Columbia Neurosurgery Shines at the 2025 Neurosurgical Society of America Annual Meeting

Columbia’s Department of Neurological Surgery had a strong showing at the  Neurosurgical Society of America (NSA) 78^th Annual Meeting, held June 22–25, 2025, near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. This year’s gathering was particularly meaningful, with Dr. Guy McKhann serving as President of the Society and hosting the event.

Department Chair Dr. E. Sander Connolly contributed to a timely panel discussion on “Resilience in the Face of Current Challenges: Academic Neurosurgery” and had the honor of introducing Dr. McKhann’s Presidential Address.

The meeting also served as a celebration of one of neurosurgery’s most respected figures: Dr. Donald O. Quest was awarded the NSA Medal for Outstanding Service, the highest honor presented by the organization. The award recognizes Dr. Quest’s decades of exceptional service and impact in neurosurgery, education, and mentorship.

Beyond these major honors, Columbia faculty were highly engaged throughout the program, presenting groundbreaking research and clinical advancements:

• Dr. Brett Youngerman received the Best Abstract by an Invited Guest award for his presentation, “A Modular Brain-Computer Interface System of Wireless, High-Channel-Count Subdural and Depth Brain Electrode Arrays.”
• Dr. Christopher Winfree presented on “The Surgical Management of Phrenic Neuropathy in Patients with Parsonage-Turner Syndrome.”
• Dr. Dean Chou shared findings from the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) showing improved outcomes for patients with BMI >30 undergoing minimally invasive surgery for Grade 1 spondylolisthesis

  

• Dr. Gordon Baltuch gave a mindful talk focused on “Wellness and Peer Support”, emphasizing physician well-being in the field.
• Dr. Andrew Chan presented “Comparing MIS Decompression Alone versus MIS TLIF for Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis: 5-year Results from the Quality Outcomes Database”.

We congratulate all our faculty for their outstanding contributions and for representing Columbia with distinction. Their leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing the field continue to elevate the department—and the future of neurosurgery.