A child diagnosed with a juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma should be treated by a specialist with advanced training and extensive experience in brain tumors in children. The Weill Cornell Pediatric Brain and Spine Center offers the services of some of the top surgeons in the field as well as access to a full range of specialists in all the disciplines a young patient needs.
Mark M. Souweidane, M.D., vice chair of the Weill Cornell Department of Neurological Surgery and director of Weill Cornell Medicine Pediatric Neurosurgery, is internationally recognized as an expert in the field of pediatric neurosurgery, including pediatric brain tumors. He has been named one of America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly, and is regularly included on lists of the nation’s Best Doctors and Super Doctors. A pioneering champion of minimal access neurosurgery, Dr. Souweidane has specialized endoscopic surgical skills that attract patients and practitioners that benefit from his talents. As an expert on pediatric gliomas, Dr. Souweidane authored several reviews and book chapters on these diseases. (Read more about Dr. Souweidane.)
Jeffrey Greenfield, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor of Neurological Surgery in Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College and a pediatric neurosurgeon at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Greenfield, whose laboratory research includes the Children’s Brain Tumor Project, specializes in minimally invasive (endoscopic) pediatric neurosurgery as well as in advanced surgery for brain tumors. (Read more about Dr. Greenfield.)
Caitlin Hoffman, M.D., is a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes in pediatric neurosurgery as well as in adult and pediatric epilepsy surgery. She has completed fellowship training in pediatric neurosurgery and has performed extensive research on the molecular mechanisms of progression of brain tumors, specifically medulloblastoma. Dr. Hoffman’s clinical research includes venous anomalies in craniosynostosis, early surgical treatment for Rasmussen’s encephalitis, minimally invasive methods of treating hydrocephalus and intracranial cysts, and the characteristics and safety of invasive monitoring for pediatric neurovascular disorders such as AVM. (Read more about Dr. Hoffman)
Some patients benefit from our neuropsychology services, including brain mapping before surgery, pre- and post-operative evaluations, and emotional and cognitive support when needed.
Dr. H. Allison Bender is an award-winning, board-certified neuropsychologist and the director of neuropsychological services at Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery. Dr. Bender has expertise in special procedures such as the intraoperative testing of patients during awake craniotomies, and in cognitive remediation therapies appropriate for patients with a wide variety of cognitive challenges (i.e., after neurological surgery, cerebrovascular accidents, and other events). Dr. Bender has a special interest in the neuropsychological needs of non-native English speakers and patients born outside of the United States, and is active in professional groups working to reduce disparities in healthcare. More about Dr. Bender
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