UAB MEDICINE NEWS
UAB Neurosciences Expands Faculty, Services
UAB Neurosciences has expanded its faculty and services in
and a neurocritical care and stroke fellowship at the
at UAB funded by the National MS Society, will join
Google Glass, VIPAAR Combine for Telemed Surgery
Chambers, DVM, MD, coprincipal investigator of EVOLVE,
the following areas:
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Hays
the faculty this summer. A graduate of the University
A virtual , augmented, reality technology called VIPAAR used in
(Evaluation of Outcomes for Quality of Life and Activities of
has served on the faculty at Medical University of South
of Mississippi School of Medicine, he completed his
Carolina, where she was director of the Neurology
neurology residency at UAB. He is interested in clinical
conjunction with Google Glass could be an important step toward Daily Living for BKP in the treatment of VCFs), a long-term
prospective observational trial at more than 20 US medical
the development of useful, practical telemedicine, says UAB
enhanced with the addition of faculty members John
Residency and Neurocritical Care Fellowship programs.
care and research related to multiple sclerosis and other
neurosurgeon Barton Guthrie, MD. Guthrie developed VIPAAR
centers. “Compression of the vertebra adds stress to adjacent
Deveikis, MD, and Angela Hays, MD.
She will direct the neurology critical care program and
demyelinating disorders.
(Virtual Interactive Presence in Augmented Reality) over the
vertebrae and can result in new fractures with even further
Agnihotri earned her MD degree from Government
past decade to allow real-time, interactive video conferencing.
increases in pain,” says Chambers. “Quality of life is threatened
Medical College, Bhavnagar, India, and completed her
In September 2013, VIPAAR and Google Glass, the wearable
and increased mortality following osteoporotic fragility
residency in neurology at the University of Connecticut,
computer with head-mounted optical display, were used for the
fractures has been reported. The consequences of inactivity
• Stroke interventional and critical care resources are
Deveikis, an interventional neuroradiologist, earned
expand its complement of vascular neurologists.
his MD degree from the University of Massachusetts
Medical School, where he also completed a radiology
• The UAB Epilepsy Program, one of the nation’s
residency. He also completed fellowships in
largest, continues to grow with the addition of Siddharth
Farmington. She finished a fellowship in advanced
neuroradiology at Georgetown University Medical
Kharkar, MD, to the faculty.
general neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital,
first time in a surgery. One surgeon performed a major procedure in this population are significant and may be irreparable.” She
at UAB while another physician watched and interacted from an notes EVOLVE comes at a time when surgeons are seeking
Center, Washington, DC, and at the University of
Boston, and a fellowship in neurology-HIV at Beth
office in Atlanta. The built-in camera transmitted the image of
alternatives to current medical and surgical strategies for
Western Ontario, London, Canada. He has more than 25
Kharkar, who will be the UAB Magnetoencephalography (MEG) director and has particular expertise in
Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. Her areas of
the surgical field to Atlanta, and VIPAAR allowed the observing
patients with painful vertebral fractures. Chambers and her
years of neurointerventional experience, with particular
evaluating patients for epilepsy surgery, earned his medi-
interest are neuroinfectious disease, HIV neurology, and
doctor watching on his computer monitor to introduce his
colleague Patrick Pritchard, MD, have the largest cohort of
expertise in diagnostic cerebral and spinal angiography,
cal degree from Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M.
neurological complications of systemic diseases such as
hands into the virtual surgical field, where they were seen in the
kyphoplasty patients in Alabama, and the first of a planned 50
tumor embolization, vascular malformations, and
Hospital, Mumbai, India, and his MHS degree from the
sarcoidosis, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, and vasculitis.
pediatric neurointervention. He is the coauthor, along
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore. He
operating surgeon’s head-mounted display. The display is similar patients was enrolled in the trial at UAB in January. For more
to how television producers can insert a virtual yellow first-down information about EVOLVE at UAB, call 205.481.7938 or
with Mark Harrigan, MD, of the UAB Department of
completed his neurology fellowship at Hahnemann Uni-
Neurosurgery, of the Handbook of Cerebrovascular
versity Hospital, Philadelphia, and a fellowship in neuro-
Rhodemarie Maron, DO, UAB Neurology will open
point out anatomy, provide guidance, or demonstrate the proper
Disease and Neurointerventional Technique (Springer),
physiology and epilepsy at UCSF. His epilepsy research
a new general neurology practice at UAB Hospital-
positioning of instruments. VIPAAR is now commercialized at a
which is now in second edition. His primary appointment
includes language lateralization, ictal EEG pattern in
Highlands. Maron is a graduate of the Kansas City
at UAB is in the Department of Neurosurgery. His arrival
autoimmune encephalitis, and flow-controlled CSF drain-
University of Medicine and Biosciences and completed
technology business incubator partnered with UAB. “This system UAB Neurosurgery’s R. Shane Tubbs, PA-C, PhD, started
lets an expert guide and teach new skills while enhancing patient as a surgeon assistant before becoming a neuroanatomist
ensures that acute stroke care and neurointerventional
age in hydrocephalous.
a neurology residency at UAB and a neuro-oncology
safety and outcomes,” says Guthrie.
services are now available at UAB 24 hours a day, 7 days
• With Agnihotri’s arrival, along with new physician
line on a football field. With the technology, a remote surgeon can email mhowens@uabmc.edu.
Tubbs: Surgeon Assistant and Neuroanatomist
and the editor-in-chief of Clinical Anatomy. Now he is the
newest editor for the 41st edition of Gray’s Anatomy and an
fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, Durham,
North Carolina. Maron previously practiced general and
Szaflarski Named to Epilepsy Committee
editor for the 5th and 6th editions of Netter’s Atlas of Human
Multiple Sclerosis expands with the additions of Will iam
neuro-oncology in Tupelo, Mississippi. Her practice
Neurologist Jerzy Szaflarski, MD, PhD, was recently named to
Anatomy, the best-selling anatomy books in the world. Last
of Medicine. She completed a neurology residency at
Meador, MD, and Shruti Agnihotri, MD. Meador, who
includes oncology patients who have neurologic
the American Epilepsy Society-NINDS Research Benchmarks
year Tubbs authored, with pediatric neurosurgeon Jerry
Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis,
is finishing a neuroimmunology clinical care fellowship
conditions.
Stewards committee. The newly established AES committee is
Oakes, MD, The Chiari Malformations, and 2014 will see his
charged with promoting and tracking progress in areas targeted
contributions to Wiley’s unique text showcasing variations
a week.
Hays is a graduate of the Tulane University School
continued from cover
Guthrie says the unique focus of N²QOD on
effectiveness of the surgical intervention gives
participants the tools to assess, on a national and
• The UAB Division of Neuroimmunology and
as potential epilepsy benchmarks. Szaflarski, director of the
in normal human anatomy, Bergman’s Textbook of Human
AANS saw fit to become the first national society to
Forty-four institutions are participating in the Lumbar
UAB Division of Epilepsy, will serve a 3-year term as a steward.
Anatomic Variation. Tubbs earned his PA-C degree from
initiate such a program. We need all practice groups
Spine registry, which has more than 7000 patients,
Stewards meet annually in conjunction with the annual AES
UAB and was considering entering medical school when his
to participate.”
and 25 sites are participating in the Cervical Spine
meeting as well as such activities as symposia or publications.
interest in anatomy was piqued while performing cadaveric
registry, which numbers more than 1000 patients.
Szaflarski joined UAB in 2012.
dissection that led to findings published in the Journal of
He notes that the database also can provide
local scale, the actual impact of the neurosurgical
satisfaction of external requirements such as licensing
service on patients’ lives. “In other words, N²QOD
and maintenance of specialty board certifications.
This is the largest spine surgery registry in existence.
Neurosurgery. He subsequently completed a master’s degree
EVOLVE Assesses Balloon Kyphoplasty
and a doctorate, both at UAB. Since then he has taught gross
investigator for the project; Mark Hadley, MD,
A multicenter national trial is evaluating activity, quality
anatomy to nurse anesthesia, surgical physician assistant, and
data related to quality by providing risk-adjusted,
and Beverly Walters, MD, are coinvestigators; and
of life, and safety outcomes of minimally invasive balloon
longitudinal performance measurement of patient-
Guthrie is director of operations. The Vanderbilt
healthcare reform may simply reward cheaper rather
centered surgical outcomes. Modules for Lumbar
Institute of Medicine and Public Health manages the
dental, optometry, and medical students. He serves as a surgeon
kyphoplasty (BKP) for vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), assistant at Children’s of Alabama, and neuroanatomy lecturer
which affect one in three women and one in eight men age 50
to Neurosurgery residents. Tubbs has contributed to almost 850
than valuable care,” says Guthrie. “The N²QOD
and Cervical Spine procedures were launched early
collection and analysis, and the REDCap (Research
and older and threaten patients’ mobility and quality of life.
can provide the evidence we need to appropriately
in 2012. Lumbar Deformity, Cerebrovascular, and
Electronic Data Capture) platform provides
define our value for patients. We are fortunate that the
Tumor modules are among those in development.
comprehensive data services.
“Kyphosis compresses the thorax, reducing pulmonary function, the pediatric neurosurgery team includes looking for anatomical
and the abdomen, which can lead to decreased appetite
solutions to surgical issues and helping develop minimally
enables neurosurgery to understand its patientcentered value proposition,” he says.
“Without such evidence of patient-centered value,
The N²QOD allows users to collect and track
M. R. Chambers, DVM, MD, is UAB’s principal
and bladder incontinence,” says UAB neurosurgeon M.R.
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For Referrals: 800.822.6478
peer-reviewed articles and several seminal texts. His work with
F E A T U RE D
C L I N I C A L TR I A LS
Creatine Safety, Tolerability, & Efficacy
in Huntington’s Disease (CREST-E). The
purpose of the study is to assess whether
high doses of creatine can slow down
the worsening of Huntington’s Disease
symptoms that occur over time. Brain cell
injury and death is believed to cause the
symptoms of HD. A major factor in the brain
cell death is thought to be a lack of normal
levels of cell energy and the generation of
harmful free radicals. Creatine is a dietary
supplement believed to help the body
produce energy. High doses of creatine
may help protect brain cells in people who
have HD by improving the levels of cell
energy. NCT00712426. PI: Victor Sung, MD.
Contact: Jenna Smith, 205.975.0338.
Post-Stroke Aphasia and rTMS Treatment
Study (PART). This is a study to learn
how repetitive transcranial magnetic
stimulation (rTMS) at different durations
affects language recovery in patients
with chronic aphasia after stroke. This
noninvasive method to excite neurons
in the brain involves weak electric
currents induced in the tissue by rapidly
changing magnetic fields (electromagnetic
induction). This way, brain activity can
be triggered or modulated without the
need for surgery or external electrodes.
NCT01512264. PI: Jerzy Szaflarski, MD.
Contact: Amber Martin, 205.934.3866.
Clot Lysis: Evaluating Accelerated
Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage
Phase III (CLEAR III). This 5-year, phase
3 clinical trial aims to obtain information
from a population of 500 intracerebral
hemorrhage (ICH) subjects with
intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) testing
the benefit of clot rem oval for IVH. The
study will compare extraventricular
drainage (EVD) use plus recombinant tissue
plasminogen activator (rt-PA, Cathflo
Activase Genentech, Inc, San Francisco)
with EVD+ placebo in the management and
treatment of subjects with small ICH and
large intraventricular hemorrhage (ICH
<30 cc and obstruction of the 3rd or 4th
ventricles by intraventricular blood clot).
NCT00784134. PI: Mark Harrigan, MD.
Contact: Lisa Nelson, research coordinator,
205.934.3131.
invasive techniques.
M o r e I nf o r ma t i o n : u a b m e d i c i n e . o r g / p h y s i c i a n
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