Rolando Madrid Puno

Dr. Rolando “Randy” Puno built a life defined by innovation, care, and joy. A loving husband and father and dedicated orthopedic spine surgeon, Randy held 90 U.S. and international patents for spinal instrumentation that he invented—including the world’s first polyaxial pedicle screw.

Randy passed away at age 71 in Louisville, Kentucky on October 10, 2025 from bulbar-onset ALS, a rare form of the rapidly progressive disease for which there is currently no cure. Randy is survived by his wife and partner in all things, Regina; his children Risa and Ronnie; and his younger siblings Willie, Eric, Gerry, Mike, Irene, and their families.

Randy was born in Manila, Philippines on November 22, 1953 to Jesusa Madrid and Rufino Puno. Ever since he was young, he showed natural ingenuity when tinkering with his siblings in their father’s machine shop to build their own toys and tools. He was driven by an insatiable curiosity for how things work and a belief that good design and engineering can improve people’s lives.

He studied at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Manila and proceeded to the University of Santo Tomas where he started in engineering and switched to pre-med. In 1977, he went on to earn his medical degree from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center. He completed his first orthopedic residency at the University of the Philippines’ Philippine General Hospital where he created his first biomechanical inventions. He was selected for further training to the Total Joint and Trauma Fellowship in Minneapolis. During this time, he realized that there was potential in the field of spine surgery for innovation, so he chose to do an additional fellowship, this time in Spine Surgery at the Twin Cities Scoliosis Center. This is where he started developing the mechanism that revolutionized spine surgery by allowing surgeons to adapt to patients’ anatomy with greater ease and precision.

He eventually made his way to Louisville, where he joined the Norton Leatherman Spine Center. As a surgeon, he was known for his kind bedside manner and for his willingness to take on really difficult cases in both adult and pediatric patients. He was passionate about helping people, and patients flew in from all over the world seeking help. He touched so many lives during his 3+ decades of practice and mentorship. You couldn’t go anywhere in Louisville with him, without someone stopping him to thank him for fixing their back… or their brother’s back… or their mother-in-law’s nephew’s grandkid’s back!

Outside the operating room, he approached each new experience with the same enthusiasm that he brought to his work. Randy was known for his athleticism—he played soccer in college, and even though he didn’t pick up running until his 40s, he ran over 15 marathons. And until he was diagnosed with ALS, he was still cycling regularly, snowboarding during the winter (faster than his nephews!), and riding his electric surfboard during the summer.

Randy loved traveling with his wife Regina, sampling cuisine and wine from all different cultures. He also loved to cook, welcoming friends for elaborate multi-course dinners at their home, or preparing a Thanksgiving feast for family, friends, and the spine fellows who couldn’t make it home for the holiday. While he may not have been the loudest person in the room, Randy was very social and was known for hosting the best parties. He enjoyed salsa dancing with Regina, brainstorming with his daughter Risa, and golf with his son Ronnie. Randy would beam with pride talking about his children, and he loved showing his friends and colleagues photos and videos of their accomplishments. Even as his illness progressed, he never lost his warm smile and playful sense of humor.

His family is planning a celebration of his life on what would have been Randy’s 72nd birthday—November 22, 2025—with the time, venue, and other details to be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the ALS Association to help continue the vital support they provide to families and caregivers coping with this brutal disease. Or to support research, training, education, and clinical advancement at the Norton Leatherman Spine Center, please visit NortonChildrens.com/Donate and under “Gift Designation” choose ‘Other’ and write in “Rolando M Puno MD Orthopedic and Spine Fund”.

Surgery photo by Talisman Brolin.