Pediatric Neurosurgery

     Sometimes going into a career without knowing any information whatsoever can be intimidating. I wanted to learn the basics of Pediatric Neurosurgery and what this field entailed.  This is what I learned.

• At least 4 years of medical school
• One year of surgical internship
• Five or more years of residency training in neurological surgery
• Additional training in pediatric neurosurgery
• Certification from the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery (ABPNS)

• Treat children from the newborn period through the teenage years
• Diagnose, treat, and manage children’s nervous system problems and head and spinal deformities
• Perform surgery on the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves to remove tumors, relieve chronic pain and treat wounds, vascular disorders and diseases
• Interpret results of diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging, CT scans and PET scans

• <5 years experience = $411, 038
• 10 – 19 years experience = $501, 276
• 20+ years experience = $544, 961

• Brain Tumors: Almost 2,000 children are diagnosed every year
• Medulloblastomas - malignant tumors of the central nervous system starting in the cerebellum
• Astrocytomas – originate in the essential cell of the brain, the astrocyte cells
• Craniopharyngiomas – occurring near the pituitary gland
• Vascular Abnormalities:
• Aneurysms – microsurgical clipping, endovascular coiling
• Arteriovenous malformations – microsurgical resection, stereotactic radiotherapy, endovascular embolization
• Moyamoya – microsurgical pial synangiosis, microsurgical extracranial-to-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery, microsurgical encephaloduromyosynagiosis (EDMS), microsurgical encephaloduroarteriosynagiosis (EDAS).
• Craniosynostosis: A condition in which the sutures close the bone plates of the skull too early, causing problems with normal brain and skull growth.
• Calvarial vault remodelling
• Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery

• John Hopkins: hydrocephalus, craniosynostosis, achondroplasia, epilepsy, tumors
• University of Utah: Cannibidiol (CBD) – pediatric neurology, epilepsy

• American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons: It founded in January of 1978 by eighteen North American neurosurgeons. Its primary purpose is to improve the neurosurgical care of the children by advancing and advocating the specialty of Pediatric Neurosurgery. This organization is committed to discovering, defining and delivering the best care for patients with pediatric neurosurgical disease regardless of their age
• American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons – Pediatric Neurosurgery Section: It is a faction of AANS/CNS that originated as a means to promote, honor and serve pediatric neurosurgeons. It focuses on enhancing and assuring the advancement of the subspecialty of pediatric neurosurgery, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas, and advancing education, research, and patient care.
• Pediatric Neurosurgery Journal
• Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics (AANS)
• Pediatric Neurology Journal

• Pediatrics – Deals with newborns to adolescents in a general field; no speciality
• Neurosurgery – Includes brain, spinal cord, and nervous system but does not focus on children
• Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon – Focuses on the heart and its functions; limited to children

• Dr. Ben Carson – accredited with being the surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins joined at the head. Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital.

1. What are some of the challenges that are unique to this particular specialty?
2. How does working with children differ from working with adults?
3. What is key to becoming a successful pediatric neurosurgeon?
4. How is this field planning to evolve/change/adapt in the years to come?
5. What does a typical day/week entail?