Overview
My clinical areas of expertise include spinal surgery, especially cervical spine surgery where I have performed almost 8,300 cervical spine procedures and recently was ranked the top cervical spine surgeon in the country by MPIRICA (an analytical company that reviews surgical outcomes). I believe the whole patient is important and we emphasize time with the patient and careful discussions regarding possible surgery. Our excellent results are due to a great team of physicians, nurses, CRNAs, and anesthesiologists. I also believe in the spiritual side in taking care of my patients. As a design surgeon we are developing better ways to treat cervical spine disease through innovative approaches to the cervical spine.
Through my Masters in Academic Medicine degree, I developed the Surgical Autonomy Program which is now used in 7 Neurosurgery Programs across the country and is an innovative way to teach, assess, and provide feedback to residents in the intraoperative environment. Over the last twelve years we have developed the first ever Division of Global Neurosurgery and Neurology (launched in 2014), where I serve as the Division Chief and the Division boasts over 100 members including faculty, graduate and medical students, undergraduate students and an outstanding staff of researchers, most located in the Duke Global Health Institute. The Division has published over 120 manuscripts between 2014 and 2023. We have primarily worked in building capacity, teaching, and collaborative research projects in Uganda. In 2019 I was invited to join the faculty at the Duke-Singapore Global Health Institute and we are working with the Singapore Neuroscience Department to develop outreach and increase capacity in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Management and outcomes of pediatric traumatic brain injury in Nigeria: a systematic review.
Journal Article J Neurosurg Pediatr · June 1, 2025 OBJECTIVE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, with children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) contributing a sizable share. In Nigeria, where there is a large unmet need for neurosurgical interven ... Full text Link to item CiteThe Impact of Ethics and Resources on the Allocation of Traumatic Brain Injury Surgery: A Survey of Neurosurgeons Within Low- and Middle-Income Countries and High-Income Countries.
Journal Article World Neurosurg · May 2025 BACKGROUND: Scarce resource allocation in traumatic brain injury (TBI) care is ethically challenging. We surveyed neurosurgeons about their views on surgical decision-making in TBI in resource-limited settings. METHODS: Neurosurgeons and trainees completed ... Full text Link to item CiteThe Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Spinal Trauma: A Review of Techniques, Outcomes, and Limitations.
Journal Article Neurosurgery · March 1, 2025 Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has significantly revolutionized spine surgery by reducing morbidity, minimizing tissue damage, and improving postoperative outcomes compared with traditional open surgeries. Although MIS is well-documented for degenerative ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Building Brain Health Research Capacity in Rwanda: Neurocognition and Neurobehavior Across the Lifespan
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEAdvisor · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2024 - 2029Building and implementing a TBI prognostic model featuring real-time analysis of brain CT images
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2022 - 2027Epilepsy in Uganda: Clinical characterization and co-morbidities, their relation to stigma among adolescents and impact of a community-based intervention
ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Makerere University · 2021 - 2026View All Grants