Eric Nussbaum, M.D., chair of the National Brain Aneurysm Center based at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, Minn.
May 6, 2009 - Eric Nussbaum, M.D., chair of the National Brain Aneurysm Center based at St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., will be presented with the 2009 BrainLAB Community Neurosurgeon Award at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) annual conference in San Diego on Wednesday, May 6, 2009.
The BrainLAB Community Neurosurgery Award is presented to a neurosurgeon practicing in a nonacademic setting with the best abstract related to central nervous system tumors. Dr. Nussbaum is receiving the award for his presentation entitled "Long-Term Follow-Up, Results and Complications of the Middle Fossa Approach for Hearing Preservation in Acoustic Neuromas".
The study concluded that the use of stereotactic radiosurgery – which uses a laser to treat the brain tumor in a precise dose of targeted radiation – is the best option for preserving hearing in patients with acoustic neuromas. An acoustic neuroma is a noncancerous brain tumor located near the nerve which runs from the brain to the inner ear. Dr. Nussbaum’s research concluded that this approach was more beneficial to patients versus the middle fossa approach, a more invasive surgical technique in patients with small tumors and good preoperative hearing.
“Dr. Nussbaum is a remarkable surgeon and this award is a testament to that fact,” explained Sara Criger, chief executive officer of St. Joseph's Hospital, home of the National Brain Aneurysm Center. “His dedication to his patients is second-to-none and he is constantly researching new surgical techniques and efforts in an extremely complicated field. It is very gratifying to know his extensive efforts in brain tumor research are being rewarded on a national level.”
Dr. Nussbaum's clinical practice at the National Brain Aneurysm Center focuses exclusively on complex brain surgery including the treatment of brain aneurysms, vascular malformations, brain bypass procedures and skull base tumors. Dr. Nussbaum is among the top neurovascular surgeons in the country in terms of both volume and success rates.
For more information: www.brainaneurysmcenter.org and www.healtheast.org/stjosephs/index.cfm