UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is a global leader in pediatric neurosurgery.
Our fellowship-trained surgeons are among the most experienced worldwide, pioneering advanced minimally invasive and open surgical techniques to treat a variety of conditions. Our team combines internationally recognized clinical expertise and research with deep subspecialization in childhood brain and spinal disorders.
We also provide multidisciplinary care by working closely with the many subspecialty care centers within UPMC Children's, including the Spasticity and Movement Disorders Center, the Spina Bifida Clinic, the Epilepsy Center, and more.
Our pediatric neurosurgeons treat:
Brain and Skull Base Disorders
We treat all types of benign and cancerous pediatric brain and skull base tumors, as well as other disorders, including:
- Astrocytoma — A tumor that starts in the glial cells called the astrocytes and may affect the brain or spinal cord.
- Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor — An aggressive central nervous system tumor that occurs most often in children under age 3.
- Chiari malformation — Occurs when part of the brain, called the cerebellum, pushes down into the spinal canal.
- Choroid plexus papilloma or carcinoma — Tumors that start in the tissue that produces cerebrospinal fluid.
- Craniopharyngioma — A benign tumor that develops from embryonic tissue remnants near the pituitary gland.
- Ependymoma — A rare, slow-growing tumor that develops in the lining of the brain and spinal cord ventricles.
- Ganglioglioma — A rare, slower-growing tumor that can occur in the brain or spinal cord.
- Glioblastoma — An aggressive tumor that starts in the glial cells.
- Hydrocephalus — The buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain that leads to increased pressure inside the skull.
- Medulloblastoma — A fast-growing, cancerous tumor that starts in the lower back part of the brain called the cerebellum.
- Meningeal tumors — Also known as meningiomas, these tumors start in the membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord.
- Pineal region tumors — A rare tumor that occurs in the pineal gland in the brain.
- Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma — A rare brain tumor that starts in the glial cells of the nervous system.
- Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) — A rare, aggressive tumor that forms in the central or peripheral nervous system.
- Subependymal giant cell tumor — A benign (noncancerous), slow-growing tumor that forms in the walls of the fluid-filled spaces (ventricles) in the brain.
Cerebrovascular Anomalies
Our team treats problems with the blood vessels in the brain, including:
- Aneurysm — A bulge in the wall of an artery in the brain, leading to a weak spot that could burst and cause life-threatening bleeding.
- Arterial dissection — A tear in the wall of an artery that can cause life-threatening bleeding if it leaks or ruptures.
- Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) — An abnormal tangle of arteries and veins that develops before birth and can rupture, leading to a hemorrhagic stroke.
- Cavernous malformation — An abnormal cluster of enlarged blood vessels that commonly forms in the brain or spine.
- Hemangioma — A noncancerous growth of blood vessels that looks like a red or purplish lesion in the brain or spine.
- Moyamoya syndrome — Narrowing in the arteries at the base of the brain that causes reduced blood flow and may lead to stroke.
- PHACE syndrome — A rare disorder that causes malformations in the brain, leading to developmental delays, seizures, and neurological problems.
- Vein of Galen malformation — Abnormal connections between arteries in the brain and the vein of Galen, leading to problems with blood flow that may cause heart failure, hydrocephalus, developmental delays, and seizures in newborns.
- Venous sinus thrombosis — A blood clot that blocks a vein that drains blood from the brain.
Epilepsy and Seizures
Our neurosurgery team treats all types of epilepsy and other disorders that cause seizures, including:
- Childhood absence epilepsy — Causes brief staring spells, unresponsiveness, and loss of awareness in children.
- Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) — A rare group of conditions that causes seizures early in life, leading to developmental delays or regression.
- Dravet syndrome — A rare, genetic form of epilepsy.
- Febrile seizures — Seizures in children that are triggered by high fevers.
- Frontal lobe epilepsy — A type of focal epilepsy that causes seizures to start in the front of the brain.
- Hypothalamic hamartoma — A benign brain tumor that causes seizures, early puberty, and behavioral or cognitive problems.
- Infantile spasms — Causes clusters of seizures in infants.
- Lennox-Gastaut syndrome — A severe, rare type of epilepsy starting in early childhood.
- Neocortical epilepsy — Occurs when seizures start in the neocortex, the outer layer of the brain.
- Ohtahara syndrome — A rare condition in infants that is caused by brain malformations or genetic abnormalities.
- Rasmussen’s encephalitis — A chronic inflammatory disorder that causes swelling on one side of the brain that gets worse over time.
- Temporal lobe epilepsy — The most common type of focal epilepsy, which causes seizures in one temporal lobe of the brain.
- Tuberous sclerosis complex — Causes noncancerous growths in the brain, which can cause seizures.
Spasticity and Movement Disorders
The spasticity and movement disorders team treats the whole child — not just their disorder. We carefully coordinate surgical and medical treatment with a host of other rehabilitative and supportive services to address all of your child’s clinical needs.
Conditions we treat include:
- Ataxia — The inability to control movement.
- Chorea — Rapid, jerky, sudden movements of the limbs or face.
- Dystonia — Writhing or twisting movements caused by involuntary muscle contractions.
- Myoclonus — Sudden, shock-like twitching of muscles without a rhythm or pattern.
- Spasticity — Increased muscle tone or stiffness that results in uncontrolled, awkward movements.
- Tremor — Involuntary trembling movements.
Spine Conditions
We provide advanced care for children with spinal disorders, including:
- Myelomeningocele — A type of neural tube defect and the most serious form of spina bifida. Myelomeningocele occurs when the backbone and spinal canal don’t form completely during fetal development.
