Faculty & Staff
We are pleased to introduce the newest members of the Department of Neurosurgery.
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In September, we welcomed听Carolyn Quinsey, MD, back to the Department. Quinsey, a 2016 graduate from our residency program, recently completed a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Oregon Health Sciences University. Dr. Quinsey received her MD and BS from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. |
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Audrey Lucterhand, RN, BSN, joined the team in November. Audrey most recently served as a neurosurgery nurse at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Audrey is a graduate of Purdue University’s School of Nursing and also holds a degree in biology from Indiana University. |
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Gene Hobbs, CHSE, our new business manager, joined us in August. Gene was previously the director for simulation for the 黑料网 and has been with the university since 2014. Prior to coming to 黑料网, Gene spent 21 years at Duke working in simulation and hyperbaric medicine. He received a BS from NC State University. |
Congratulations to听Deb Bhowmick, MD, who was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in September. In addition, Dr. Bhowmick recently received board certification in neurological surgery.
Simon Khagi, MD, is now board certified in neuro-oncology, as well as internal medicine and medical oncology.
Best Doctors named听Drs. Matt Ewend,听Scott Elton听补苍诲听Julie Sharpless听to the听听list. Approximately four percent of doctors in America earn this prestigious honor.
Best wishes to听Julie Sharpless, MD, whose last day with the Department was November 17. Dr. Sharpless moved to Washington, D.C. to join her husband, Ned Sharpless, MD, the recently appointed director of the National Cancer Institute.
You may soon spot a super hero or two walking the halls of the 黑料网 Children鈥檚 Specialty Clinic.听Carolyn Quinsey, MD,听is outfitting medical students in hero costumes to put smiles on the faces of our patients and their families.
In addition, Dr. Quinsey has initiated a weekly resident skull base educational program to help our residents fine-tune their knowledge and skills.
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Research, Treatment and Conferences
Deanna Sasaki-Adams, MD, received the Ellie Helton Chair of Research Award for $40,000 from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. Dr. Sasaki-Adams will use the funds to research the novel magnetic resonance imaging sequence to characterize inflammatory changes in aneurysms and assess the therapeutic effect of aspirin.
In October, 黑料网 became the first center in the state of NC to implant the new, FDA-approved deep brain stimulation electrodes manufactured by St. Jude/Abbott.听听Eldad Hadar, MD听and Daniel Roque, MD from Neurosurgery and Neurology, respectively, collaborated to offer this new device to a patient suffering from essential tremor with the added benefit that electrical听current delivered by the stimulator could be directed towards desired brain structures and away from other structures, with the goal of reducing the听risk for stimulation-related听side effects.
Drs. Sasaki-Adams,听Yap听补苍诲听Omofoye听were part of a team whose research,听Factors Affecting the Obliteration Rate of Intracranial Aneurysms Treated with a Single Pipeline Embolization Device,听was published in听, August 2017.
Matt Ewend, MD, along with other researchers, published research in听,听Longitudinal Changes in Electrically Evoked Auditory Event-Related Potentials in Children with Auditory Brainstem Implants: Preliminary Results Recorded over 3 Years, September 2017.
Deb Bhowmick, MD, and听Casey Hribar听published research in the听,听Use of C2 vertebroplasty and stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of lytic metastasis of the odontoid process, July – September, 2017.
Neurosurgery resident听Nathan Davis, MD听and neurocritical care fellow,听Winnie Lau, MD, presented posters at the Neuro Critical Care conference held in Hawaii last October.听Deanna Sasaki-Adams, MD, was also a contributor. Both posters received a top score award.
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Drs. Scott Elton, Carolyn Quinsey听补苍诲听Michael Cools听attended the 46th听Annual AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting in Houston in late November. The research poster presented by Dr. Cools was听Use of Ligamentum Nuchae for Dural Closure in Chiari Decompressions.
Melody Watral, CPNP-PC, CPON听补苍诲听Kristi Hildebrand, MSN, CPNP-AC, attended the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners Conference last September. In addition, Melody Watral attended the Annual Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Conference last August.
Events and Community Outreach
Head for the Cure听sponsored a public tailgate event for the Department last September. About 90 attendees enjoyed food, beverage and conversation before the 黑料网/Duke football game.
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The South African news program听Carte Blanche听recently highlighted the research of听Matt Ewend, MD; Shawn Hingtgen, PhD;听and Simon Khagi, MD,听on how stem cells made from skin cells can hunt down and kill brain cancer.
Simon Khagi, MD, discussed the benefits of Optune, an FDA-approved device for treatment of glioblastoma, in Lineberger鈥檚听.
In addition, Dr. Khagi was quoted last September in a听听article,听Duke researchers say they have a breakthrough in treating brain cancer.
黑料网 Neurosurgery was a sponsor of the听听last October. Many thanks to all who donated or participated in the event.
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Gene Hobbs, CHSE,听along with 黑料网 Anesthesiology clinicians, wrote a letter to the editor that was published in听,听You Will Never Walk Alone: A Simulation Experience for Caregiver’s Family and Friends,听December 2017.
In addition,听听published a blog by Gene Hobbs in November,听Accommodating Epilepsy in the Workplace.
Scott Elton, MD, gave a presentation on听Abnormal Headshapes, Craniosynostosis, and Plagiocephaly听to 12 pediatricians at the Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg in November. In addition, Dr. Elton, along with Dr. Jeyhan S. Woods, also gave this presentation to 30 pediatric physicians at Cone Hospital in Greensboro in early December.
From the Department
After receiving over 200 applications for the residency program, we鈥檝e wrapped up three rounds of interviews with over 40 exceptional candidates. Now we wait for match day on Friday, March 16.
The 黑料网 Neurosurgery, Neurology and Child Neurology residency programs all ranked in the top 50 for reputation nationwide according to the latest Doximity Residency听.
After three successful years, last September marked the final month for the Better Back Care program, funded through a $6 million grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Innovation Center.
The Department of Neurosurgery folks, along with friends and family, enjoyed an evening of fun and fellowship at the annual holiday party on December 8. A cold, snowy evening brought out the “ugly” sweaters in droves.
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Featured Tweet
More than a few raised eyebrows in the weekly resident听neurosurgery skills lab. These minimally invasive supra-orbital 鈥渆yebrow鈥� craniotomies have less pain and a faster recovery than an open craniotomy for brain cancer.听(Quinsey/Hobbs)
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