Department of Neurological Surgery

Dear Colleague,

I look forward every year to the annual meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).  As I conclude my term as CNS President, the coming meeting in Houston is particularly special.  The outstanding contributions of our department continue to lead the global conversation surrounding neurosurgical best practices and path-defining research. 

Among other world-class neurosurgery programs, I am thrilled our department will be recognized at CNS for the fourth highest number of accepted scientific submissions.  This peer reviewed success highlights the spectacular work being done to advance neurosurgery right here at UC San Diego.

Scientific contributions range from mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion strokes, the implantation of stem cells in spinal cord injuries, intraoperative photogrammetry for operative cranial outcomes and much more.  Make sure to catch presentations from our department throughout the meeting.

With a fresh team and the same goal, Drs. Ronald Sahyouni and Nicholas Hernandez coached by Dr. David Santiago-Dieppa will go for a potential fourth consecutive national championship in the SANS national resident competition.  They will aim to beat our own record-setting performance from last year.

Finally, I invite you to follow us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for live updates on our onsite activities including a live stream of my presidential address. Please feel free to keep us posted of your own CNS experience.

Thank you all for your continued commitment and support. I look forward to being together in Houston, Texas and celebrating all we’ve achieved together.

A presidential speech, main-stage symposium seminars, podium presentations and more, our faculty and residents are looking forward to sharing clinical best practices and their latest scientific discoveries with the neurosurgical community at the 2024 CNS annual meeting.  

Last year we became the first three-peat champions in the challenge's history. This year we aim to defend our title. Join us on September 29 at 1pm CST as Drs. Ronald Sahyouni (PGY-5) and Nicholas Hernandez (PGY-2) led by Dr. David Santiago-Dieppa defend the three-time national win.  

Our UC San Diego Neurosurgery resident Dr. Mickey Abraham (PGY-5) will be researching regenerative and restorative neurosurgery, along with advancements in stem cell and gene therapy, which hold immense promise for the treatment of neurological diseases. 

Our UC San Diego Neurosurgery Department resident Dr. Lauren Stone (PGY-6) has been named to serve on the Review Committee for Neurological Surgery at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The ACGME accreditation model and processes ensure and improve the quality of graduate medical education in the United States. 

We were delighted to celebrate Drs. Plonkser and Hirshman numerous accomplishments at a heartfelt graduation ceremony. Dr. Plonkser is now a Pediatric Surgery Fellow at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Dr. Hirshman accepted a role as assistant physician at Palomar Medical Center.

Congratulations to Dr. Arvin Wali (PGY-7), who received our award for "Best Resident Research Day Presentation.” Dr. Wali and the UCSD vascular neurosurgery team found novel ways to reduce radiation dose during endovascular procedures while maintaining imaging quality and without increasing procedure times. They shared their work at the state and national level and are leading efforts to reform radiation safety for endovascular procedures nationally and globally.

Research results published in the May online edition of Otology & Neurotology, showed that surgically removing an acoustic neuroma by exposing the area above the inner ear and the internal auditory canal significantly improved hearing preservation and quality of life, along with balance, anxiety, energy, pain and general health in patients at the one-year post-surgery mark. 

Dr. Sharona Ben-Haim, MD is leading an exciting first-in-human clinical trial on stem cell therapy for Sporadic Parkinson’s Disease. This research trial is designed to test the safety and tolerability of injecting pluripotent stem cells that will mature into dopamine-producing cells into the brain of participants with Parkinson's Disease. The trial is set to begin in October and is for adults ages 50-70.

Dr. Joseph Ciacci, in partnership with Sumitomo Pharma, is leading a groundbreaking clinical study on iPS cell-derived dopaminergic progenitor cells for Parkinson’s disease using cryopreserved cells. The goal of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of iPS cell-derived dopaminergic progenitor cells as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Postdoctoral scholar Dr. Adham Halaoui received the 2024 American Association for Cancer Research (AARC) grant award. Under the guidance of Drs. Thomas Beaumont and Najla Kfoury-Beaumont, Dr. Halaoui will investigate how sex-specific chromatin remodelling drives tumorigenesis in glioblastoma. 

Following an evaluation of more than 4,500 hospitals, we were named #22 in the nation for best neurosurgery and neurology care and our stroke team High Performing—the highest possible ranking—by U.S. News & World Report. For the second time in a row, UC San Diego Health was named to the “Best Hospitals National Honor Roll,” a distinction awarded to only 20 hospitals in the U.S. 

Samantha walks us through her day as a Physician Assistant for the UC San Diego Neurosurgery Department and shows us how physician assistants play a crucial role in our neurosurgery department, providing expert care and support from pre-operative to post-operative stages. 

Neurological Surgery Nurse Eunice Manglicmot passed her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) exam! We look forward to her continued excellence and world-class care for our patients.

UC San Diego Neurosurgery Department Nurse Stacie Feldhusen was nominated for her impressive contributions to her team and patients in a short time since becoming a nurse back in May 2024! Stacie put herself through nursing school while working full time at our Neurosurgery Department as a clinical assistant. We are proud of her for her hard work and grateful for her dedication. 

We are excited to welcome neurosurgeon Dr. Arjun Khanna to our team! Dr. Khanna comes to us from Stanford and brings an expertise in functional neurosurgery where he focuses on understanding and treating neurological disorders such as epilepsy through cutting-edge techniques and research.  

Our UCSD department team attended the Western Neurosurgery Conference (WNS) in San Diego, where they connected with colleagues from across the region and shared insights and the latest advancements in neurological surgery. The WNS fosters collaboration, innovation and highlights their commitment to improving patient care. 

Dr. Khalessi delivered a keynote lecture on carotid disease at the San Diego Cardiovascular Interventions Symposium. His presentation highlighted cutting-edge research and treatment strategies to advance discussions on improving patient outcomes in cardiovascular care. 

Registration is now open for the three-day event, held January 30th– February 1st, 2025, that features national and international thought leaders discussing the latest treatments and research for cerebrovascular disease. The dynamic program includes short lectures in the morning punctuated by round-table discussions, case presentations and hot topics. 

Our team walked with UC San Diego Health physicians, APPs and colleagues—including CEO Patty Maysent —and nearly 300,000 attendees at the San Diego Pride Parade. The annual San Diego Pride Parade is the largest single-day civic event in the region and is among the largest in the United States.

Jill Blumenthal, MD, MAS, co-medical director of the gender health program at UC San Diego discussed the importance of providing inclusive, patient-centered care to transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals as well as the medical, social, legal and psychological aspects of gender affirmation that may impact their surgical care.

Join team ‘UCSD Brainiacs’ in the fight against brain cancer by participating in the Head for the Cure 5K run/walk on Oct. 26 at Tecolote Shores South in San Diego! We are partnering with Head for the Cure to raise funds and awareness for brain cancer research. 

Dr. Alexander Khalessi joined Fox5 San Diego to talk about UC San Diego Health advances in treating complex neurological diseases for Neurosurgery Awareness Month.

A resilient father made a remarkable recovery from a stoke allowing him to make his son's wedding thanks to the quick thinking by UC San Diego Health staff and nurses and specialty care provided by Dr. David Santiago-Dieppa. 

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