Our 500th Blog Post: Amplifying Neurosurgery’s Voice

For the past decade, Neurosurgery Blog: More Than Brain Surgery has investigated and reported on how health care policy affects patients, physicians and medical practices. Posts have discussed the state of neurosurgical sub-specialties and promoted key health care policy and advocacy initiatives to ensure patients’ timely access to care, improve neurosurgical practice and foster continued […]
Faces of Neurosurgery: An Interview with Volker K. H. Sonntag, MD, FAANS (L)

In Episode 4 of Neurosurgery Blog’s Faces of Neurosurgery interview series, we spoke with Volker K. H. Sonntag, MD, FAANS (L) about his proudest achievements, his favorite surgery to perform and one surgical instrument he couldn’t live without. Dr. Sonntag is an emeritus professor of neurosurgery at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Ariz. Dr. Sonntag […]
Pediatric Scoliosis: Early Detection is Key
Emily Stankoski, MSPA, PA-C Physician Assistant, Orthopaedics and Spine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA Curvature of the spine, otherwise known as scoliosis, was defined by Hippocrates as a concern dating back to ancient Greece, 400 BCE. Despite significant advances in public health and medical care, thousands of years later scoliosis is still present in […]
Jacob’s Disease: Neurosurgeons’ take on the Challenge of the Spine
Guest Post from Deborah L. Benzil, MD, FACS, FAANS (right) Chair, AANS/CNS Communications and Public Relations Committee Vice Chair, Neurosurgery Cleveland Clinic Foundation Cleveland, OH Kristopher T. Kimmell, MD (left) Neurosurgeon at North Kansas City Hospital/Meritas Health North Kansas City, MO The individual activity of one man with backbone will do more than a thousand […]
Cross Post – Woman Regains ‘Quality Of Life’ With Spine Surgery
Misinformation regarding spine care in the U.S. is a significant hindrance to understanding the important issues surrounding the care of patients with spinal conditions. At some point in our lives, each and every one of us will experience back or neck pain. Thus, the issues surrounding spine care matter to us all. Neurosurgeons know that […]
Rate of Return to Military Active Duty after Single and Two-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Four Year Retrospective Review
Luis Manuel Tumialan, MD, FAANS Neurosurgeon, Barrow Neurological Institute Scottsdale, Ariz. Can a member of the United States Marine Corps return to unrestricted full duty after a cervical fusion? How about a Navy SEAL or a Navy F-18 fighter pilot? Wearing a 60-pound rucksack for hours, parachuting from 11,000 feet, diving into the depths of […]