Professor of Neurological Surgery
Chairman, Department of Neurological Surgery
Director, Minimally Invasive endoNeurosurgery Center
Clinical Phone (Patients): (412) 647-6778 or 647-2827
Academic Phone: (412) 647-6358
e-mail: kassamab@upmc.edu

Specialized Areas of Interest

Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery; vascular surgery; skull base surgery; pituitary surgery; tumors; trigeminal neuralgia; hemifacial spasm.

Biography

Amin Kassam, MD, completed his medical and undergraduate education at the University of Toronto and his residency and fellowship training at the University of Ottawa. He pursued additional post-graduate training in epidemiology and clinical outcomes.

Dr. Kassam joined the faculty of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in February of 1998. He spent the next year focusing on microvascular surgery. Dr. Kassam has been involved with over 1,000 microvascular decompression procedures for cranial nerve neuropathy and has provided a unique perspective by using the endoscope to visualize and enhance difficult regions.

Since his appointment, he has also focused on building a collaborative center to provide comprehensive care for complex pathology of the skull base. This center builds on the strength of combining the talents of surgeons from multiple specialties. This allows for the use of proven conventional approaches in conjunction with new minimally invasive endoscopic approaches to provide safe and effective treatment for patients. This has culminated in the development of the multidisciplinary Minimally Invasive endoNeurosurgery Center (MINC).

Dr. Kassam along with Carl Snyderman, MD, and Ricardo Carrau, MD, were directly involved with the development of the Expanded Endonasal Approach (EEA). This approach represents an entirely new paradigm to remove complex lesions of the skull base and brain without incisions. The center, under the direction of Dr. Kassam, has pioneered and developed much of the technology and instrumentation used during the EEA surgeries. With continued research and experience, he now uses the EEA surgery for most tumors affecting the skull base.

Dr. Kassam has performed over 3,000 neurosurgical procedures including over 1,000 minimally invasive endoscopic procedures. Dr. Kassam remains active in cerebrovascular surgery and has helped to develop a program to better understand the genetic alterations that lead to the development of intracranial aneurysms.

On May 2, 2007, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine dean Arthur S. Levine, MD, named Dr. Kassam chairman of the department. He had held the post of interim chairman since July 1, 2006. Since then he has focused on increasing interdisciplinary activities between neurosurgery and radiology, medical, radiation and surgical oncology, anesthesiology, neurology, and otolaryngology. It is hoped that these cooperative ventures will lead to new innovations in care for patients with a variety of neurologic abnormalities. In January of 2008, Dr. Kassam was promoted to professor.

Dr. Kassam has over 97 peer reviewed publications, an additional 22 book chapters currently published or in press, and is funded by both industry and the NIH. He lectures extensively nationally and internationally on surgery of the cranial nerves, skull base and on minimally invasive endoscopic techniques.

Dr. Kassam's publications can be reviewed through the National Library of Medicine's publication database with additional references found on his curriculum vitae.

Board Certifications

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Hospital Privileges

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC
UPMC Presbyterian
UPMC St. Margaret
UPMC Shadyside
VA Pittsburgh Health Care System

Professional Organization Membership

American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
European Skull Base Society
International College of Surgeons
North American Skull Base Society
Ontario Medical Association
Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada
Society for Neuro-Oncology
Trigeminal Neuralgia Association

Editorial Service

• Editorial Board:

Neurological Research

• Ad Hoc Reviewer:

Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
Journal of Neuroimaging
Neurology