Jefferson Neurosurgeon Helps Revise Guidelines on the Management of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages
(Published 2-11-2009) New guidelines on the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) from the Stroke Council
of the American Heart Association are now available. Robert H. Rosenwasser, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Neurological
Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University served as part of a special writing group – made up of
ten of the leading neurosurgeons and vascular neurologists in the country – to establish these new guidelines which are currently
available in the online edition of Stroke. More than 27,000 Americans suffer ruptured intracranial aneurysms each year. An
estimated ten to 15 percent of patients die before reaching the hospital. Mortality rates reach as high as 45 percent within
the first thirty days and about half die in the first six months.
Jefferson Neurosurgery Department Passes Major Milestone
(Published 7-15-2008) The Neurosurgery team of the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience has passed a major milestone in the
treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Since 1994, Robert H. Rosenwasser, M.D., professor and chair, Department of Neurological
Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and his associates including Erol Veznedaroglu, M.D.,
associate professor and director, Division of Neurovascular Surgery and Endovascular Surgery; and Kenneth Liebman, M.D., assistant
professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, have treated more than 4,100 of this type of aneurysm.
Jefferson recruits experts in Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders to head new center
(Published 2-13-06) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia has inaugurated a Movement Disorders Program directed
by recently recruited specialists, Tsao-Wei Liang, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas
Jefferson University, and Daniel Erik Kremens, M.D., J.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology. 
Governor Rendell Speaks at Conference Co-Directed by Jefferson
Don Walker Photography
From left, Robert L. Barchi, MD, PhD, President, Thomas Jefferson University, The Honorable Edward G. Rendell, Governor, Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, and Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, FACS, Professor and Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, met at the 17th Annual
Pan Philadelphia Neurosurgery Conference, co-directed by Jefferson Medical College, at the Union League of Philadelphia. Gov.
Rendell called on doctors to support the development of national health insurance that combines quality and cost-efficiency
without bureaucracy. “Decent health care should be a right of every American,” he said. “Doctors can make a difference if
they speak up for it.”
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Sharon Undergoes All-Night Surgery
(Published: 01-05-2006, 6ABC(Ch.6)) Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in serious condition following seven hours of emergency
surgery to stop widespread bleeding in his brain caused by a life-threatening stroke, doctors said. Jefferson Hospital's Chair
of Neurosurgery Robert Rosenwaser, M.D., FACP, talks to 6ABC News about Sharon's surgery and his prognosis.
You can watch Dr. Rossenwasser's interview in an online video by going to 6ABC's web site.
Media Coverage:
6ABC(Ch.6)
Jefferson Neurosurgeons Using New Liquid Treatment For Wide-Neck Brain Aneurysm
(Published: 01-30-2008) Neurological surgeons at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience are among the first surgeons in the United
States using an FDA-approved liquid system for treating wide-necked brain aneurysms, which could eventually replace current
treatments.
Chair of Jefferson Neurological Surgery Receives Honor for Aiding Military in Treating Neurovascular Disease(Published: 11-16-2007) Cerebrovascular surgeon Robert H. Rosenwasser, M.D., F.A.C.S, FAHA, Professor and Chairman of Neurological
Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, was recently honored for playing a major role in the
training, education and direction of military neurosurgeons.
Interactive 3-D Map in OR Can Better Guide Jefferson Neurological Surgeons Through the Brain During Procedure
(Published: 07-30-2007) Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience is one of first medical centers in the U.S. to develop and begin
using translational, interactive 3-D technology to map the human brain and help guide neurological surgeons during epilepsy
surgery and procedures to remove malignant brain tumors.
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR ACOUSTIC NEUROMA TUMOR PATIENTS TO CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
(Published: 06-25-2007) The national Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA), will mark its 25th anniversary at its 18th annual symposium in Philadelphia. The three-day event is scheduled for July 13-15, 2007 at the Doubletree Hotel. The ANA’s
mission is to inform, educate and provide support for those who have developed these benign tumors, which can cause hearing
loss and migraines among other medical problems.
Protein Shows Promise for Spinal Cord Injury Patients Regaining Partial Movement
(Published: 12-12-2006) A study of a protein applied to the spinal cord for totally paralyzed patients during surgery shows
some promise for spinal cord injury patients with some regaining partial movement.
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Alzheimer's Researchers Receive Award in Philadelphia
(Published 10-22-06) Thomas Jefferson University presents a cash prize to the pioneers of Alzheimer's research.
Dr. Sam Gandy is the Director of Thomas Jefferson University's Farber Institute for Neurosciences. He says the Lennox K Black
Prize is given to the men and women who lead the way in medical research.
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno will also be at the symposium to talk about Parkinson's disease, which she's had for
more than a decade.
Media Covare:
KYW Newsradio 1060AM
Philadelphia Inquirer
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to Offer Personal View of Parkinson’s disease at Jefferson’s Lennox K. Black Symposium
(Published 10-20-06) Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, will discuss
her “personal perspective” on the neurological disease at a public session during the fourth Lennox K. Black International
Prize for Excellence in Medicine symposium. Ms. Reno’s talk will be held on the first day of the two-day symposium, whose
theme is the “Molecular Basis of Neurological Disease.”
Obesity Tied to Higher Risk of Complications in Spinal Surgery, Jefferson Neurosurgeon Finds
(Published 10-9-06) While obesity is famously tied to increasing risks for heart disease and diabetes, now comes another reason
to lose weight: being obese may contribute to a greater likelihood of complications in delicate spine surgery.
Jefferson Orthopaedic Surgeons Leading International Study of Timing of Spinal Surgery
(Published: 10-3-06) Surgeons at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital are trying to answer a very
difficult and controversial question: Should surgeons operate immediately, within hours of a severe spinal injury, to try
to limit the damage to the spinal cord and surrounding tissues, as many surgeons believe? Or won't it make a difference in
how a patient ultimately fares, as others, citing their experiences, say?
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They've got your back - and heart, head, feet...
(Published: 08-27-06, The Philadelphia Inquirer) Patient advocates navigate the health-care system, identify specialists,
translate doctorese, and negotiate insurance claims for patients who need guidance.
Bill Wynn was told by a doctor he had a brain tumor that had to be removed. With the advice of Betty Long, R.N., health advocate,
Wynn made an appointment with David Andrews, M.D., neurosurgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
After some tests, Dr. Andrew explained that it might only be inflammation from an infection not a tumor at all.
"That's great," Long said, beaming. Her counsel had spared Wynn a risky surgery and, it appeared, he might not need any procedure
at all.
Media Coverage:
The Philadelphia Inquirer
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A Grief Observed
(Published: 08-25-06, Philadelphia City Paper) Saturday, April 8: My husband Mike was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor
(craniopharyngioma) in October 2005. His only symptom was a glare in his peripheral vision. If left untreated, these tumors
halt all pituitary functioning, cause blindness, neurological and personality changes.
The frankness of Danna Young's first blog entry might baffle anyone accustomed to snarky online rants about a band, movie
or political guffaw. But when Danna started "185 Craniopharyngiomas Walk Into a Bar" in April of this year, she had no way
of knowing how extensive the chronicle would become, or that she would end up sharing intimate details about her husband's
roller coaster illness with all the patience of a dedicated scientist and the healthy skepticism of a seasoned journalist.
"Craniopharyngioma is a less common disease that we treat," says David Andrews, professor of neurological surgery at Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital, and one of Mike's doctors.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia City Paper
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon John Kevin Ratliff, M.D., Joins Jefferson’s Dept. of Neurological surgery
(Published 8-23-06) John Kevin Ratliff, M.D., a specialist in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) of the spine, has been named
assistant professor of neurological surgery and orthopaedic surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University
in Philadelphia.
Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley Receives $2 Million Federal Grant to Continue Work as Designated
National Center
(Published 8-17-06) The Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley (RSCICDV), a partnership between Thomas
Jefferson University Hospital and Magee Rehabilitation Hospital, will receive a $2 million federal grant to allow the center
to continue its work to research and treat spinal cord injuries.
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Doctors Perform Brain Surgery Through Nose
(Published: 5-23-06, NBC10) Physicians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital performed brain surgery Tuesday using some
of the newest technology around.
The doctors removed a tumor from a patient without making an external incision in his head or face. They removed a pituitary
tumor through the patient's nose.
Media Coverage:
NBC10
Live on the Web Tomorrow -- Jefferson Surgeons Perform Leading Edge Minimally Invasive Surgery to Remove Pituitary Tumor
(Published: 5-22-06) Jefferson will host a webcast featuring the newest approach for the removal of pituitary tumors – minimally
invasive endoscopic pituitary surgery. Viewers will also be able to ask questions online of the surgical team during the surgery.
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Wrapping Radiation Around Tumors
(Published: 5-08-2006, ABC 7 Chicago) Walter J. Curran, M.D., professor and chair of Radiation Oncology at Jefferson Medical
College of Thomas Jefferson University and clincical director of the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, discusses Shaped Beam
Surgery, a new type of targeted radiation for hard-to-treat brain tumors.
“We have the ability to define a target, and give a dose to that target with relatively little dose to the surronding structures.
Because this new technology is so precise, people can be treated with radiation a second time. The system not only treats
brain and spinal tumors; it is also being used to treat liver, lung, head and neck and prostate cancers,” said Dr. Curran.
Media Coverage:
ABC 7 Chicago
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Tiny Coils New Way To Fix Burst Aneurysm
(Published: 5-01-2006, NBC10) While most strokes -- or brain attacks -- happen when an artery to the brain gets blocked, 20
to 25 percent are due to bleeding when an abnormal blood vessel bursts.
Now, many people who survive a burst aneurysm can avoid having their skulls opened in a craniotomy because there is a unique,
safer way to fix the problem.
A few weeks ago Judy Goatley felt awful.
"I was just going back and forth like I had a few drinks too many or something," Goatley said.
Goatley burst an aneurysm -- just like 24-year-old Lauren Klein did one night in Harrisburg.
"I was getting into bed and I experienced a really sharp pain in my head and I said, 'I have to lie down. I have to lie down.'
And next thing I knew, I woke up in Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and I had had a brain aneurysm rupture," Goatley
said.
An aneurysm is a bubble on an artery that can burst and cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage -- otherwise known as a stroke.
"Once an aneurysm ruptures or bleeds, there is a 50 percent chance of dying or being disabled regardless of the treatment,"
said Dr. Robert Rosenwasser, chair of neurosurgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Media Coverage:
NBC10
Live on the Web--Jefferson Surgeons Perform Leading Edge Minimally Invasive Surgery to Remove Pituitary Tumor(Published: 04-05-2006) Jefferson will host a webcast featuring the newest approach for the removal of pituitary tumors –
minimally invasive endoscopic pituitary surgery – on Tuesday, May 23, 2006, at 4:30 pm. Viewers will also be able to ask questions
online of the surgical team during the surgery.
Jefferson Neurosurgeons First in Region to Use Innovative Stent to Open Clogged Arteries in the Brain, Prevent Strokes
(Published: 03-17-2006) Neurosurgeons at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia are the first in the region
and among the first in the nation to successfully use a new stent specifically designed to open potentially life-threatening
clogged arteries in the brain, preventing a stroke.
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Diagnosing a stroke
(Published: 3-13-06, Reading Eagle) If you received an email about diagnosing a stroke, you should be aware that the three-part
test proposed as a magic bullet could be seriously misleading. Doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three
simple questions:
1. Ask the individual to smile.
2. Ask him or her to raise both arms.
3. Ask the person to speak a simple sentence (Coherently) (e.g., It is sunny out today). If he or she has trouble with any
of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
Dr. Kiwon Lee, director of the Neurointensive Care Unit and Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at
Thomas Jefferson University Medical School, said the test may well identify some strokes, but it had serious shortcomings.
For example, he said he had just seen a patient with a stroke that would have passed "The Smile Test." The patient had what
is called a sensory stroke and his symptom was a "funny feeling" on one side of his body.
Media Coverage:
Reading Eagle
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The Nose Knows This New Surgery Technique
(Published: 3-9-06, KYW Newsradio) A local hospital is offering minimally-invasive surgery for removing brain tumors. The
procedure is similar to that of ancient Egyptian practices.
The breakthrough procedure at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital allows doctors to remove brain tumors through the nose
and nasal sinuses.
"In the past we used to use microscopes and big incisions to get into the sinuses and take out the tumor with a microscope.
Now we go straight into the sinus without making a lot of incisions and using the telescope we can take out the tumor,” says
Jefferson otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon Dr. Marc Rosen. He says the method to approach the brain through the nose
has been around for a long time.
Media Coverage:
KYW Newsradio
Jefferson Offers Minimally Invasive Surgery for Removing Brain and Skull Base Tumors
(Published: 03-03-2006) A state of the art program has opened at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital offering a new alternative
for people with brain and skull base tumors. The Jefferson Center for Minimally Invasive Cranial Base Surgery and Endoscopic
Neurosurgery is a comprehensive center in the Philadelphia area where surgeons are able to remove skull-based tumors through
nose and nasal sinuses instead of the traditional, more invasive surgery which required opening up the brain and skull.
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New center at Jeff
(Published: 2-27-06, Philadelphia Business Journal) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has launched a new center that will
specialize in patients affected by movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, dystonia, and Tourette's
syndrome.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia Business Journal
Jefferson recruits experts in Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders to head new center
(Published 2-13-06) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia has inaugurated a Movement Disorders Program directed
by recently recruited specialists, Tsao-Wei Liang, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas
Jefferson University, and Daniel Erik Kremens, M.D., J.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology.
Governor Rendell Speaks at Conference Co-Directed by Jefferson
Don Walker Photography
From left, Robert L. Barchi, MD, PhD, President, Thomas Jefferson University, The Honorable Edward G. Rendell, Governor, Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, and Robert H. Rosenwasser, MD, FACS, Professor and Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, met at the 17th Annual
Pan Philadelphia Neurosurgery Conference, co-directed by Jefferson Medical College, at the Union League of Philadelphia. Gov.
Rendell called on doctors to support the development of national health insurance that combines quality and cost-efficiency
without bureaucracy. “Decent health care should be a right of every American,” he said. “Doctors can make a difference if
they speak up for it.”
Featured in the Media
Sharon Undergoes All-Night Surgery
(Published: 01-05-2006, 6ABC(Ch.6)) Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in serious condition following seven hours of emergency
surgery to stop widespread bleeding in his brain caused by a life-threatening stroke, doctors said. Jefferson Hospital's Chair
of Neurosurgery Robert Rosenwaser, M.D., FACP, talks to 6ABC News about Sharon's surgery and his prognosis.
You can watch Dr. Rossenwasser's interview in an online video by going to 6ABC's web site.
Media Coverage:
6ABC(Ch.6)
