover multiple hospitals in a single day. So if hospitals are charging per-visit or per-scrub “subscriptions,” the real number of entries can be much higher than just surgery days. 💰

Now let’s talk about what already exists.

Vendors already must:
✅ Complete credentialing
✅ Maintain compliance (vaccines, training, background checks)
✅ Wear visible credential stickers with the exact date displayed

If the date is wrong? It can and should be reported immediately. 🚨

Most hospitals also use:
🔐 RFID badge access
🚪 Secured entry systems
📲 Controlled OR access

So here’s the question…

If we already have credential verification, visible date markers, RFID tracking, and staff oversight — is adding a disposable scrub subscription truly about safety? 🧼

Or is it another revenue stream tied to vendor presence? 💸

𝑰’𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆.
But enforcing existing safeguards may matter more than layering new costs into the system.

Transparency matters. If it improves patient safety, show the data. If it’s financial policy, call it that!

What’s your hospital doing? 👇

Address

17051 Dallas Pkwy #400
Addison, TX
75001

Telephone

+12143703535

Website

https://www.donnallyspine.com/contact-us-spine-surgeon-dallas-tx.html

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