professor of neurology, will soon provide advanced treatment for the many causes of headache, using medical therapy and other emerging techniques that have demonstrated efficacy in refractory cases. Deep Brain Stimulation for Patients with Tourette Syndrome and ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder NYU Langone neurologists and neurosurgeons have pioneered the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other motor disorders, as well as treatment-resistant depression. They are now extending its therapeutic applications to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome. Clinical trials for DBS in the treatment of both conditions began in 2014, and have yielded promising early results. “Flight Simulator” Helps Neurosurgeons Prepare for Surgery NYU Langone’s neurosurgeons are using a novel technology that serves as a “flight simulator,” allowing them to rehearse complicated brain surgeries before making an actual incision on a patient. The new simulator, called the Surgical Rehearsal Platform (SRP), creates an individualized, three-dimensional walkthrough for neurosurgeons based on the patient’s CT and MRI scans. Its unique software combines lifelike tissue reaction with accurate modeling of surgical tools and clamps, enabling surgeons to practice navigating multiple-angled models of a patient’s brain and vasculature. Says John G. Golfinos, MD, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and associate professor of neurosurgery and otolaryngology, “The SRP will also enhance the training of medical students, residents, and fellows, and help them hone their skills in new and more meaningful ways.” PAGE 6 NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER / NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY / 2014 Awards and Recognition Anthony K. Frempong-Boadu, MD, was featured as a “Spine Neurosurgeon to Know” in the 2014 Becker’s Spine Review. Jacqueline A. French, MD, served as the president of the American Epilepsy Society. Steven L. Galetta, MD, was honored as the Master Clinician Award winner at the 2014 NYU Langone Dean’s Honors Day. John G. Golfinos, MD, was honored at NYU Langone’s 2014 Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center Gala. Horacio Kaufmann, MD, was named editor-in-chief of the journal Clinical Autonomic Research. Douglas S. Kondziolka, MD, has been named as a director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). Alon Mogilner, MD, PhD, was named board member of the North American Neuromodulation Society and of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Donato R. Pacione, MD, and Michael L. Smith, MD, were featured as “Spine Neurosurgeons Under 40 to Know.” Howard A. Riina, MD, was honored as a recipient of the American Heart Association (AHA) Heartsaver Hero Award. Janet C. Rucker, MD, was elected to the editorial board of the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, and was re-elected as chair of the Neuro-Ophthalmology and Neuro-Otology section of the American Academy of Neurology. Stephen C. Rush, MD, was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the United States Air Force. Omar Tanweer, MD, was honored with the Robert Florin Award for Socioeconomic Issues in Neurosurgery. Howard L. Weiner, MD, was elected to the editorial board of the Journal of Neurosurgery and to the Executive Council of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons. Thomas M. Wisniewski, MD, was elected a distinguished fellow of the Kosciuszko Foundation Collegium of Eminent Scientists and a standing member of the Neurological Sciences and Disorders C Study section for the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER / NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY / 2014 PAGE 7 CLINICAL CARE Breadth and Depth of Expertise NYU Langone’s Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery are characterized by a rarified combination of expertise, experience, and collaborative spirit that is evidenced by the exceptionally high quality of patient care. PAGE 8 NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENTER / NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY / 2014 Where repair of brain aneurysms is concerned, Howard A. Riina, MD, professor and vice chair of NYU Langone’s Department of Neurosurgery and director of endovascular surgery, is one of a handful of neurosurgeons skilled at both open microneurosurgery and the use of minimally invasive endovascular interventional neuroradiology techniques. This gives Dr. Riina a uniquely objective perspective in choosing his mode of surgery, and the capability to treat nearly any patient referred to him. “If I can get a good result with endovascular surgery, I’ll tend to use it,” he says. “But I regularly do open procedures when endovascular tools aren’t the best way to obliterate the aneurysm due to its size, shape, or location.” With the ongoing development of enhanced techniques and technology, more and more cerebrovascular surgeries are now being done using either an endovascular approach—which typically requires just a one-night hospital stay—or through less-invasive, novel supraorbital craniotomies, involving a small incision over the eyebrow or in the crease of the eyelid. The Medical Center’s hybrid operating room is also used for these complex cerebrovascular cases that require both open and