Dr. Gordon Baltuch at Japan’s 64th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery

Earlier this month, Dr. Gordon Baltuch traveled to Japan for the Annual Japanese Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (JSSFN).  This annual meeting gathers over four hundred of Japan’s leading functional neurosurgeons to review the latest findings in the field. This year’s conference was organized by Professor Atsushi Umemura, Professor, Department of Research and Therapeutics for Movement Disorders, Department of Neurosurgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine.  Dr. Umemura had trained with Dr. Baltuch as a fellow (University of Pennsylvania 2002-03) including learning the techniques of deep brain stimulation which Dr. Baltuch continues to bring to the forefront of functional neurosurgery.

Says Dr. Umemura, “I learned DBS from Dr. Baltuch. The JSSFN meeting was a great success, and we are extremely grateful for Gordon's contributions.”

Dr. Baltuch provided a special talk titled, “How Neurosurgeons Cope with Severe Complications,” where he discussed the peer support program which the department of Neurosurgery has piloted as part of its wellness initiative. The talk followed the “pearls and pitfalls in functional neurosurgery” theme of the meeting and generated a lively discussion among trainees and attendings”.

Following Dr. Baltuch also presented, “Focused Ultrasound for PD,”  where he discussed focused ultrasound therapy for essential tremor and presented the recently published work and his personal experience with bilateral FUS thalamotomies, which have not yet been performed in Japan. There was extensive post talk discussion on reimbursement for the procedure and Dr Baltuch discussed his role in developing a reimbursement  and a category 1 CPT code for this incisionless operation.

Says Dr. Baltuch, “Japanese neurosurgery have been pioneers in the development of the functional and stereotactic subspecies, and with 600 attendees at this meeting chaired by my former fellow and now Professor Atsushi Umemura, they have demonstrated their commitment to continued innovation and excellence in the field. I was honored to attend and participate.”

Congratulations to Dr. Baltuch for once again representing Columbia Neurosurgery on world’s stage for functional neurosurgery, sharing insights and lessons learned with the global neurosurgery community at large.