Department of Neurological Surgery

An initiative at VUMC is helping patients recover more quickly from major surgery, leave the hospital earlier and have fewer side effects from their pain management. (photo by Joe Howell)
April 26, 2024

VUH adopts enhanced recovery for spine surgery

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is launching an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for the nearly 1,000 adult patients who undergo elective spine surgery each year at Vanderbilt University Hospital and Belle Meade Surgery Center.

By Paul Govern
March 29, 2024

A gunshot to the head. A long recovery. Then a wedding.

Special Agent Adam Daniels celebrates ongoing recovery after gunshot causes traumatic brain injury; family’s gift will support care of others with similar injuries

By Jill Clendening
March 6, 2024

Jay Wellons elected president of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons

Vanderbilt’s John “Jay” Wellons III, MD, MSPH, has been elected as the 2024-2025 president of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons.

By Christina Echegaray
February 27, 2024

Ballerina dancing again after inspiring recovery from brain tumor

Emily Kneussle, a 20-year-old aspiring professional ballerina, was “born a dancer.” When a tumor in her brain threatened her dreams, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt helped her get back on stage.

By Nancy Humphrey
February 7, 2024

Teamwork key to treating boy’s severe head injuries following golf cart accident

Collaboration between teams at Vanderbilt was critical in saving a 2-year-old boy who suffered severe and complex injuries to his head after it was accidantly struck by a golf cart.

By Nancy Humphrey
January 11, 2024

New NIH grant funds novel brain network approach to improve epilepsy surgery

Investigators received a $3.2 million grant to develop novel brain network-based measures to guide surgical decisions and improve outcomes in the field of epilepsy surgery. The project builds upon work recently published by VUMC investigators in the journal Brain.

By Holly Fletcher
September 14, 2023

Study suggests way to relieve cognitive deficits caused by Parkinson’s disease

Vanderbilt research raises the possibility of using DBS to slow the decline of cognitive function, a major source of disability, diminished quality of life, and death in more than three-quarters of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
By Bill Snyder
June 22, 2023

Neurocritical care team helps boy survive severe brain injury

Vanderbilt's pediatric neurocritical care team combines experts from different areas of pediatric medicine to care for each child according to individual needs to maximize that child’s quality recovery.
By Christina Echegaray
April 4, 2023

Study shows ketamine could be beneficial for treating brain injury in children

Vanderbilt research shows a common anesthesia drug could be beneficial in reducing pressure inside the skull of children with traumatic brain injuries.
By Craig Boerner
November 10, 2022

Spinal surgeries help restore young patient’s mobility

By Nancy Humphrey
October 27, 2022

Study to explore why some gliomas spread like cancerous tumors

Vanderbilt's Michael Dewan, MD, MSCI, has received a grant from the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation to study why some low-grade gliomas, a type of non-cancerous brain or spine tumor, spread and behave like cancerous tumors.
By Nancy Humphrey
October 18, 2022

VUMC implants first patient in NAUTILUS study for treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsy

A Vanderbilt patient with idiopathic generalized epilepsy is now the first to receive neuromodular stimulation of the brain to see if it can help with seizures.
By Craig Boerner
July 21, 2022

Allie had a stroke when she was 2 years old. Her doctor tells the story of her resilience and her family’s love.

Allie had a blood clot deep in her brain and had only a 5 percent chance of survival.
By Jay Wellons
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