Pittsburgh, May 8, 2009 -- The following is a list of presentations given by department faculty at the recent American Association of Neurological Surgeons 2009 annual meeting held in San Diego, CA, May 2-6.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. The organization has over 7,400 members worldwide.

Practical Clinics:

001 "Practical and Technical Aspects of Transsphenoidal Surgery." Co-directors: Couldwell WT, Rosseau GL. Faculty: Chandler WF, Ewend MG, Heilman CB, Jane JA Jr., Kassam AB, Kelly DF, Laws ER Jr., McCutcheon IE, Misra BK, Oldfield EH, Regis J, Selman WR.

Saturday, May 2
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Room 20BC, San Diego Convention Center

Lecture:
"Extended Transsphenoidal Approaches," Kassam AB.

006 "Cranial Radiosurgery." Director: De Salles AAF. Faculty: Friedman WA, Gerszten PC, Gorgulho AA, Niranjan A, Sisti MB.

Sunday, May 3
8:00 a.m. – noon
Room 24BC, San Diego Convention Center

009 "Thoracic and Lumbar Stabilization and Fusion: Indications and Complications." Co-directors: Haid RW Jr, Mummaneni PV. Faculty: Chou D, Jacob P, Kanter AS, Kuntz C IV, Marca FL, Park P, Robinson JC, Trost GR, Wang MY.

Sunday, May 3
8:00 a.m. – noon
Room 28CD, San Diego Convention Center

027 "Spinal Radiosurgery." Co-directors: Bilsky MH, Gerszten PC. Faculty: Angelov L, Chang SD, Henderson FC, Sheehan JP.

Sunday May 3
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Room 24BC, San Diego Convention Center

Breakfast Seminars:

119 "Cerebral Trauma State-of-the-Art Treatment." Moderator: Valadka AB, Panelists: Colohan AR, Manley GT, Okonkwo DO, Ullman JS.

Monday, May 4
7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Room 31ABC, San Diego Convention Center

226 "Occupational Hazards: Dodging Bullets, Radiation and Disease." Moderator: Stroink AR. Panelists: Foley KT, Johnson SH, Maroon JC, Ondra SL, Thompson RL.

Tuesday, May 5
7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Room 20A, San Diego Convention Center

Lecture:
"How to Balance Your Diet -- And Your Life," Maroon JC.

213 "Vertebral Column Tumors." Moderator: Bilsky MH. Panelists: Gerszten PC, Tibbs LA.

Tuesday, May 5
7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Room 28D, San Diego Convention Center

Lecture:
"Spine Radiosurgery: Indications and Outcomes," Gerszten PC.

Plenary Sessions:

601 "Long-Term Clinical Outcomes After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia." Zorro O, Lobato-Polo J, Kano H, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD, Kondziolka D.

Monday, May 4
10:40–10:54 AM
Exhibit Hall D, San Diego Convention Center

801 "Does Size Matter? A Volumetric Analysis of Craniectomy Size and It’s Relationship to Outcomes in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury and Diffuse Cerebral Edema." Jagannathan J, Okonkwo DO, Szerlip N, Grady MS, Jane JA, Sr.

Tuesday, May 5
10:00–10:14 AM
Exhibit Hall D, San Diego Convention Center

803 "Long Term Follow-Up of Cortical Stimulation to Treat Major Depressive Disorder." Eskandar EN, Kopell B, Kondziolka D.

Tuesday, May 5
10:30–10:44 AM
Exhibit Hall D, San Diego Convention Center

Section Seminars:

AANS/CNS Section on Tumors 1. Moderators: Chi JH, Curry WT Jr. Current Topics in Extramedullary Spinal Tumors. "Use of Radiation for Extramedullary Extradural Tumors." Gerszten PC.

Tuesday, May 5
3:00–3:14 PM
Room 20BC, San Diego Convention Center

AANS/CSNS Socio Economic. Moderators: Bloomgarden GM, Steinmetz MP. "Is the Toyota Process a Reasonable Model for Operating Room Efficiency Improvement?" Bookwalter JW III.

Tuesday, May 5
5:26–5:35 PM
Room 31ABC, San Diego Convention Center

AANS/CNS Section on Neurotrauma. Moderators: Manley G, Okonkwo DO.

Wednesday, May 6
2:45–5:30 PM
Room 30AB, San Diego Convention Center

Posters:

"CerviCore Disc Replacement vs. Fusion for Single-Level Cervical Radiculopathy: One-Year Outcomes from Four Study Sites in a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial." Maroon JC.

"CerviCore vs. Fusion in Radiculopathy Patients: Radiographic Range of Motion at One Year." Maroon JC.

"Does Stereotactic Radiosurgery Have a Role in the Management of Intracranial Ependymoma Patients Who Failed Prior Fractionated Radiation Therapy?" Kano H, Niranjan A, Kondziolka D, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD

"Outcome Predictors of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Trigeminal Schwannomas: Tumor Control and Functional Preservation." Kano H, Niranjan A, Kondziolka D, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD.

"Case Reports: Vitamin C Deficiency Presenting as Post-operative Bleeding." Jasthy SL, Leers SA, Bursick D, Kennedy M.