Peter C. Gerszten, MD

Peter C. Gerszten, MD, MPH, is the Peter E. Sheptak Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Gerszten joined the Department of Neurological Surgery and the UPMC Spine Services Division in 1999. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and completed his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed his residency in neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Gerszten obtained a master of public health degree from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. He completed a fellowship in spinal surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Dr. Gerszten specializes in disorders of the spine, focusing on spinal neoplasms. His clinical interests include minimally invasive approaches to the treatment of spinal disorders and spinal tumors. Dr. Gerszten’s area of research is the application of outcomes research to spinal surgical interventions. He is a pioneer in the field of spine radiosurgery.

Dr. Gerszten is co-editor of the 2015 second edition Spine Radiosurgery, an authoritative textbook—and the first of its kind—on all aspects of spine radiosurgery. He is also co-editor of the book Controversies in Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Best Evidence Recommendations, a 277-page look into an evidence-based approach to stereotactic radiosurgery for the brain and spine.

Dr. Gerszten currently serves on the editorial boards of Neurosurgery, The Spine Journal, The Journal of Radiosurgery and SBRT and Neurosurgical Focus.

Specialized Areas of Interest

Outcomes research applied to neurosurgical interventions; failed back syndrome; stereotactic radiosurgery of spinal lesions; minimally invasive spine surgical techniques; sacroiliac dysfunction; compression fractures and percutaneous cement techniques.

Board Certifications

American Board of Neurological Surgery

Hospital Privileges

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

UPMC Presbyterian

UPMC Shadyside

Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System

Professional Organization Membership

Allegheny County Medical Society

American Academy of Neurological Surgery

American Association of Neurological Surgeons

American College of Surgeons

American Medical Association

Congress of Neurological Surgeons

Delta Omega Public Health National Honor Society

International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society

Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves

North American Spine Society

Paleopathology Society

Pennsylvania Neurosurgical Society

Pennsylvania State Medical Society

The Radiosurgery Society

Education & Training

BA, University of Virginia, 1988
MD, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 1992
MPH, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, 1998
Residency, Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, 1999
Fellowship, Spine Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, 2000

Honors & Awards

Pittsburgh’s Best Doctors, Pittsburgh Magazine, 2018-20

Selected Publications

Laufer I, Lo SS, Chang EL, Sheehan J, Guckgenberg M, Sohn MJ, Ryu S, Foote M, Mueacevic A, Soltys SG, Chao S, Myrehaug S, Gerszten PC, Lis E, Maralani P, Bilsky M, Fisher C, Rhines L, Verlaan, JJ, Schiff D, Fehlings MG, Ma L, Chang S, Parelukar WR, Vogelbaum MA, Sahgal A. Population description and clinical response assessment for spinal metastases: Part 2 of the SPIne Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (SPINO) Group Report. Neuro Oncol 20(9):1215-1224.

Kalash R, Glaser SM, Flickinger JC, Burton S, Heron DE, Gerszten PC, Engh JA, Amankulor NM, Vargo JA. Stereotactic body radiation therapy for benign spine tumors: Is dose de-escalation appropriate? J Neurosurgery: Spine. 29(2):220-225, 2018.

Agarwal N, Agarwal P, Querry A, Mazurkiewicz A, Tempel ZJ, Friedlander RM, Gerszten PC, Hamilton DK, Okonkwo DO, Kanter AS. Implementation of an infection prevention bundle and increased physician awareness improves surgical outcomes and reduces costs associated with spine surgery. J Neurosurg Spine 29(1):108-114, 2018.

Ling DC, Flickinger JC, Burton SA, Heron DE, Quinn AE, Bejjani GK, Engh JA, Gerszten PC, Amankulor NM, Vargo JA. Long-term outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery for spine metastases: Radiation dose-response for late toxicity. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 101(3):602-609 2018.

Kim KD, Ramanathan D, Highsmith J, Lavelle W, Gerszten PC, Vale F, Wright N. DuraSeal Exact is a safe adjunctive treatment for durotomy in spine: Postapproval study. Global Spine J 9(3):272-278, 2019.

Hisch JA, Beall DP, Chambers MR, Andreshak TG, Brook AL, Bruel BM, Deen HG, Gerszten PC, Kreiner DS, Sansur CA, Tutton SM, van der Meer P, Stoevelaar HJ. Management of vertebral fragility fractures: A clinical care pathway developed by a multispecialty panel using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method. Spine J 18(11):2152-2161, 2018.

Goldschmidt E, Fellows-Mayle W, Paschel EE, Niranjan A, Flickinger JC, Lunsford LD, Gerszten PC. Evaluation of Clinical and Histologic Effects of High-Dose Radiosurgery on Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion. World Neurosurg S1878-8750(18)32905-X, 2018.

Goldschmidt E, Angriman F, Agarwal N, Trevisan M, Zhou J, Chen K, Gerszten PC, Kanter AS, Okonkwo DO, Passias P, Scheer J, Protopsaltis T, Lafage V, Lafage R, Schwab F, Bess S, Ames C, Smith JS, Shaffrey CI, Miller E, Jain A, Neuman B, Sciubba DM, Burton D, Hamilton DK; International Spine Study Group (ISSG). A new piece of the puzzle to understand cervical sagittal alignment: Utilizing a novel angle δ to describe the relationship among T1 vertebral body slope, cervical lordosis, and cervical sagittal alignment. Neurosurgery 86(3):446-451, 2020.

Nikoobakht M, Shojaei H, Gerszten PC, Shojaei SF, Mollahoseini R, Asar M. Craniometrical imaging and clinical findings of adult Chiari malformation type 1 before and after posterior fossa decompression surgery and duraplasty. British Journal of Neurosurgery 33(5):481-485, 2019.

Goldschmidt E, Fellows-Mayle W, Wolfe R, Niranjan A, Flickinger JC. Lunsford LD, Gerszten PC. Radiosurgery to the spinal dorsal root ganglion induces fibrosis and inhibits satellite glial cell activation while preserving axonal neurotransmission. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine 32:790-798, 2020.

Singh R, Lehrer ED, Dahshan B, Palmer JD, Sahgal A, Gerszten PC, Zaorsky NG, Trifiletti DM. Single fraction radiosurgery, fractionated radiosurgery, and conventional radiotherapy for spinal oligometastasis (SAFFRON): A systematic review and meta-analysis. Radiother Oncol 146:76-89, 2020.

Nikoobakht M, Gerszten PC, Shojaei SF, Shojaei H, Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of vertebral compression fractures: A single-center analysis of pain and quality of life outcomes. Br J Neurosurgery 9:1-4, 2020.

A complete list of Dr. Gerszten's publications can be reviewed through the National Library of Medicine's publication database.

Research Activities

Dr. Gerszten continues to investigate the expanding role of radiosurgery for the treatment of both malignant as well as benign tumors of the spine. Ongoing research includes the incorporation of spine radiosurgery into minimally invasive and percutaneous spine procedures. Dr. Gerszten successfully developed and performed the first ever use of radiosurgery as an ablative tool for extracranial targets in an animal model. This study allowed for the evaluation of the clinical and histopathological effects of high dose radiosurgery on the rat dorsal root ganglion. The goal of these investigations is to evaluate the use of radiosurgery as a viable treatment option for neuromodulation of pain of spinal origin. This year, Dr. Gerszten continued his translational research investigations into the use of radiosurgery for extracranial neuromodulation. Studies were performed that included the development of more comprehensive techniques to safely and accurately deliver high dose radiosurgery to the dorsal root ganglion in animal models. Work was carried out in order to determine if lower doses could be equally as effective in modulating spinal pain generators.

Dr. Gerszten’s clinical research focuses on the adoption of minimally invasive surgical treatments for disorders of the spine. Such minimally invasive techniques allow for decreased morbidity while improving outcomes in neurosurgical patients. Dr. Gerszten continues to expand and systematically analyze the clinical outcomes and safety profiles associated with the use of new spinal implant devices. This includes the expanding indications for percutaneous cement augmentation procedures. Other clinical research has documented the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusions using titanium screw implants for sacroiliac joint dysfunction.