Center for the CSF Disorders of the Brain and Spine

Our center helps you with diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired cerebrospinal fluid disorders of the brain and spine. You can have those as a child or as an adult, and we embrace you across ages to provide you with transitional care.

We offer state of the art surgical treatment and care based on current clinical standards and guidelines. We do this in close collaboration with Patient Advocacy groups (Hydrocephalus association, Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation, International Ehlers-Danlos society). The center also collaborates with national and international scientists to explore novel treatment approaches in hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation and Ehlers Danlos neurological problems.

Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital offer you all specialties required for treatment of those disease, for example spine surgery, plastic surgery, ENT, ophthalmology, neurology, neonatology, pediatric and adult Intensive care, pain management.

Division Director

Neurosurgery Department Team

Stephanie Slone
Physician Assistant

Yunika Presson
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Kimberly DelaCruzGalan
Secretary, surgical planning

Donna Cicerone
Secretary, patient appointment

• Tethered cord
• Chiari malformations and associated abnormalities of the skull base and spine
• Syringomyelia
• Spina bifida
• Craniofacial deformities
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Fetal hydrocephalus
• Complex pediatric and adult onset hydrocephalus
• Neurological manifestation of connective tissue disorders (i.e. tethered cord and Chiari malformation in Ehlers Danlos disease)
• Arachnoid cysts and other congenital cysts

Neurosurgery Department

Current clinical studies:
Histopathological evidence of clinically relevant filum pathology in tethered cord syndromes with little radiographic evidence including hypermobility syndromes (IRB [787945-5] ) Recruiting

Role of Measuring Cognition & Cognitive Function in Managing Chiari Malformation (IRB pending)

Prospective study on the Clinical Triad of Occult Tethered Cord Syndrome (IRB pending). View webinar

Recent Patient Oriented Webinars 

Past Presentations

ILC foundation 2015

EDS Webinar 2016

Chiari and syringomyelia foundation

CSF symposium