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This year UNC Neurosurgery hosted our first Winter Lecture Series. Chief Resident Dr. Michael Catalino pulled together an impressive lineup of neurosurgeons to present during grand rounds. The lecture series was well attended by our faculty and residents, as well as other UNC faculty members from various departments including UNC Otolaryngology.

Planning is well underway as we prepare for our 3rd annual Spina Bifida Family Conference, which will be held on October 23, 2021. Due to continued Covid-19 precautions, this event will be completely virtual again this year. Led by the UNC Pediatric Neurosurgery team, the event will consist of presentations given by various health care providers at UNC Health from the departments of neurosurgery, urology, orthopedics, PM&R, and more. The event will also feature keynote speaker Dr. Amy Houtrow, Pediatric Rehab Medicine Division Chief at the University of Pittsburgh. Registration is free and open to all spina bifida patients and their families, including those who do not currently receive care at UNC Health.

For registration and event information, please visit the event website.

Dr. Carolyn Quinsey led her first virtual neurosurgery internship for undergraduate students this summer. The internship included virtual suture nights, discussions on relevant topics in health care, neurosurgery research opportunities, and more. Click to read more about our undergraduate internship program.

As part of the research component of the neurosurgery research program, additional patient stories were compiled and added to our website. Click to read more neurosurgery patient stories.

 

Residents:

Our two chief residents completed their neurosurgery residency in June. Dr. Weston Northam will complete a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship over the next year at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Joshua Loewenstein joined the faculty at Rex Neurosurgery and Spine Specialists in Raleigh.

Our two new neurosurgery residents, Drs. Boyi Li and Jackie MacDonell, began their residency training with us. You can read more about our two new residents as well as the rest of our residents here: https://unc.live/3rZ1WeB

Drs Nathan Quig and Darshan Shastri are the new Neuroendovascular Fellows for 2021-2022. This is an enfolded fellowship that they will complete during their PGY-5 year or residency. 

 

Recent Publications:

Pediatric Neurosurgery in Primary Care: Masses of the Scalp and Skull in Children – Dr. Scott Elton, Dr. Randaline Barnett, Dr. Martin Piazza

Dr. Nelson Oyesiku contributed to “Pituitary Society Expert Delphi consensus: Operative Workflow in endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection.”

Drs Carolyn Quinsey and chief resident Dr. Michael Catalino published a letter to the editor of the JNS with Dr. DeCherney from the Department of Endocrinology highlighting a new perspective on peri-operative management of adrenal insufficiency in pituitary surgery: https://bit.ly/3AkMLQ9

 

Videos:

We had a new lab video created showcasing the space offered in our skull base lab. Residents were interviewed in the video as well as Dr. Quinsey talking about the importance of having a place to practice. Watch the full video on our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3z3pZfn

Dr. Nelson Oyesiku talks about joining the UNC Neurosurgery team as the new chair in this interview on our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2X1tXaf

In the News:

Drs Carolyn Quinsey and Kevin Carniero both appeared in separate news segments focused on traumatic brain injuries in athletes following Durham Bulls pitcher Tyler Zombro’s head injury this summer.

Dr. Nelson Oyesiku received the Distinguished Service Award from the Society of University Neurosurgeons during their annual conference this month.

 

Conferences and Presentations:

Drs Carolyn Quinsey and PGY-6 residents Drs Randaline Barnett and Martin Piazza participated in the YNC-NREF Neurosurgery Sub-internship Preparation series.

Drs Carolyn Quinsey and Edward Yap contributed to the 2021 AANS virtual meeting. You can view their E-poster here: https://bit.ly/3CiNdQB