Medical School
Baylor College of Medicine
Residency
Neurosurgery: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Fellowship
Minimally Invasive and Complex Spine Surgery: Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), Memorial Sloan Kettering
Ahilan Sivaganesan, MD
Assistant Professor, Neurological Surgery
Director of Value Innovation, Neurological Surgery
Contact Information
909 Walnut Street, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-955-7000
215-503-9170 fax
Assistant Professor, Neurological Surgery
Director of Value Innovation, Neurological Surgery
Education
Publications
- There is no “Value Penalty” for revision spine surgery: an application of the operative value index for primary versus revision lumbar fusions
- Experience Matters: An Application of the Operative Value Index for Lumbar Fusions
- The new era of cost analysis in spine surgery utilizing time-driven activity based costing: a systematic review and introduction of an enabling technology value index
- 24-month patient-reported outcomes for a novel lumbar total joint replacement
- Do Anterior-Posterior Lumbar Fusions Provide More Short-Term Value Than Posterior-Only? An Application of the Operative Value Index
Hospital Appointments
Jefferson Methodist Hospital
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience
Expertise & Research Interests
Dr. Siva believes that spine surgery should be a last resort. That is why he prides himself on finding non-surgical solutions for patients, whenever possible. If someone does require surgery, however, he offers unique expertise:
MINIMALLY-INVASIVE: He uses small tubes to access the spine, avoiding big scars.
ENDOSCOPIC: He treats certain problems through an incision small enough for a Band-Aid.
MOTION PRESERVATION: He offers alternatives to fusion (such as disc replacement) when possible.
ROBOTIC: He is one of the few surgeons in the region performing robot-assisted spine surgery.
Previously, Dr. Siva was Director of the Spinal Surgery Quality and Outcomes Lab at Vanderbilt. Although he is a neurosurgeon, he received specialized training at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) – the #1 orthopedic hospital in the world. He is an expert in clinical registries and predictive analytics for the outcomes and costs of spine surgery. The aim of his academic work is to quantify, compare, and improve the value of healthcare at scale. He has been asked to give lectures about spine surgery around the world.
Awards
- Resident Leadership and Teaching Award, Vanderbilt Department of Neurological Surgery
- Paper of the Year: Socioeconomics, Health Policy, and Law, Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- Augustus McCravey Resident Award, Southern Neurosurgery Society
- Augustus McCravey Resident Award, Southern Neurosurgery Society
- Resident/Fellow Research Award, North American Spine Society
- Charles Kuntz Scholar Award, AANS/CNS Joint Spine Section