World-class treatment for conditions of the brain and spine The Brain and Spine Center is headed by Philip E.
The Weill Cornell Medicine Brain and Spine Center is a world-class provider of minimally invasive surgical techniques for the treatment of the full spectrum of neurological disease. Stieg, Ph.D., M.D., Professor & Chairman of Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery and Neurosurgeon-in-Chief of NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Weill Cornell Medicine Brain and Spine Center provides state-of-the-art care for both adults and children with diseases of the brain and spine. The department leads in the utilization of high-tech computerized diagnostic and treatment tools, from the Gamma Knife and stereotactic radiosurgery to the use of three-dimensional visualization in the operating room. What was once a world of highly intrusive surgery has evolved into a high-tech environment of small incisions, tiny catheters, and minimally invasive endoscopes. The department also serves as a premier training center for neurosurgeons of the future and has achieved remarkable breakthroughs in research.
12/01/2025
The AVM Q&A: Dr. Philip Stieg Answers Your Top Questions
Building on our introductory webinar with Dr. Ning Lin, this session takes a deeper look at the questions patients and families most frequently ask about arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Hosted by Weill Cornell Medicine, this interactive Q&A is designed to cut through complexity and offer straightforward guidance on living with and treating AVMs.
Dr. Philip Stieg, a leading neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, will address key topics including treatment decision-making, what daily life with an AVM can look like, how clinicians monitor these conditions, and how to navigate challenging care choices. His insights go beyond the basics to reflect the real-world concerns patients bring to the clinic.
Whether you’re newly diagnosed, considering treatment options, supporting a loved one, or looking to build on the fundamentals from our first session, this webinar provides expert, practical information to help guide your next steps.
December 4, 2025
12:00 PM ET
11/26/2025
Following our introductory webinar on arteriovenous malformations with Dr. Ning Lin, we're diving deeper into the questions that keep patients and families up at night. Hosted by Weill Cornell Medicine, this interactive Q&A session cuts through the complexity to deliver the answers you need most about living with and treating AVMs.
Dr. Philip Stieg, a renowned neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, tackles the questions patients ask most frequently about arteriovenous malformations. He'll break down treatment decisions, explain what it really means to live with an AVM, clarify monitoring approaches, and guide you through the toughest care choices. Dr. Stieg goes beyond the basics to address the real-world challenges patients face and help you understand when different treatment paths make sense for your situation.
Whether you're navigating a new AVM diagnosis, weighing treatment options, supporting someone you love, or ready to move beyond the fundamentals from our first session, this webinar delivers the expert insights that can shape your path forward.
Dec 3, 2025 06:00 PM in
Eastern Time (US and Canada)
11/20/2025
Pulsatile tinnitus—hearing rhythmic sounds that pulse in time with your heartbeat—can be a distressing and puzzling condition that many people don't fully understand until they experience it themselves.
Join our educational webinar from Weill Cornell Medicine to learn essential information about pulsatile tinnitus.
Dr. Srikanth Reddy Boddu, a leading neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, will discuss what pulsatile tinnitus is, how it's diagnosed and current treatment approaches. He will explain the various causes that may lead to pulsatile tinnitus, the diagnostic workup including imaging studies, when treatment might be recommended and what patients can expect throughout the care process.
Whether you're experiencing pulsatile tinnitus yourself, supporting a loved one with this condition or simply want to learn more, this collaborative webinar will provide expert medical insights alongside practical support resources.
Dec 3, 2025 06:00 PM in
Eastern Time (US and Canada)
11/19/2025
Expanding care beyond New York!
This month, Michelle Buontempo, MSN, RN, CCRN, CPNP, shared Weill Cornell Medicine’s Pediatric Neurosurgical Craniofacial Program expertise at the New Jersey NAPNAP Annual Pediatric Conference. She highlighted early recognition, imaging, and multidisciplinary care for children with craniofacial differences—helping providers connect families to specialized care.
We are proud to share that Dr. Mark M. Souweidane, Michels Family Professor of Pediatric Neurological Surgery and Director of Pediatric Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, recently participated in the 14th International Pediatric Conference in Dubai, hosted by KidsHeart Medical Center in affiliation with NewYork-Presbyterian Kids/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center.
This global gathering brought together renowned pediatric experts from around the world to collaborate, lead case simulations, and advance the future of children’s health across more than twenty pediatric specialties.
Dr. Souweidane joined international leaders to discuss innovations in pediatric neurosurgery, share clinical insights, and help build bridges for global collaboration in childhood brain tumor research and care.
We are honored to see Dr. Souweidane representing Weill Cornell Medicine on an international stage—continuing his lifelong commitment to advancing neurosurgical care for children and championing new approaches that bring hope to families worldwide.
Supporting the Whole Patient: Neuropsychology in Adult Epilepsy Care
During National Epilepsy Awareness Month, we recognize the vital role of neuropsychology in the comprehensive care of adults living with epilepsy. At Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. H. Allison Bender, PhD, ABPP, brings deep expertise and compassionate insight to her work as a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist.
Dr. Bender specializes in evaluating cognitive and emotional functioning in adults with epilepsy, helping patients and care teams better understand how seizures and treatments may affect memory, attention, mood, and overall quality of life. Her assessments are essential in guiding surgical decisions, monitoring recovery, and supporting long-term wellness.
As Dr. Bender shares:
“Neuropsychological care helps us understand the full impact of epilepsy on a person’s life—not just the seizures, but how they think, feel, and function day to day. It’s about supporting the whole patient.”
Working closely with neurosurgeons like Dr. Caitlin Hoffman, who treats both children and adults, Dr. Bender ensures that each patient’s journey is informed by a holistic understanding of brain health and personal experience.
Together, their collaboration reflects Weill Cornell’s commitment to multidisciplinary care, where clinical excellence and empathy go hand in hand.
At Weill Cornell Medicine’s Department of Neurological Surgery, care is more than a mission. It is at the heart of everything we do.
On World Kindness Day, we are reminded that compassion is just as vital to healing as any medical breakthrough. What sets us apart is not only our expertise, but our commitment to treating every patient and every interaction with empathy, dignity, and respect.
While our department is built on education and research, it is our humanity that defines us. From complex neurosurgical procedures to everyday moments of connection, kindness guides our every step.
Today, take a moment to show kindness to someone. It could make a world of difference to them.
If you or a loved one is seeking expert, compassionate neurosurgical care, call us at 866-426-7787. We are here to help.
11/06/2025
11/05/2025
Thousands are affected by brain blood vessel tangles called AVMs, yet many don’t know about them. In this webinar, Dr. Ning Lin shares the latest in AVM treatment, from surgery to radiosurgery and explains what patients and families can expect.
Congratulations to Suzan Wollard, PA-C, chief physician assistant for neurological surgery and neurology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, on her induction into the MIPO Hall of Fame and receiving the Making the Impossible Possible Award!
Suzan was recognized for her decades of leadership in brain, spine and trauma care, her mentorship of future medical professionals, and her unwavering commitment to health equity across New York City and beyond.
From the operating room to the classroom to the community, Suzan continues to inspire through compassion, excellence and impact.
Honoring Excellence in Epilepsy Care: Dr. Caitlin Hoffman
This November, in recognition of National Epilepsy Awareness Month, we celebrate Dr. Caitlin Hoffman’s extraordinary contributions to epilepsy surgery, with a special focus on her work with pediatric patients.
Dr. Hoffman is a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes in the surgical treatment of epilepsy and a broad spectrum of pediatric neurosurgical conditions. She leads the Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Program at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she fosters collaboration across campuses to advance care, research, and innovation.
Her career is defined by remarkable milestones. In 2019, Dr. Hoffman performed Tanzania’s first-ever functional hemispherectomy on a child suffering from intractable seizures—a life-changing procedure that resulted in seizure freedom.
Reflecting on her work, Dr. Hoffman shares:
“Being part of a child’s healing journey is both a privilege and a source of profound fulfillment.”
This month and every month, Dr. Hoffman’s dedication reminds us that meaningful progress in epilepsy care is driven by clinical excellence, compassionate innovation, and a deep commitment to improving lives.
When you come to Weill Cornell Medicine, you’re not facing a neurological diagnosis alone. You have an entire team, experts across every specialty,working together for you. That’s the power of truly collaborative, patient-centered neurosurgery.
If you or a loved one needs care, call us at 866-426-7787. We would be honored to be part of your care team.
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A leader in high-tech computerized diagnostic and treatment methods, the Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center receives patients from around the world. Our specialists treat the full spectrum of neurological disease, from brain and spine tumors, stroke, aneurysms, and epilepsy to Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. At the forefront of emerging technology, our facilities offer the Gamma Knife, stereotactic radiosurgery, frameless stereotaxy, endoscopic surgery, and three-dimensional visualization in the operating room. Many of our patient cases have been covered in the news documenting the success of minimal-access surgery; recent articles told of spinal surgery to prevent paralysis and a giant brain tumor removed through the nasal cavity. (Find out more about our Surgical Services and Surgical Programs.)
Our services don't end after surgery: We have on-staff neuropsychologists who offer testing and treatments for emotional and cognitive issues that may occur after a brain disorder. (Find out more about our CBT groups for pain and our Cognitive Remediation Program.)
Pioneers in the Laboratory
In addition to their clinical work, our neurosurgeons actively pursue new frontiers in research. Advancements include the first gene therapy treatment for Parkinson's; the successful isolation of "human stem cells" from the human brain, both normal and brain tumor-derived; computer mapping of the brain to cure epilepsy through surgery; a cure for one type of eye cancer using tiny catheters; and a cutting-edge approach to treating pediatric hydrocephalus (water on the brain) that eliminates the need for shunts, sparing children from unnecessary infections. (Read more about our Laboratory Research.)
Bridging the distance from the lab bench to the patient bedside, clinical trials are underway for stroke, aneurysms, spinal fusion, and resistant brain tumors. On the horizon: deep brain stimulation for depression and a biological alternative to mechanical spinal disc replacement. (Read more about our Clinical Trials.)
Training the Next Generation
As educators, our staff teaches medical students, residents, and fellows, nationally and abroad. They also design and present specialized training courses in skull base surgery, endonasal surgery, cutting edge pediatric surgery, and minimally invasive approaches to spine surgery. (Find out about our Continuing Medical Educationcourses, residency program, and fellowships.)
Great new vistas exist for the treatment of neurological diseases of the brain and spine. The Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center is a world leader in the implementation of these new treatment paradigms.
