Peter C. Gerszten, MD, MPH, is the Peter E. Sheptak Professor of
Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Gerszten joined the
Department of Neurological Surgery and the UPMC Spine Services Division
in 1999. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of
Virginia and completed his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine. He completed his residency in neurological surgery at the
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Gerszten obtained a master
of public health degree from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate
School of Public Health. He completed a fellowship in spinal surgery at
the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Dr. Gerszten
specializes in disorders of the spine, focusing on spinal neoplasms. His
clinical interests include minimally invasive approaches to the
treatment of spinal disorders and spinal tumors. Dr. Gerszten’s clinical
area of interest is the application of outcomes research to spinal
surgical interventions. He is a pioneer in the field of spine
radiosurgery and oversees the instruction of this developing area of
neurosurgery for both the American Association of Neurological Surgery
as well as the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Dr. Gerszten is co-editor of the newly released book Controversies in Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Best Evidence Recommendations, a
277-page look into an evidence-based approach to stereotactic
radiosurgery for the brain and spine. He was also co-editor of the 2008
book Spine Radiosurgery, an authoritative textbook -- and the first of its kind -- on all aspects of spine radiosurgery,
Dr. Gerszten currently serves on the editorial boards of Neurosurgery, The Spine Journal and The Journal of Radiosurgery and SBRT.
His publications can be reviewed through the National Library of Medicine's publication database.
Board Certifications
American Board of Neurological Surgeons
Hospital Privileges
Latrobe Area Hospital
Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC
UPMC Presbyterian
UPMC Shadyside
Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System
Westmoreland Hospital
Professional Organization Membership
American College of Surgeons
American Medical Association
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Cervical Spine Research Society
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Delta Omega Public Health National Honor Society
International Stereotactic Radiosurgery Society
North American Spine Society
Paleopathology Society
Allegheny County Medical Society
Pennsylvania Neurosurgical Society
Pennsylvania State Medical Society
Media Appearances
Experto dice que la Radiocirugía evita la cirugía en el tratamiento de metástasis que afectan a la columna vertebral
November 6, 2013
europapress.es
SBRT in tumours of the spinal column
July 30, 2013
eCancer.org
La Radiocirugía. una alternativa eficaz para evitar la cirugía en el tratamiento de metástasis de la columna vertebral
June 11, 2013
actasanitaria.com
Evaluar al paciente, clave en el manejo de columna vertebal
February 1, 2012
Diaro Medico
Stereotactic Radiosurgery Matures Into Mainstream Extracranial Technique (pdf)
August 2010
Elekta Wavelength
Dr. Gerszten serves as the Neurosurgical Principal Investigator of
the National Cancer Institute Supported Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
Cooperative Clinical Trial entitled “Phase II/III Study of Single Dose
Radiosurgery for Localized Spinal Metastases.” Patient accrual into the
Phase II trial was successfully completed this year and the published
results are in press. Dr. Gerszten continues to investigate the
expanding role of radiosurgery for the treatment of both malignant as
well as benign disease. His work evaluating the successful use of cone
beam computed tomography image guidance for spine radiosurgery for
benign tumors was published this year.
Ongoing research includes
the incorporation of spine radiosurgery into minimally invasive and
percutaneous spine procedures. Dr. Gerszten’s research related to spine
radiosurgery is conducted in cooperation with the International Spine
Oncology Study Group as well as the International Spine Radiosurgery
Consortium. Current efforts include the development and adoption of
international standards for contouring and defining targets and organs
at risk. These efforts have led to the development and analysis of the
largest and most comprehensive database of spine radiosurgery that
currently exists. Future initiatives include the use of noninvasive
radiosurgery techniques as an ablative tool for extracranial functional
procedures such as pain modulation.
Dr. Gerszten’s clinical
research also focuses on co-morbidities that may prevent patients,
especially older patients, from achieving good clinical outcomes after
elective lumbar spine surgery. This research is performed in
collaboration with members of the Department of Psychiatry and
Department of Geriatrics. One study evaluates the neuropsychiatric and
cognitive predictors (e.g. depression and dementia) of surgical outcomes
for lumbar spine disease in late-life patients. Another
multi-institutional trial evaluates medical co-morbidites and hip
osteoarthritis in older patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. The
goal of these studies is to determine if future patients might benefit
from proper diagnosis and treatment of these co-morbidities before spine
surgery is performed in order to improve the outcomes in this patient
population.
Along these same lines, research was undertaken this
year to determine the safety and efficacy of percutaneous cement
augmentation for compression fractures in very elderly patients. The
results indicated that Balloon Kyphoplasty is a highly safe and
effective treatment for symptomatic compression fractures, even for very
elderly patients. Age alone should not be an exclusion criterion for
candidate patients.
