Chordoma

Overview

The Brown University Chordoma Center at Rhode Island Hospital combines extensive experience and technical expertise in the multidisciplinary treatment of chordoma arising from the spine and skull base. Chordoma is a rare and aggressive bone tumor. They arise from remnants of embryonic cells present at birth and continue to grow anywhere along the spine from the skull base to the sacrum. Although slow-growing, they can be life-threatening if not treated properly. Effective treatment is challenging and often requires the removal of the entire tumor in one piece (en-bloc resection technique) while operating near critical neural and vascular structures.

Our center is led by the chairman of the Brown / Lifespan Neurosurgery Department, Dr. Ziya L. Gokaslan, a world-renowned neurosurgeon with unique expertise in spinal chordoma treatment. Our team of neurosurgeons, general surgeons, plastic surgeons, oncologists, and radiation oncologists work together to ensure patients receive personalized specialty care to ensure an optimal treatment outcome.

Comprehensive Care Centers

Norman Prince Spine Institute

Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center

Specialty Team

Director

Ziya L. Gokaslan, MD

Julius Stoll, MD Professor and Chair, Department of Neurosurgery
Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital
Clinical Director, Norman Prince Neurosciences Institute
President, Neurosurgery Foundation

Neurosurgery Department Team

Curtis E. Doberstein, MD

Professor of Neurosurgery
Executive Vice-Chair, Clinical Operations
Director, Cerebrovascular and Skull-base Surgery Division
Director, Neurosurgery Residency Training Program

Jared S. Fridley, MD

Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Director, Spinal Outcomes Laboratory
Director, Center for Innovative Neurotechnology for Neural Repair (CINNR Lab)

Multidisciplinary Team

General Surgery

Thomas J. Miner, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery
Chief, Surgical Oncology

Neuro-Oncology

Eric T. Wong, MD

Professor of Neurology, Medicine, Neurosurgery & Radiation Oncology
Director of Medical Neuro-Oncology

Plastic Surgery
Paul Liu, MD, Plastic Surgeon, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
Radiation Oncology
Jarek Hepel, MD, Radiation Oncologist, Department of Radiation Oncology

Conditions We Treat

Spinal Chordoma
Cranial Chordoma

Technology

BrainLab AIRO Mobile CT Scanner with Navigation System

Ziehm Mobile C-Arm

“Chordomas are best treated with complete removal, with en bloc resection of the tumor. Those are some of the techniques I developed over the years to be able to do that in any location in the spinal column.”

– Ziya L. Gokaslan, MD

LPG Neurosurgery
593 Eddy Street, APC6
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 793-9166
Fax: (401) 444-2788

Spine Surgery Booklet PDF