Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the third oldest general hospital in the United States.

With Brigham and Women's Hospital, it is one of the two founding members of Mass General Brigham (formerly known as Partners HealthCare), the largest healthcare provider in Massachusetts. Massachusetts General Hospital conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the world, with an annual research budget of more than $1 billion in 2019.

The Department of Neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is a world-leading center for neurosurgical care, research, and education.

• Brain Tumor Surgery: Advanced techniques for removing complex tumors.
• Spine Surgery: Treatment for degenerative diseases, deformities, and spinal tumors.
• Pediatric Neurosurgery: Specialized care for infants, children, and adolescents.
• Paralysis Center: Focused on restoring function in neurologically impaired patients.
• Functional Neurosurgery: Treatment for movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor.

The team collaborates with neurology, oncology, and rehabilitation to provide personalized care.

MGH is ranked the #1 research hospital in the U.S. Key areas include:

• Neuro-oncology: Blood-based assays for glioma detection.
• Neurogenetics: Investigating hydrocephalus, autism, and congenital conditions.
• Neurotherapeutics: Development of novel treatments for neurological diseases.

More: Mass General Neuroscience

• Neurosurgery Residency Program: Comprehensive training for future academic leaders.
• Broad surgical experience and participation in cutting-edge research.

Program details: residents.neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu

• Address: 55 Fruit Street, Gray 502, Boston, MA 02114
• Phone: +1 617-726-8581
• Request an appointment or referral

see http://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/

William Jason Mixter was born in 1880 and graduated from the Harvard Medical School class of 1906. Like his father, Mixter was a prominent surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and in 1911 the two shared the job of overseeing all neurosurgery at that institution. By the early 1930s, W. J. Mixter was considered to be one of the nation's leading experts in spinal surgery, and he went on to become the first chief of the neurosurgery department at Massachusetts General Hospital ¹⁾.

The Pediatric Neurosurgery Division at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), part of MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC), provides comprehensive care for infants, children, and adolescents with complex neurological conditions.

• Brain and spinal cord tumors
• Hydrocephalus (congenital and acquired)
• Chiari malformations
• Spina bifida and neural tube defects
• Vascular malformations (e.g., AVMs)
• Craniosynostosis and skull deformities
• Surgical treatment of epilepsy
• Pediatric traumatic brain and spine injuries

Both traditional open surgeries and minimally invasive (e.g., endoscopic) procedures are employed to optimize recovery and outcomes.

• Dr. Kristopher T. Kahle, MD, PhD – Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery; expert in hydrocephalus, Chiari, and neural tube defects.

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• Dr. Ann-Christine Duhaime, MD – Pediatric neurosurgeon focused on brain injury and environmental neurodevelopment.

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• Dr. William E. Butler, MD – Specialist in pediatric neurosurgical disorders.

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• 21-bed Level III NICU
• 14-bed Pediatric ICU
• Dedicated pediatric ORs with advanced intraoperative imaging
• Access to proton beam therapy, unique in New England, for pediatric tumors

A multidisciplinary team works across neurosurgery, neurology, oncology, radiology, and rehabilitation.

• Address: 15 Parkman Street, Wang 331, Boston, MA 02114
• Phone: +1 617-643-9175
• Request an Appointment →

Duhaime AC, Raksin PB. The Role of Ventriculostomy in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Children-to Drain or Not to Drain? JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Jul 1;5(7):e2220978. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.20978. PMID: 35802377.

🧠 Leadership Dr. Bob S. Carter, MD, PhD Chair of Neurosurgery at MGH and the William and Elizabeth Sweet Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Carter specializes in complex intracranial surgeries, including brain, pituitary, and skull base tumors, as well as brain aneurysms. He co-leads MGH's brain tumor program, integrating clinical care with cutting-edge research. doctors.massgeneralbrigham.org +1 Harvard Medical School CME & CNE Catalog +1

👩‍⚕️ Faculty Highlights The department's faculty includes experts across various neurosurgical subspecialties:

Dr. Frederick G. Barker, MD – Neurosurgical Oncology

Dr. Lawrence Francis Borges, MD – Neurosurgical Spine

Dr. Justin M. Brown, MD – Peripheral Nerve and Reconstructive Neurosurgery

Dr. William E. Butler, MD – Pediatric Neurosurgery

Dr. Daniel P. Cahill, MD, PhD – Neurosurgical Oncology

Dr. Bryan D. Choi, MD, PhD – Neurosurgical Oncology

Dr. Jean V. Coumans, MD – Neurosurgical Spine

Dr. William T. Curry, MD – Neurosurgical Oncology

Dr. Tina Duhaime, MD – Pediatric Neurosurgery

Dr. Gavin Dunn, MD, PhD – Neurosurgical Oncology

Dr. Kristopher Kahle, MD, PhD – Pediatric Neurosurgery

Dr. Brian V. Nahed, MD, MSc – Neurosurgical Oncology

Dr. Aman B. Patel, MD – Neurovascular and Neuroendovascular Surgery

Dr. James Rabinov, MD – Endovascular Neurosurgery

Dr. Mark Richardson, MD, PhD – Functional Neurosurgery

Dr. Jeffrey S. Schweitzer, MD, PhD – Functional and Community Neurosurgery

Dr. Ganesh Shankar, MD, PhD – Neurosurgical Spine

Dr. John H. Shin, MD – Neurosurgical Spine

Andrew J Whalen

Christian Migliarese

see Massachusetts General Hospital Publications.