Leadership Updates for the Department of Neurosurgery

Jan 27, 2022 | Featured, Neurosurgery

The Department of Neurosurgery has announced promotions and appointments of faculty members across Mount Sinai Health System.

J Mocco, MD, MS

J Mocco, MD, MS, has been promoted to Senior Vice Chair of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Health System.

In this new position, Dr. Mocco will work with the Department Chair and clinicians to provide strategic leadership in advancing the Department of Neurosurgery’s 10 service lines across the Health System. These include cerebrovascular, skull base, malignant brain tumors, pituitary/neuroendocrine, spine, neuromodulation, epilepsy, pediatrics, trauma, and neurocritical care.

Since joining the Department, Dr. Mocco has served as Vice Chair of Neurosurgery and Director of the Neurosurgery Residency Program. He is Director of the Cerebrovascular Center and Co-Director of the Neuroendovascular Fellowship Program. In these roles, Dr. Mocco developed the stroke coverage model for NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst and the Mount Sinai Queens stroke suite program. This initiative established a novel care pathway that is already delivering dramatic improvements for stroke care. Dr. Mocco has also directed the opening of thrombectomy and diagnostic neurointerventional services at Mount Sinai Brooklyn. He has gained international recognition for his extensive stroke research as a key thought leader and Principal Investigator in many pivotal clinical trials.

Dr. Mocco received his medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his Master of Science in Biostatistics at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, a residency in neurological surgery at the Neurological Institute of New York, and a fellowship in endovascular neurosurgery at the University of Buffalo.

Isabelle M. Germano, MD, MBA

Isabelle M. Germano, MD, MBA, is Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs for the Department of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Health System. Dr. Germano received her medical degree from the University of Turin Medical School and completed residencies/fellowships at the University of California, San Francisco, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the University of Zurich, and the Montreal Neurological Institute. Dr. Germano received her MBA from the New York University Stern School of Business.

Raj K. Shrivastava, MD

Raj K. Shrivastava, MD, has been appointed Vice Chair for Education, Department of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Health System, and Director of the Neurosurgery Residency Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Shrivastava will oversee educational programs throughout the Department of Neurosurgery, including residency and fellowship programs and medical student education and sub-internships. As residency program Director, he will manage the seven-year-long program’s curriculum and establish additional activities that further enrich the experience of the department’s 14 residents both in and out of the operating room. He will also spearhead initiatives and strategies to increase the program’s national exposure and reputation.

Dr. Shrivastava, who previously served as Associate Program Director of the Residency Program, earned his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a residency in neurosurgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital and a fellowship in skull base surgery at Mount Sinai.

Johanna T. Fifi, MD

Johanna T. Fifi, MD, has been appointed Co-Director of the Pediatric Cerebrovascular Disorders Program and Site Director of Cerebrovascular Services at Mount Sinai West. Dr. Fifi will be responsible for continuing to provide world-class care in the diagnosis, treatment, management, and research of pediatric brain vascular malformations, head and neck vascular malformations, aneurysms, and occlusive vascular diseases. She will also be responsible for providing clinical and technical leadership in the development and expansion of Mount Sinai West’s cerebrovascular neurosurgical services, including treating strokes, aneurysms, vascular malformations, and intracerebral hemorrhage. She joined the program as a part of Continuum Health Partners in 20

What Does a Brain Tumor Feel Like?

Oct 1, 2019 | Featured, Neurosurgery, Your Health

After ignoring seemingly harmless symptoms for at least a year, Emmy-nominated producer Jeannie Gaffigan was diagnosed by a medical team at The Mount Sinai Hospital with a pear-shaped brain tumor. The large mass was severely compressing her brain stem, causing headaches, dizzy spells, and a loss of hearing in one ear. She had attributed the symptoms to being a busy working mom. Her doctors wondered how she was even able to walk or talk normally.

The Neurosurgery team at Mount Sinai, headed by Joshua B. Bederson, MD, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery for the Mount Sinai Health System, quickly scheduled surgery to remove the life-threatening mass, which turned out to be benign (non-cancerous).

Read more about Jeannie Gaffigan’s story

Ms. Gaffigan’s case sheds light on the importance of paying attention to persistent symptoms. But not every dizzy spell is cause for concern.

Leslie Schlachter, PA-C, Clinical Director of Neurosurgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital, works closely with Dr. Bederson and was there to greet Ms. Gaffigan and her husband, comedian Jim Gaffigan, when they arrived looking for answers. Drawing on the numerous cases she has seen over the years, she explains which symptoms you should never ignore and why you are—probably—fine.

What specific symptoms may point to a brain tumor?

The brain is complex. It controls everything we do, allowing us to see, smell, and move. Because of this, symptoms of a brain tumor depend on where the tumor is located and what section of the brain it is pressing on. Generally, changes in your sensory, motor, or visual function that linger for more than a few days need to get checked. For example, if you have played tennis every weekend for the past twenty years and one day you cannot hold your racquet; that is a problem. Or, if you suddenly cannot see well out of your right eye, that is concerning.

I experienced dizziness for a few days last month. Should I check in with my doctor?

Nausea, vomiting, or a change in balance that lingers and does not respond to medicine warrants a visit to your doctor, especially if these symptoms are limiting your ability to function. Keep in mind: if you have a neurological condition, things are not going to get better. So, if your symptoms subside after a few days, there is likely no cause for concern.

Should I go to the emergency room if I am concerned? Will I seem like a hypochondriac?

If you are concerned, make an appointment with your medical provider first, whether that be a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. I always tell people, you are going to get a cold, the flu, and food poisoning, and you may feel terrible. That is normal. However, if you are experiencing symptoms that progressively worsen and do not go away, call your medical provider. Not seeking medical help is the problem.

The only time you should panic is if you are having what I call “The Worst Headache of Your Life.” If your headache is so severely debilitating that all you want to do is sleep because you feel as though your head is going to explode, seek medical assistance immediately as you may have a brain bleed.

What happens if my doctor is concerned about my symptoms? Will I see a neurosurgeon right away?

No. If your medical provider is concerned about your symptoms, he or she may recommend a CT scan or, depending on your symptoms, refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist or neurologist. You will only see a neurosurgeon if you have been diagnosed with a neurosurgical condition that requires intervention.

What should I do if my doctor is not taking my symptoms seriously?

Unfortunately, there are times when a patient’s concerns are not heard. And sometimes, your doctor may chalk up your symptoms to stress. The most important message I can give to patients is: Advocate for yourself. You know your body. If something does not feel right, get a second opinion.

Learn more about Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai

Trigeminal Neuralgia … It’s a pain in the FACE!

Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Health Tips, Neurosurgery

Guest post by Joshua B. Bederson, MD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Health System and specialist in Trigeminal Neuralgia. To make an appointment with Dr. Bederson, call 212-241-2377.

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a disorder with episodes of severe, stabbing, electric shock-like pain in the face as the result of a blood vessel or other lesion coming in contact with the trigeminal nerve. Contact with the trigeminal nerve causes excruciating pain on that side of the face, most commonly in the lower face and jaw, although it sometimes may occur around the nose and above the eye. (more…)

2-Year-Old Gets Life Changing Surgery from Dr. Alejandro Berenstein

Mar 8, 2013 | Endovascular, Neurosurgery, Patient Story, Pediatric Care, Pediatrics, Surgery

On Tuesday, March 5 a team of physicians from Roosevelt Hospital’s Center for Endovascular Surgery performed the first of a series of procedures to treat a 2-year-old boy from the Dominican Republic who was born with a disfiguring lesion on his face.

The 1½-hour procedure was the first of three or four that Alejandro Berenstein, MD, Director of the Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery and his comprehensive team will perform on toddler Joel De La Rosa. (more…)