Pediatric Neurosurgery Program of Excellence

Introduction

Neurosurgical problems seen by pediatric neurosurgeons are often quite different from those commonly seen by adult or general neurosurgeons. Special training in pediatric diseases as they relate to pediatric neurosurgical diseases is important. Pediatric neurosurgical problems often are present for life. Pediatric neurosurgeons have a special and longstanding relationship with their patients. Children with nervous system problems frequently require ongoing and close follow-up throughout childhood and adolescence.

The Pediatric Neurosurgery Program at Children's Hospital Colorado  (staffed by the faculty of CU School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery) diagnoses and treats children with diseases of the brain and spinal cord. We offer integrated, comprehensive treatment for all types of disorders affecting the nervous system and skull including traumatic injury, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, brain tumors and facial and skull deformities. 

Pediatric Neurosurgeons		Specialties
	Allyson Alexander, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery - Peds https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/physicians/a/allyson-alexander/ https://www.cudoctors.com/Find_A_Doctor/Profile/26849	Surgical treatment of epilepsy; craniosynostosis; hydrocephalus and shunts; Chiari malformations; tethered cords; general pediatric neurosurgery
	Mohammed Alshareef, MD Assistant Professor
	Michael Handler, MD The McMurry-Seebaum Chair in Pediatric Neurosurgery Associate Surgeon-in-Chief, Children's Hospital Colorado https://www.cudoctors.com/Find_A_Doctor/Profile/689 https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/physicians/h/michael-handler/	Pediatric Neurosurgery, Congenital Malformations, Brain Tumors, Epilepsy Surgery and Neuro-endoscopy.
	Todd Hankinson, MD Division Head, Pediatric Neurosurgery Professor of Neurosurgery  https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/physicians/h/todd-hankinson/ https://www.cudoctors.com/Find_A_Doctor/Profile/15838	Pediatric Brain and Spine Tumors,  Pediatric Cervical Spine
	Thomas Ridder, MD Senior Instructor, Colorado Springs https://som.ucdenver.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/29921 https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/physicians/find-a-doctor/?q=ridder
	D. Clay Samples, MD Assistant Professor
	Corbett Wilkinson, MD Associate Professor, Neurosurgery - Peds https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/physicians/w/corbett-wilkinson/ https://www.cudoctors.com/Find_A_Doctor/Profile/3342	Pediatric Neurosurgery, Craniosynostosis, spasticity (selective dorsal rhizotomy & baclofen pumps), moyamoya disease, congenital malformations of the brain, spinal cord, skull, and spine

Other information

Conditions we treat with neurosurgery:

• Brain tumors and spinal cord tumors (including minimally invasive endoscopic endonasal surgery with the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and  Department of Otolaryngology)
• Hydrocephalus
• Spina bifida (including fetal myelomeningocele repair)
• Epilepsy
• Chiari malformation
• Congenital anomalies of the brain and spinal cord
• Cerebral vascular disorders including arteriovenous malformation, aneurysms, cavernous malformations and Moya-Moya disease
• Arachnoid cysts
• Tethered spinal cord
• Traumatic and congenital spinal instability
• Degenerative spine disease
• Syringomyelia
• Trauma to the brain and spinal cord (brain and spinal cord injuries)
• Craniofacial disorders such as simple and complex craniosynostosis,  Apert syndrome and Crouzon syndrome (including minimally invasive, endoscopically assisted craniosynostosis repair)

Training

Pediatric neurosurgeons are medical doctors who have had:

• 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 and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery

Pediatric neurosurgeons treat children from the newborn period through the teenage years. They choose to make pediatric care the core of their medical practice, and the unique nature of medical and surgical care of children is learned from advanced training and experience in practice.

The University of Colorado Department of Neurosurgery offers residencies and two fellowships in pediatric neurosurgery.   Click on our medical training tab on the home page to find out more.