Pediatric neurosurgeons join New York Methodist Hospital

February 16, 2016 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Dr. Caitlin Hoffman, a pediatric neurosurgeon, conducts a patient examination at New York Methodist Hospital. Photo courtesy of New York Methodist

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Pediatric neurosurgeons Dr. Mark Souweidane, Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield and Dr. Caitlin Hoffman recently joined the faculty of New York Methodist Hospital (NYM).

Hoffman will now be available for onsite appointments at NYM to evaluate children with conditions that impact the brain and spinal cord. Case discussions enlist the expertise of the entire team, which performs any recommended surgical procedures at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, an affiliate of New York Methodist Hospital. Souweidane, Greenfield and Hoffman are also members of the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to bring pediatric neurosurgery services to patients who trust New York Methodist Hospital with their care,” said Hoffman. “It is very fulfilling to meet and work with families and patients in Brooklyn and help them confront challenging diagnoses in a setting close to home.”

The pediatric neurosurgery team collaborates with the pediatric neurologists from NYM’s Department of Neurosciences, who evaluate and treat a wide range of neurological disorders impacting children. The hospital’s pediatric neurologists may refer families for an evaluation with Hoffman if they diagnose a condition that merits surgical intervention.

Such conditions may include tumors of the central nervous system, severe epilepsy that does not respond to medication, a cerebrospinal fluid disorder such as obstructive hydrocephalus, spinal cord compression, spasticity, brain hemorrhage and congenital malformations of the brain, skull or spine.

“Children in our community who need a referral to a pediatric neurosurgeon may be very sick or disabled,” said Dr. Romaine Schubert, chief of pediatric neurology and epilepsy at NYM. “To have access to pediatric neurosurgical care right here, in the same building as their pediatricians or referring physicians, can make a profound difference, and help us to seamlessly collaborate with a world-class pediatric neurosurgery team.”

Souweidane, Greenfield and Hoffman specialize in traditional and minimally invasive procedures for a broad spectrum of neurologic conditions and disorders. However, the team stresses that outstanding pediatric neurosurgical care extends far beyond technical prowess and a repertoire of complex procedures.

“The crux of pediatric neurosurgery is judgment — the judgment to determine whether a child is a candidate for surgical treatment, to understand whether a procedure meshes well with his or her pathology, and to ascertain the true risk of performing an indicated procedure,” emphasized Souweidane, who also serves as director of pediatric neurological surgery at the Weill Cornell Medicine Brain and Spine Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

“That judgment stems from compassion for our patients that begins as soon as a child comes through the door. Any decision made must be rooted in a desire to work with the whole family, to be on their team throughout the course of treatment and to ensure that the benefit of the care extends beyond the operating room. We are very pleased to establish a partnership with a hospital of New York Methodist’s stature, and to extend the benefits of pediatric neurosurgery services to the Brooklyn community,” he said.