Columbia Department of Neurological Surgery

To celebrate #BrainAwarenessWeek, we asked Katie Paccione, NP her favorite brain fact!

Our team recently traveled to #NANS2025, where the latest advancements in spinal cord stimulation and neuromodulation took center stage. Dr. Evan Joiner and medical student Andrés Pascual-Leone presented groundbreaking research on spinal cord injury recovery and neurostimulation optimization. Dr. Joiner’s talk explored how epidural spinal cord stimulation, when paired with brain stimulation, significantly enhances motor response—offering promising opportunities for spinal cord injury recovery. Andres Pascual-Leone shared research on optimizing cervical epidural spinal cord stimulation parameters, highlighting how different settings impact muscle responses. We’re proud to be at the forefront of neuromodulation research and look forward to continuing our work at #NANS2026. Click below to read more! https://lnkd.in/gVKeWr-t North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS)

At 89 years old, Tommy Anderson had spent over a decade battling debilitating back pain. Thanks to Dr. Andrew Chan, MD,?Dr. Anis Dizdarevic MD and the #ColumbiaNeurosurgery team, he found relief without undergoing general anesthesia. Awake spine surgery allowed him to avoid the risks of traditional anesthesia, recover faster, and finally enjoy a pain-free life. Tommy’s experience? “I felt absolutely no pain. I was totally comfortable… By the next day, I had no pain. Not even a twitch.” Learn more about this innovative approach and Tommy’s remarkable journey in the link below: https://lnkd.in/geNJJE2f

After surviving a postpartum #stroke, Emily McLaughlin turned her experience into a mission to improve maternal health. With the care of Sean Lavine, MD, FAANS and his team, she regained her strength and ignited a passion for helping other mothers navigate the often-overlooked risks of the postpartum period. Now, as an advocate and author, Emily is working to destigmatize maternal health conversations and drive change. ?? Read her inspiring journey and learn more about her work: https://lnkd.in/egwaMbGP #InternationalWomensDay #MaternalHealth? Preeclampsia Foundation Nicole Purnell

This #EmployeeAppreciationDay, we’re thrilled to recognize Lana Garcia for winning the 61st Street Service Corporation Spotlight Award! Lana’s dedication to patient care and her unwavering support for colleagues make her an invaluable part of our team. “Lana is always willing to go above and beyond for patient care, and overall, always jumping in to help her colleagues with a smile.” – Maria Alba, Supervisor “It’s such a pleasure to have Lana’s support for our patients and their families. Her incredible service and empathy truly exemplify our culture of care. Her smile says it all.” – Dr. Gordon Baltuch MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS (C) Join us in congratulating Lana on this well-deserved honor! ?

Join us in New York City on September 25-26, 2025 for #Brainwaves2025, a premier two-day event designed to bring together #neurosurgeons, #neurologists, #spine surgeons, APPs, residents, and fellows for expert-led discussions on the latest advancements in #neurosurgery. Expect cutting-edge lectures, case discussions, and networking opportunities covering #neurooncology, spine, #functionalneurosurgery, #cerebrovascular, #pediatricneurosurgery, and more. Plus, earn up to 7 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits?. Register: https://lnkd.in/gACJPs35

Dr. Gordon Baltuch MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS (C) recently took the world stage at Japan’s 64th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, sharing insights on deep brain stimulation, focused ultrasound for Parkinson’s disease, and coping with surgical complications. With over 600 attendees, the meeting highlighted Japan’s continued leadership in functional neurosurgery. Dr. Baltuch was honored to reunite with his former fellow, Dr. Atsushi Umemura, and contribute to the global conversation on innovation in the field. Read more about his presentations and key takeaway: https://lnkd.in/gwpUfxFA

Today is National #RareDisease Day, a time to raise awareness for conditions like #Moyamoya syndrome—a rare, progressive cerebrovascular disorder that restricts blood flow to the brain. Without treatment, Moyamoya can lead to strokes, seizures, and neurological decline. At Columbia Neurosurgery, our experts specialize in advanced revascularization procedures that restore blood flow and prevent further damage. Early diagnosis and treatment are key. Swipe to learn more about Moyamoya and how our specialists can help. For more on this rare disease, visit the link below. https://lnkd.in/gDYCiKsd

Our residents in their research year, Dr. Nate Winans, Dr. Linda Wang, and Dr. Pavan Upadhyayula have selected a paper from this month’s Spine, “Quantitative Analysis of Relationship between Paraspinal Muscle Degeneration and Degree of Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis” with authorship from our spine surgeons, Drs. Evan Joiner, Andrew Chan, MD, McCormick Paul, Christopher Mandigo, Justin Neira, Pete Angevine, and Dean Chou, MD. Dr. Evan Joiner weighed in to share his insights. Swipe to read his thoughts. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/e-cJn4Ah

Congratulations to Dr. Sisti Michael B for his submission, entitled, “Trust," for winning a photo contest we hosted for our team: Fun With AI. Dr. Sisti used DALL-E Open Ai to render this image from his prompt, “Trust, the basis of neurosurgeon patient relationship at the moment of truth.” Congratulations on another win, Dr. Sisti and thank you for sharing such a powerful interpretation of this subject matter! #AIinNeurosurgery #AI #neurosurgery