Think Neuro

If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you probably kept a close eye on the pollen count this spring—and you may have felt those all-too-familiar symptoms that affect one in five people: Congestion, sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose. That’s known as allergic rhinitis or, more commonly, hay fever. And that’s why now is a good time to revisit this Think Neuro podcast with Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Dr. Michael Yong, an otolaryngologist with focused training in neuro-rhinology who specializes in treating these seasonal allergies. We’ll learn about what causes allergies and what the different treatment options are. Let’s listen in!

When blood collects in the skull outside the brain and below the outermost layer of tissue surrounding the brain (dura), a subdural hematoma results. This may occur due to head trauma when it is called an acute subdural hematoma. Chronic subdural hematomas may occur due to aging and the increased fragility of blood vessels. The pooled blood may resolve on its own or may require surgical intervention as development of a subdural hematoma can be a life-threatening condition. Symptoms of subdural hematoma can include headache, confusion, change in behavior, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, lethargy or excessive drowsiness, weakness, apathy, and seizures. Subdural hematomas are generally diagnosed by CT scan or MRI imaging. Ashkan Mowla, MD, FAHA, FAAN, is neuro-interventional surgeon at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute® (PNI). He specializes in minimally invasive endovascular procedures to treat conditions and diseases of the brain and spine, including stroke, brain aneurysm, brain and spine arteriovenous malformation and fistula and carotid and intracranial disease. Accepting new patients: 424-212-5361

If you have back pain, you are not alone. According to Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, nearly 65 million Americans report a recent episode of back pain, and 16 million adults — 8 percent of all adults — experience persistent or chronic back pain and are limited in everyday activities. Dr. Marcus Mazur at Pacific Neuroscience Institute sees people living with back pain and works to find a solution, whether that’s through surgery or through some of the many other available options, including medication, physical therapy, chiropractors and, interestingly, exercises in a swimming pool. In today’s episode, Dr. Mazur discusses all the options, when surgery can help, and things you can do to prevent back pain from affecting you in the first place.

National Stroke Awareness Month is observed in May to promote public awareness about stroke symptoms and prevention. While 800,000 Americans have a stroke every year, many of these can be prevented. It’s particularly critical to recognize when a stroke is happening, because fast treatment can prevent the worst effects. In this Spotlight Replay, Dr. Sandra Narayanan, a neurointerventional surgeon at Pacific Neuroscience Institute who treats people who’ve had strokes, tells us how a healthy lifestyle can help most people avoid a stroke. And she gives an important update to the F.A.S.T. acronym for helping recognize when someone has had a stroke—it’s now BE FAST. Let’s listen in and learn what BE FAST stands for—and keep a stroke from knocking us down!

May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month, which the National Brain Tumor Society calls “a time dedicated to supporting, empowering, and amplifying the voice of the brain tumor community.” The NBTS estimates that more than 1.3 million Americans are living with a brain tumor and, while 73 percent of these are benign, an estimate 18,350 Americans will die of a brain tumor this year. In this Spotlight Replay, we revisit a conversation with Dr. Chester Griffiths, one of the founders of Pacific Neuroscience Institute and a pioneer in the minimally invasive brain surgery that has become one of PNI’s hallmarks. Dr. Griffiths tells how he helps find the path through the brain to the tumor, helps the neurosurgeon remove the disease, and then leads their tiny instruments out again. Let’s listen in!

Dr. Nouzhan Sehati, is a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes the treatment of a wide variety of brain, spine and spinal cord disorders at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. His expertise is in surgical and nonsurgical management of degenerative, traumatic and neoplastic (tumor) diseases of the brain and spine with a focus on minimally invasive techniques.⁠ ⁠ Dr. Sehati believes in clinical excellence and comprehensive care for all of his patients. His compassionate approach involves working as a partner with his patients, honoring patient individuality and dignity, understanding the patient’s needs and preferences, discussing all aspects and options of treatment available, and implementing advanced, state-of-the art techniques for optimal outcomes.⁠

Spinal deformity refers to abnormal curvatures of the spine, such as scoliosis, lordosis, and kyphosis. These conditions can arise from genetic defects, injuries, diseases like osteoporosis or arthritis, neuromuscular disorders, or poor posture. Symptoms range from visible misalignment to pain, weakness, loss of sensation, and in severe cases, paralysis or organ compression. Treatment options vary from observation, bracing, medications, and physical therapy to complex surgeries, with early diagnosis offering the best outcomes. Marcus D. Mazur, MD, FAANS, is a board-certified fellowship-trained spine neurosurgeon. His clinical practice focuses on adult spinal surgery for disorders on the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. He is a recognized expert in the treatment of adult spinal deformity, complex revision surgery, spinal oncology, and minimally invasive spine surgery. He also practices general neurosurgery.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL), or sudden deafness, is a rapid loss of hearing. SSHL can happen to a person all at once or over a period of up to 3 days. It should be considered a medical emergency. Hearing loss affects only one ear in 9 out of 10 people who experience SSHL. Many people notice it when they wake up in the morning. Others first notice it when they try to use the deafened ear, such as when they make a phone call. Still others notice a loud, alarming “pop” just before their hearing disappears. People with SSHL often experience dizziness or a ringing in their ears (tinnitus), or both.Dr. Abbas Anwar, a native of Southern California, is a board certified otolaryngologist – head and neck surgeon, at the Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center, Pacific Neuroscience Institute. He specializes in all aspects of general and pediatric ENT and has special interests in sinonasal diseases and infections, head and neck surgery, otologic disorders, and throat complaints. He is well trained in the latest leading-edge innovations in otolaryngology including balloon sinuplasty, CT guided sinus surgery, and microlaryngeal laser surgery.

Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, is a world-renowned neuro-oncologist at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. He treats patients with brain tumors including glioblastoma, glioma, meningioma, metastatic brain tumors, chordoma, and many more difficult brain cancers.He believes that in order to cure patients with brain tumors we first need to gain a better molecular and biological understanding of the disease. A physician/scientist, Kesari harnesses his experience in surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and novel devices to help develop Precision Therapeutic Strategies that will advance medicine to a new stage in the battle against brain tumors and eradicate the disease.

Intracranial meningiomas are the most common benign brain tumor that develop or arise from any meningeal surface of the brain, and are typically attached to the dura (outer layer of the meninges) but can also occur in the cerebral ventricles. Listen to Dr. Daniel Kelly, MD, PNI founder & director, and neurosurgeon, talk about intracranial meningioma symptoms, treatment and minimally invasive keyhole brain surgery. https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/brain-tumor/conditions/meningioma/.https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/brain-tumor/treatment/minimally-invasive-brain-surgery/https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/brain-tumor/people/daniel-kelly/Pacific Brain Tumor CenterPh: 310-582-7450

Dr. Akanksha Sharma is a neuro-oncologist and palliative medicine specialist at the Pacific Brain Tumor Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. To provide extra resources to brain cancer patients suffering from brain tumors such as glioblastoma and their care partners. Dr. Akanksha Sharma is a neuro-oncologist and palliative medicine specialist at the Pacific Brain Tumor Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. To provide extra resources to brain cancer patients suffering from brain tumors such as glioblastoma and their care partners, Dr. Sharma opened a Supportive Care Clinic in 2020. The clinic offers services to deal with symptoms, quality of life, care partner burden and distress, and help alleviate suffering.PacificBrainTumor.org | 310-829-8265

Dr. Jian Guan is a fellowship trained neurosurgeon with a special focus on complex spine surgery at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Dedicated to the care of patients with spine and neck conditions, he practices at PNI-South Bay / Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary in Torrance, California. With over 75 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Guan has a particular clinical and research interest in ways of maximizing benefit to patients following neurosurgical procedures.

Our multidisciplinary team is here to help you and your loved ones understand your condition and determine an optimal treatment plan. Because of our expertise, we treat many patients with the most challenging of pituitary and skull base tumors, including many with prior treatments (recurrent or residual tumors) and patients who have been deemed “non-operative."

Dr. Lewis is a board certified audiologist focusing on adult and pediatric patients. An avid clinician, educator, and advocate, she is dedicated to serving the community using a whole patient approach with evidenced-based and compassionate care.

Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian, Neurosurgeon at Pacific Neuroscience Institute and Assistant Professor of Neuroscience & Neurosurgery at the Saint John's Cancer institute, discusses his perspectives of the future of brain tumor surgery in this episode.

Courtney Voelker, MD, PhD (DPhil Oxon), is a Rhodes Scholar and board certified neurotologist. She is Director of Otology/Neurotology-Lateral Skull Base Surgery; and Director of the Adult & Pediatric Cochlear Implant Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. She is an otolaryngology – head & neck surgeon who takes care of adult and pediatric patients seeing a wide range of inner ear and skull base conditions. A Super Doctor Rising Star award recipient, she is committed to offering top quality, compassionate care to all her patients.Prior to joining PNI, Dr. Voelker was at USC Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC as Division Chief of Otology, Neurotology and Lateral Skull Base Surgery, and the Director of the Pediatric Cochlear Implant program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). She has conducted leading-edge research on the physiology and diseases of the inner ear at Brown University, the University of Oxford, Washington University in St. Louis, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).Dr. Voelker has authored numerous research publications and textbook chapters in her field. She is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the American Neurotologic Society.Dr. Voelker graduated with Honors from Brown University and earned her medical degree from The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. As a Rhodes Scholar she earned her PhD from the University of Oxford in developmental neurobiology. She completed her residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the Washington University (Barnes-Jewish Hospital) in St. Louis and her fellowship at the world-renowned House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles.Learn more about Dr. Voelker and other PNI Doctorshttps://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/courtney-voelker/

Meet Dr. Christopher M. Putman, a board-certified interventional neuroradiologist with over 20 years of experience. He treats a variety of complex intracranial, head and neck, and spine vascular conditions including acute stroke, cervical and intracranial stenosis, vascular malformations, cerebral aneurysm, and venous occlusive diseases.

Jean-Philippe Langevin, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a special interest in the surgical treatment of complex spine conditions and movement disorders. Selected as a multiple year recipient of the SuperDoctor Rising Stars Edition, he has extensive experience using advanced surgical techniques to treat his patients with compassion and care. He practices at PNI-South Bay / Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary in Torrance, California. 

Akanksha Sharma, MD, is board certified in neurology, neuro-oncology and palliative medicine. She is experienced in and provides unique perspective on the treatment of primary/metastatic brain tumors, neurological complications of cancer, and disease-related burden and symptoms. Her clinical and research interests lie in helping patients maximize their time and quality of life. She aims to align treatment with patient goals and to provide holistic care that includes careful symptom assessment and management, as well as support for the patient’s loved ones. To learn more about Dr. Sharma and her treatment, visit:https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/sharma/

Dr. Barbara Giesser is the Multiple Sclerosis Neurologist at the Pacific Brain Health Center. Dr. Giesser’s approach to the diagnosis and management of persons with MS combines state-of-the-art diagnostics and a personalized medication plan for each patient with an emphasis on integrating lifestyle and wellness strategies into the neurologic treatment plan.For more information:https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/barbara-giesser/ | (310) 582-7640

Jean-Philippe Langevin, MD, is a neurosurgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of movement disorders, epilepsy, and psychiatric conditions. Dr. Langevin is the Director of the Restorative Neurosurgery and Deep Brain Stimulation Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica and Torrance.He is also Director of Neuro-Spine Surgery at the Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary, where he sees patients with a wide array of spine disorders including tumors, back pain, or other trauma.

Dr. Walavan Sivakumar is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a focus on skull base and minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery.Selected as a multiple year recipient of the SuperDoctor Rising Stars Edition, Dr. Sivakumar has a particular interest and expertise in brain tumors, skull base tumors, pituitary/parasellar tumors, and intraventricular brain tumors, and he applies the keyhole concept, utilizing advanced neuroimaging and microsurgical techniques to minimize collateral damage to the brain.Dr. Sivakumar practices at PNI-South Bay located at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, California. In addition, he treats patients at the Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary to help relieve and cure back conditions due to spine involvement.You can read more about Dr. Sivakumar at the link below https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/walavan-sivakumar/

Shanthi Gowrinathan, MD, is an accomplished inpatient and outpatient psychiatrist, specializing in both Women’s Psychiatry and Psycho-oncology (Cancer Psychiatry) who works collaboratively in the care of her patients.Dr. Gowrinathan integrates her recommendations with the patient’s medical teams to ensure a whole person, interdisciplinary and cohesive treatment approach.Gifted with the strong ability to empathetically connect with her patients quickly, Dr. Gowrinathan is proficient at diagnosing and treating psychiatric disease in the context of complex medical issues such as cancer diagnosis.

Dr. Porter is the Director of Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Neurocognitive Disorders at the Pacific Brain Health Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PNI) located at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. In addition, she is a Professor of Neurosciences, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics at John Wayne Cancer Institute.https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/about-us/our-team/ | (310) 582-7640

Think Neuro Mini: Meet Dr. Scott KaiserDr. Scott Kaiser, a board-certified family physician, and geriatrician is the Director of Geriatric Cognitive Health and provides specialty geriatric medical consultations at the Pacific Brain Health Center. Focused on the needs of older patients, he works with his colleagues to provide an integrated and holistic approach to their cognitive challenges. With this “whole person” approach, Dr. Kaiser works to connect patients and their families with a broad range of resources to support their overall health and well being.Dr. Kaiser completed his undergraduate studies at Vassar College with a degree in Science, Technology, and Society. He received his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and went on to train within the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency, a program dedicated to community health and the care of underserved populations.You can read more about Dr. Kaiser at the link below https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/scott-kaiser/

Dr. Amit Kochhar, MD, is double board-certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He is the director of the Facial Nerve Disorders Program at Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center, Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. Dr. Kochhar specializes in facial nerve disorders, complex reconstruction of the head and neck, disorders of the nose and sinuses, endoscopic nasal-sinus surgery and facial plastic surgery.  https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/amit-kochhar/ https://www.pacificneuro.org/facialnerve 310-477-5558

Dr. Melita Petrossian is a fellowship-trained neurologist and movement disorders specialist and is the Director of the Pacific Movement Disorders Center located at Providence Saint John’s Health Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance. Dr. Petrossian’s clinical interests and expertise are in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, tremors including essential tremors, dystonia, gait disorders, ataxia, myoclonus, blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, Meige syndrome, spasticity, tics, and Tourette’s syndrome. She also specializes in Parkinson’s-related conditions such as Dementia with Lewy Bodies, progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, corticobasal degeneration, primary freezing of gait, and Parkinson’s Disease Dementia. For more information: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/about-us/our-team/ | (310) 582-7640

Naveed Wagle, MD, has specialized training and research experience in the treatment of cancer of the central and peripheral nervous system. Dr. Wagle treats patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors as well as neurologic complications of cancer at Providence Saint John’s Health Center. As an expert resource to Pacific Neuroscience Institute and the community, Dr. Wagle brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in neuro-oncology clinical trials design and implementation. For more information: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/about-us/our-team/ | (310) 582-7640

Dr. Omid B. Mehdizadeh, MD, is an Otolaryngology, and Head & Neck (ENT) surgeon. Working with colleagues in the Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute, his particular expertise is in voice, swallowing and throat conditions (laryngology). Visit Dr. Mehdizadeh's profile: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/omid-mehdizadeh/PacificNeuro.org310-582-7450

Dr. Natalie Diaz is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in movement disorders. Her clinical practice focuses on the evaluation and management of patients with Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonian disorders, Huntington’s disease and other choreiform disorders, dystonia, and ataxia.She also has specialized training in the evaluation and programming of deep brain stimulation as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and dystonia as well as the therapeutic administration of botulinum toxin injections for non-cosmetic indications such as focal dystonia, hemifacial spasm and limb spasticity. Her research focuses on industry-sponsored clinical trials in Parkinson’s disease and other collaborative clinical projects in the field of neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr. Jian Guan is a fellowship trained neurosurgeon with a special focus on complex spine surgery at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Dedicated to the care of patients with spine and neck conditions, he practices at PNI-South Bay / Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary in Torrance, California. With over 75 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Guan has a particular clinical and research interest in ways of maximizing benefit to patients following neurosurgical procedures. Born in Beijing, China, Dr. Guan spent the majority of his childhood in southeast Michigan. He obtained his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and went on to receive his medical degree at Columbia University in New York City. His residency was completed at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, during which time he finished a fellowship in complex neurosurgical spine at the Lahey Clinic in Massachusetts. National award highlights include the Julius Goodman Resident Award presented by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the Charles Kuntz Scholar Award presented by the Joint Neurosurgical Spine Section.

Jose Carrillo, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and neuro-oncologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of primary and secondary brain tumors, including glioblastoma multiforme, primary CNS lymphoma, meningioma, and brain metastases, as well as the neurologic complications of cancer. In addition, Dr. Carrillo is involved in the enrollment of patients into several clinical trials. Dedicated to advancing medicine, Dr. Carrillo is a strong proponent of leading-edge research in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all types of CNS tumors, including metastatic brain and spine tumors, primary malignant brain and spinal cord tumors, primary benign or low‐grade brain or spine tumors, and skull base and pituitary tumors. His particular research interests involve neuroimaging brain tumor features and molecular markers pertaining to treatment and survival. Dr. Carrillo is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Saint John’s Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center and has been recognized by Coast magazine as a Physician of Excellence, and by L.A. Magazine as a Southern California Super Doctor. To learn about Dr. Carrillo and other PNI doctors visit pacificneuro.org

Dr. Walavan Sivakumar is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with a focus on skull base and minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery. Selected as a multiple-year recipient of the SuperDoctor Rising Stars Edition, Dr. Sivakumar has a particular interest and expertise in brain tumors, skull base tumors, pituitary/ parasellar tumors, and intraventricular brain tumors, and he applies the keyhole concept, utilizing advanced neuroimaging and microsurgical techniques to minimize collateral damage to the brain. He practices at PNI-South Bay located at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, California. In addition, he treats patients at the Spine Institute at Little Company of Mary to help relieve and cure back conditions due to spine involvement. Visit Dr. Sivakumar's profile: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/walavan-sivakumar/

Dr. William Buxton is Director, Neuromuscular & Neurodiagnostic Medicine, and Fall Prevention, Brain Health Center; Adult Neurology. He is a board-certified in Adult Neurology with Subspecialty Certification in Clinical Neurophysiology through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with additional certification in Electrodiagnostic Medicine through the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. For more information, contact the clinic at 310-582-7641. pacificbrianhealth.org | pacificneuro.org Visit Dr. Buxton's profile: pacificneuro.org/buxton

Think Neuro Mini: Meer Dr David Butler Dr. David M. Butler is board certified both by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology. Affiliated with Providence Saint John's Health Center throughout his career, Dr. Butler has been providing compassionate, expert care to his patients since 1988. In 2019, he transitioned over to Pacific Eye, Ear & Skull Base Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Visit Dr. Butler's profile: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstit... For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call: 310-829-7792

Dr. Chester Griffiths, MD, FACS, is board certified in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has extensive 25 years of experience in endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery for skull base tumors and pituitary tumors, sinonasal cancers including mucosal melanomas, and in the treatment of facial and nasal trauma, cosmetic deformities, sinus infections, and disorders of smell and taste. His practice also includes treatment of sleep apnea, snoring, difficulty breathing, disorders of the larynx, thyroid tumors and other head and neck cancers with an emphasis on viral HPV related cancers. https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/pituitary-disorders/people/chester-griffiths/

David A. Merrill, MD, PhD, is an adult and geriatric psychiatrist with double-board certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is director of the Pacific Brain Health Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute. Dr. Merrill has worked for several decades with patients suffering the behavioral health sequelae of age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disorder. His more recent clinical and research work have expanded to include patients with a history of head trauma, tumor, and stroke. Visit Dr. Merrill's profile: https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/david-merrill/

Dr. Heinzerling is the Director, Pacific Treatment & Research In Psychedelics Program; Internal Medicine – Addiction Medicine, Brain Health Center. He practices internal medicine and is an addiction medicine specialist at the Pacific Brain Health Center, Pacific Neuroscience Institute. His research and clinical focuses are on the discovery, development, and dissemination of anti-addiction medications. He is the director of the Pacific Treatment & Research In Psychedelics (TRIP) Program. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 310-582-7612. Clinic location: 2125 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404 https://www.pacificneuroscienceinstitute.org/people/keith-heinzerling/

Dr. Daniel Kelly, a board certified neurosurgeon, is Director of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute and Professor of Neurosurgery at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Considered to be one of the best neurosurgeons in the US and multiple recipients of the Patients' Choice Award, Dr. Kelly is internationally recognized in the field of minimally invasive keyhole surgery for brain, pituitary, and skull base tumors. He has one of the world's largest series in endonasal surgery with over 2000 procedures performed including over 800 endonasal endoscopic surgeries, and over 2000 craniotomies for brain and skull base tumors. His current surgical practice encompasses the full spectrum of brain and skull base tumors, both benign and malignant, treated with minimally invasive and conventional approaches. For more information: pacificneuro.org | pacificbraintumor.org | (310) 829-8265