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Thomas Jefferson University - Ashwini Sharan
Ashwini Sharan

Neurosurgery
Thomas Jefferson University
Jefferson Medical College
Associate Professor
Department of Neurological Surgery
and Neurology
Director, Division of Functional Neurosurgery
Mailing Address
909 Walnut Street, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
United States
Contact Information
Phone: 215-955-7000
Fax: 215-503-9170
ashwini.sharan@jefferson.edu
Expertise and Research Interests
Dr. Ashwini Sharan is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University.

His practice focuses on:
  • Complex Spinal Reconstruction

  • Epilepsy Surgery

  • Deep Brain Stimulation surgery

  • Neuromodulation

His research interests include:
  • Functional Neuroimaging - fMRI, DTI, fcMRI

  • Neurosurgical Education

In 1995, he completed his BA-MD degree from Boston University and UMDNJ - Newark, New Jersey in an accelerated medical program. He initially began neurosurgical training at the University of Connecticut and completed the majority of his training at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then he has completed a fellowship in Spinal Neurosurgery and Functional Neurosurgery both at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. Here he had the opportunity of training in Functional Neurosurgery with Dr. Ali Rezai and in Spinal Neurosurgery with Dr. Edward Benzel.

At Thomas Jefferson University, Dr. Sharan provides unique expertise in deep brain stimulation for parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. His expertise additionally includes intrathecal pump implantation for spasticity, cortical and spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain disorders, and vagal nerve stimulation for epilepsy and depression. His practice is heavily biased towards Functional neurosurgery, essentially a new field in which disorders in which the neural circuit is effected but now can be treated with electrical stimulator and pacemakers. Additionally, at Thomas Jefferson University, he leads the Surgical Epilepsy program in which they treat with surgery approximately 100 patients per year achieving cures in a majority of their patients. In 2004, he was featured in Glamour magazine for Epilepsy surgery. (How Far Would you go to Save your Health, August 2004) Otherwise, his clinical practice is balanced with complex spinal surgery procedures. He performs approximately 200 spinal operations for spinal trauma, spinal cord tumors, metastatic carcinoma, infections, and degenerative disorders.

Dr. Sharan has been awarded the William H. Sweet Young Investigator Award sponsored by Medtronic, Inc. (one of the largest manufacturers of Pace-makers and other specialized instruments). This award is given for the best presentation to an investigator within 5 years of completion of residency training at the AANS Annual Meeting. The title of the presentation was "MRI and Spinal Cord Stimulation: An Experimental Safety Study" (refer to http://www.neurosurgery.org/pain/awards-sweet.html) That particular research has even resulted in FDA labeling changes for Spinal Cord Stimulation devices allowing those patients to now obtain MR imaging of their brains under certain circumstances.

Dr. Sharan is a co-investigator for two National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research projects. One project focuses on human brain cell infection and neuronal dysfunction in AIDS. The second project involves the study of genetic influences on human epilepsy. He has participated in or is actively running numerous clinical trials.

In addition to these responsibilities, he is currently the Associate program director of the Jefferson Neurosurgery residency. He has been awarded the William Buchheit Award for best teacher of the year multiple times. He has organized many innovative courses educating the future neurosurgeons on the Foundations of Neurosurgery.

He is the IT Chair for the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He serves on the board of director of the North American Neuromodulation Society and American Association of South Asian Neurosurgeons. He has authored numerous publications and given countless invited talks. Dr. Sharan has been a faculty member for several review courses throughout the United States and internationally. His topics included mechanisms of deep brain stimulation, advanced stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, pain, and spinal neurosurgery - its aspects and treatment.

As well, Dr. Sharan is avidly working toward improving the delivery of neurosurgical care. He has multiple patents and has been an integral participant inithe development of a tool with the aid of Endius (now owned by Zimmer spine) which allows access of the cervical spine with smaller incisions and less muscle destruction. He sits on the scientific Advisory Board of Autonomic Technologies Incorporated and Sierra Neuropharmaceuticals. The latter company is working on developing novel approached for the treatment of epilepsy, depression, and schizophrenia via delivery of drug directly into the brain.
Keywords
neurostimulation; epilepsy; deep brain stimulation; functional neurosurgery; spinal instrumentation; degenerative spinal disease; spinal tumor; spasticity; complex spinal procedures
Publications
  • PUBLICATIONS

  • Peer Reviewed:

  • Sperling MR. Nei M, Zangaladze A, Sharan A, Mintzer S, Skidmore C, Evans JG, Schilling C, Asadi-Pooya AA. Prognosis after late relapse following epilepsy surgery. Epilepsy Research . 78:77-81, 2008.

  • Zangaladze A, Wyeth EG, Wyeth DH, Sharan A, Evans J, Tracy J, Chervoneva I, Sperling MR.The Effectiveness of Low Frequency Stimulation for Mapping Cortical Function. Epilepsia. 1-7, 2007.

  • Fassett DR, Harrop JS, Maltenfort M, Jeyamohan S, Ratliff J, Anderson DG, Hilibrand A, Albert TJ, Vaccaro AR, Sharan A. Mortality of Geriatric Spinal Cord Injury. JNS Spine 7(3):277-81, 2007 Sep.

  • Whang PG, Poelstra KA, Patel AA, Anderson DG, Albert TJ, Hilibrand AS, Harrop JS, Sharan AD, Ratliff JK, Hurlbert RJ, Anderson P, Aarabi B, Sekhon LHS, Gahr R, Vaccaro AR. The Influence of Fracture Mechanism and Morphology on the Reliability and Validity of Two Novel Thoracolumbar Injury. Spine. 32(7):791-5, 2007 Apr 1.

  • Patel N, Bagan B, Vadera S, Maltenfort MG, Deutsch H, Vaccaro AR, Harrop J, Sharan A, Ratliff J. Obesity and spine surgery: relationship to perioperative complications. J Neurosurg Spine 6: 291-297, 2007.

  • Vadera S, Harrop JS, Sharan AD. Intrathecal Granuloma and Intramedullary Abscess Associated with an Intrathecal Morphine Pump. Neuromodulation 2007

  • Audu P. Artz G. Scheid S. Harrop J. Albert T. Vaccaro A. Hilibrand A. Sharan A. Spiegal J. Rosen M. Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy after anterior cervical spine surgery: the impact of endotracheal tube cuff deflation, reinflation, and pressure adjustment. Anesthesiology. 105(5):898-901, 2006 Nov.

  • Machado A. Rezai AR. Kopell BH. Gross RE. Sharan AD. Benabid AL. Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: surgical technique and perioperative management. Movement Disorders. 21 Suppl 14:S247-58, 2006 Jun.

  • Rezai AR. Kopell BH. Gross RE. Vitek JL. Sharan AD. Limousin P. Benabid AL. Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: surgical issues. Movement Disorders. 21 Suppl 14:S197-218, 2006 Jun.

  • Vacarro AR, Sahni D, Pahl MA, Harrop JS, Sharan AD, Venger BH, Haid RW Jr., Carrino JA, Vaders S, Hilibrain AS, Albet TJ. Long term magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of bioresorbable anterior cervical plate resorption following fusion for degenerative and traumatic disk disruption. Spine 31(18): 2091-4, 2006 Aug.

  • Lee JY, Sharan A, Baron EM, Lim MR, Grossman E, Albert TJ, Vaccaro AR, Hilibrand AS. Quantitative Prediction of Spinal Cord Drift after Cervical Laminectomy and Arthrodesis. Spine 31(16): 1795-8, 2006 Jul.

  • Rezai AR, Baker K, Tkach J, Phillips M, Hrdlicka G, Sharan AD, Nyenhuis J, Ruggieri P, Henderson J, Shellock, F. Is MR Imaging Safe for Patients with Neurostimulation system used for deep brain stimulation? Neurosurgery 2005; 57(5): 1056-1062.

  • Harrop JS, Sharan AD, Anderson G, Hillibrand AS, Albert TJ, Flanders A, Vaccaro AR. Failure of Spinal Imaging to Detect a Cervical Fracture in a Patient With Ankylosing Spondylitis. Spine 2005; 30(14): E417-9

  • Baker, K, Nyenhuis JA, Hridlicka G, Rezai AR, Tkach JA, Sharan A, Shellock FG. Neurostimulator implants: assessment of magnetic field interactions associated with 1.5- and 3.0-Tesla MR systems. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. 2005;21:72-77.

  • Grauer JN. Vaccaro AR. Beiner JM. Kwon BK. Hilibrand AS. Harrop JS. Anderson G. Hurlbert J. Fehlings MG. Ludwig SC. Hedlund R. Arnold PM. Bono CM. Brodke DS. Dvorak MF. Fischer CG. Sledge JB. Shaffrey CI. Schwartz DG. Sears WR. Dickman C. Sharan A. Albert TJ. Rechtine GR 2nd. Similarities and differences in the treatment of spine trauma between surgical specialties and location of practice. Spine. 29(6):685-96, 2004 Mar 11.

  • Harrop JS. Sharan AD. Scheid EH Jr. Vaccaro AR. Przybylski GJ. Tracheostomy placement in patients with complete cervical spinal cord injuries: American Spinal Injury Association Grade A. Journal of Neurosurgery Spine. 100(1):20-3, 2004 Jan.

  • Park SM, Nyenuis JA, Smith CD, Lim EJ, Foster KS, Baker KB, Hrdlicka G, Rezai AR, Ruggieri P, Sharan A, Shellock FG, Stypulkowski PH, Tkach J. Gelled vs. non-gelled phantom material for measurement of MRI-induced temperature increases with bioimplants. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics 2003; 39(5): 1-5.

  • Harrop JS. Silva MT. Sharan AD. Dante SJ. Simeone FA. Cervicothoracic radiculopathy treated using posterior cervical foraminotomy/discectomy. J Neurosurg (Spine 2). 2003: 131-136.

  • Finelli D. Rezai AR. Rugieri P. Tkach J. Nyenhuis JA. Hrdlicka G. Sharan A. Stypulkowski PH. Shellock FG. MR-related Heating of Deep Brain Stimulation Electrodes: An In Vitro Study Using a Head Transmit / Receive Coil Establishing the Relationship Between SAR and Temperature Elevation, With Analysis of Clinical Imaging Sequences. AJNR. 2002 Nov/Dec: 23; 1-7.

  • Sharan AD, Cameron T, Barolat G. Evolving Patterns of Spinal Cord Stimulation in Patients Implanted for Intractable Low Back and Leg Pain. Neuromodulation. July 5(3) 2002; 167-179

  • Rezai AR, Finelli D, Nyenhuis JA, Hrdlicka G, Tkach J, Sharan A, Rugieri P, Stypulkowski PH. Shellock FG. Neurostimulation Systems for Deep Brain Stimulation: In Vitro Evaluation of MRI-Related Heating at 1.5-Tesla. JMRI 2002; 15: 241-250.

  • Forget TR Jr. Benitez R. Veznedaroglu E. Sharan A. Mitchell W. Silva M. Rosenwasser RH. A review of size and location of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Neurosurgery. Dec 2001; 49(6): 1322-5

  • Harrop JS, Sharan AD, Benitez RP, Armonda R, Thomas J, Rosenwasser RH. Prevention of Carotid Angioplasty-induced Bradycardia and Hypotension with Temporary Venous Pacemakers. Neurosurgery, October 2001; 49(4): 814-820

  • Barolat G, Oakley JC, Law JD, North RB, Ketcik B, Sharan A. Epidural spinal cord stimulation with a multiple electrode paddle lead is effective in treating intractable low back pain. Neuromodulation. April 2001; 4(2): 59-66

  • Harrop JS. Sharan AD. Vaccaro AR. Przybylski GJ. The cause of neurologic deterioration after acute cervical spinal cord injury. Spine Feb 2001; 26(4): 340-6.

  • Przybylski GJ and Sharan AD. Single-stage autogenous bone grafting and internal fixation in the surgical management of pyogenic discitis and vertebral osteomyelitis. J of Neurosurg. Jan 2000; 1-7.

  • Sharan AD, Przybylski GJ, Tartaglino L. Approaching the upper thoracic vertebrae without sternotomy or thoracotomy: a radiographic analysis with clinical application. Spine. April 2000; 25(8); 910-916.

  • Gropper MR, Schulder M, Sharan AD, Cho ES. Central nervous system tuberculosis medical management and surgical indications. Surgical Neurology. October 1995: 44(4); 378-84.

  • Reddy MC, Groth-Vasselli B, Sharan A, Farnsworth P. Effect of catalytically active recruited crystallins on lens metabolism. FEBS. 1993 December, 335(2); 285-288.

  • BOOK CHAPTERS:

  • Sharan AD, Vadera S, Sahni D, Harrop JS. Minimally invasive surgery: Posterior cervical. In G Anderson and A Vaccaro (eds.) Decision making in spinal care. 2007. Thieme. New York. 381-386.

  • Sharan AD, Cho H, Snyder L. Postoperative Spinal Imaging. In Schwartz ED and Flanders AE (ed.) Spinal Trauma: Imaging, Diagnosis, and Management. 2006. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 304-325.

  • Birknes JK, Sharan A, Rezai AR. Guiding Neurosurgery by Evidence. In B Pollack (ed.) Treatment of Chronic Pain with Neurostimulation. 2006. Karger. 197-207.

  • Sharan AD, Birknes J, Rezai AR. Neurostimulatory Techiques in pain medicine. In Pappagallo (ed.) The Neurological Basis for Pain. New York. 2005. McGraw Hill. 621-630.

  • Malone J, Harrop JS, Sharan AD, Eichenbaum MD, Vaccaro AR. Physical Examination of the Spine. In Vaccaro (ed.) Spine: Core Knowledge in Orthopedics. Pennsylvania, 2005. Elsevier Mosby. 14-32

  • Sharan AD, Conguista F, Sharan AD, Carl AL. Vascularized Bone Grafts in Spine Surgery. In E Benzel (ed.), 2nd Edition Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance, and Management. Philadelphia, 2005. Elsevier. 1234-1238.

  • Gonzalez-Martinez J, Sharan AD, Somatosensory Evoked Potential for Spinal Surgery. In E Benzel (ed.), 2nd Edition Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance, and Management. Philadelphia, 2005. Elsevier. 1797  1802.

  • Scheid E, Sharan AD, Harrop J. Materials and Material Properties. In E Benzel (ed.), 2nd Edition Spine Surgery: Techniques, Complication Avoidance, and Management. Philadelphia, 2005. Elsevier. 213-219.

  • Sharan AD, Sharan AD, Harrop JS, Vaccaro AR. Complications Encountered During Surgery for Spinal Trauma. In Vaccaro (ed.) A Resident and Fellows Guide to the Fundamentals of Spine Surgery. 2004. Marcel Dekker. New York. 203-216

  • Barolat G and Sharan AD. Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain. Pain Management for the Neurosurgeon: Seminars in Neurosurgery. Vol 15. Winfield S. Fisher III, M.D (ed.); Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. 2004. 151-175.

  • Sharan AD. Rosenow JM. Turbay M. Testerman R. Rezai AR. Precentral stimulation for chronic pain. In Henderson (ed.) Neurosurg Clinic N Amer. 2003, 14; 1-7.

  • Sharan AD and Andrews DW. Stereotactic Frames: Technical Considerations. In Schulder (ed.) Handbook of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. Schulder M (ed) New York, 2003. Marcel Dekker, Inc. 11-20.

  • Sharan AD, Przybyslki G. The Nonoperative and Operative Management of Spinal Pathology in the Setting of Pagets Disease. In Vaccaro, Betz, Zeidman (eds.) Principles and Practice of Spine Surgery. Philadelphia, 2003. Mosby. 149-153.

Individual Expertise profile of Ashwini Sharan, Copyright © Ashwini Sharan.
Last Updated by Ashwini Sharan : Tuesday, May 19, 2009 10:17:44 AM



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