Surviving Neurosurgery, Second Edition is here! Nearly 50 voices from both sides of the OR doors on what the work asks and what it gives back.
Learn more: scoli.org/blog/posts/survivi…
Congratulations to our Principal Research Fellow, Dr. Ayesha Akbar Waheed (@AyeshaAkbarW), who presented our team’s work “Development of a Standardized Algorithm for Iatrogenic Vertebral Artery Injury in Cervical Spine Surgery” selected as one of nine Best Papers at the 11th Annual Safety in Spine Surgery Summit in NYC.
The project introduces the VeRTIAL (Vertebral Artery Injury Assessment Lifeline) algorithm: a practical framework to improve the prevention, recognition, and management of vertebral artery injury during cervical spine surgery.
We are grateful to our mentors and collaborators @nitinagarwalmd, @ricardojf7, Dr. Kojo Hamilton, Dr. Rick Sasso, and the SCOLI team. We look forward to all the great work in spine safety still to come.
Former Principal Research Fellow of SCOLI, Raj Swaroop Lavadi, M.D. (@RajLavadi) presents the lab's research on the visible signs of concussion in slap fighting at the Association of Ringside Physicians Annual Conference in Orlando, FL (May 30).
Congratulations to Dr. D. Kojo Hamilton on being recognized as a VA I CARE nominee by the Veterans Association.
For Dr. Hamilton, caring for veterans has always been more than a professional duty. The commitment took root during his third year of medical school at the VA Medical Center in Salem, Virginia, where firsthand encounters with those who served left a lasting impression and a promise he has carried into every place he has practiced since.
"Caring for our nation's veterans is far more than a professional duty to me. It is a deeply moving privilege," he shared. This recognition is a reminder of why the work matters.
To every veteran who has served, thank you.
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Get yourself a copy! Excited to help put this together with a close group of brothers. Thankful to the authors who contributed.
barnesandnoble.com/w/operati…
@UB_Neurosurgery @PittNeurosurg @UPMC @pittnsgy @NitinAgarwalMD
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The next Spine and Scoliosis Patient Support Group meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, at 6 pm, with Diana Pinkhasova, M.D. Please register at scoli.org/support and the link will be emailed to you automatically.
#pittneurosurgery #pitthealthsci
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This week, we are hosting the Neurosurgery Flex Week for our MS1s! Students are getting early exposure into the ORs and learning basic surgical skills such as suturing, tying, gowning, and gloving!
@NitinAgarwalMD @reganmshanahan @shovanbhatia @BenCarnovale
@PittNeurosurg
SCOLI retweeted
Great dinner talk hosted by @WomenInNSGY and Association of Women Surgeons where we discussed “Being a Woman in a Male-Dominated Field” from @NitinAgarwalMD’s Surviving Neurosurgery
Great discussions all around and super fortunate for our tight knit community at @PittHealthSci
Congratulations to @NitinAgarwalMD on being featured in @Wharton's Venture Lab profile. Dr. Agarwal's work with Novuosis Scientific demonstrates how structured mentorship and funding opportunities translate concepts into viable ventures in neurosurgery.
executivemba.wharton.upenn.e…
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Join us for Cooper Neurosurgery Grand Rounds on Monday, January 19th, 8–9AM EST. Speaker: Nitin Agarwal, M.D. @NitinAgarwalMD
Topic: “Surviving Neurosurgery”
Teams Link:teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup…
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2026 dates for the @UPMC Spine and Scoliosis Support Group have been announced. Call 412-647-3604 or visit scoli.org/support to RSVP or get more information.
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.@NitinAgarwalMD and @SamuelWakelin20 had their project 'inFiniteSpine: Preoperative Finite Element Spine Surgery Planning Tool' selected as one of 19 Phase 1 awardees for the @PittTweet Un-Challenge, an initiative funding unconventional research to solve tough health problems.
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The Presbyterian Medical Executive Committee has awarded @SCOLIorg a $5k grant to fund their Spine and Scoliosis Support group, a forum for patients with spinal disorders to share stories and learn about new treatment approaches from leading experts in the field.
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SCOLI principal research fellow Ayesha Akbar Waheed presented two oral talks at the recent Cervical Spine Research Society annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Her presentations explored innovative approaches to intervertebral disc regeneration. @scoli @AyeshaAkbarW
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Congratulations to Hansen Deng for his selection as a 2025 AO Spine North America Davos Fellow at the recent AO Spine Advanced Course—Cervical Spine: Dealing with Complex, Revision and Deformity Problems—in Davos, Switzerland. neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/d…
SCOLI retweeted
The neurosurgery team of @NitinAgarwalMD, Shaunak Patil, @Janam_Patel1 and @AyeshaAkbarW was one of three teams selected for runner-up awards at the 2025 University of Pittsburgh Sustainability in Healthcare Challenge. @SCOLIorg @UPMC @PittTweet neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/n…
SCOLI retweeted
Abigail Crum and @NitinAgarwalMD publish new book Neurosurgery Fundamentals for Advanced Practice Providers that provides a strategic, practical, and a complete guide for building high-performing neurosurgical teams. neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/a… @ThiemeIntl @UPMCPhysicianEd
Join us in congratulating @NitinAgarwalMD, D. Kojo Hamilton, M.D., @ShaunakPat55575, @AyeshaAkbarW, @Janam_Patel1, @SamuelWakelin20, and @BenCarnovale at the Pitt One Health Day event!
sustainability.health.pitt.e… If you are attending, be sure to RSVP.
The announcement of the challenge's winners and the award amount is at 2:15pm this Friday in 3785 Scaife Hall.
