Ziya Levent Gokaslan, MD
Title(s): Professor of Neurological Surgery
Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
Professor of Oncology
Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
Professor of Oncology
Vice-Chairman of Neurosurgery
Director of the Neurosurgical Spine Center
Director of the Neurosurgical Spine Center
Appointment Phone:
410-955-4424
Primary Location:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Expertise:
Aneurysmal Bone Cyst, Back Injuries, Back Pain, Basilar Impression, Basilar Invagination, Cauda Equina Syndrome, Cavernous Angioma, Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, Cervical Degenerative Disc Herniation, Cervical Disc Herniation, Cervical Myelopathy, Cervical Radiculopathy, Cervical Spondylosis, Chiari Malformations, Chondrosarcoma, Chordomas, Cranio-cervical Junction Pathology, Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Spine Disease, Disc Pain, Giant Cell Tumor, Hemangioblastoma, Hemangiomas, Kyphosis, Lumbar Degenerative Disease, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Lumbar Radiculopathy, Minimally Invasive Pediatric Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Myxopapillary Ependymoma, Neck Pain, Nerve Sheath Tumor, Neurological Surgery, Neurosurgery, Neurosurgical Oncology, Osteoblastoma, Osteoid Osteoma, Radiculopathy, Sacral Tumors, Sarcoma, Schwannoma, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Spinal Column Tumors, Spinal Cord Injury, Spinal Cord Malformation, Spinal Cord Trauma, Spinal Cord Tumors, Spinal Decompression, Spinal Deformities, Spinal Deformity, Spinal Disorders, Spinal Dural Fistula, Spinal Ependymoma, Spinal Fixation, Spinal Fusion, Spinal Infection, Spinal Instability, Spinal Meningioma, Spinal Metastases, Spinal Neurofibroma, Spinal Pain, Spinal Reconstruction, Spinal Schwannoma, Spinal Stenosis, Spinal Trauma, Spinal Tumors, Spine and Spinal Deformities, Spine Surgery, Spine Tumors, Spondylolisthesis, Thoracic Disc Herniation
Education and Experience
Training
- Istanbul Tip Fakultesi Istanbul Universitesi (1983)
Residencies
- Baylor College of Medicine - Neurotrauma (1993)
Fellowships
- Baylor College of Medicine - Psychiatry (1985)
- Baylor College of Medicine - Neurotrauma (1988)
- New York University Medical Center - Spinal Surgery (1994)
Certifications
- Neurological Surgery, American Board of Neurological Surgery (1997)
Locations
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
600 N. Wolfe Street
Meyer Room 7-109
Baltimore, MD 21287
Phone: 410-955-4424
Appointment Phone: 410-955-4424
Fax: 410-502-3399
Location Map
Johns Hopkins Medicine - Green Spring Station
10755 Falls Road
Pavilion I
Lutherville, MD 21093
Phone: 443-287-4934
Appointment Phone: 410-955-4424
Fax: 410-502-2383
Location Map
Department / Division
-
Neurosurgery - Spine
Centers/Institutes
Centers / Institutes
- Spine Center
Bio
Biography
Dr. Ziya Gokaslan's clinical practice focuses on the radical surgical treatment of both primary and metastatic spinal tumors, sacral neoplasms and spinal cord tumors. He developed many novel approaches for resection of pancost tumors, spinal neoplasms, as well as sacral tumors, including total sacrectomy and complex spinal and pelvic reconstruction.
Dr. Ziya Gokaslan completed his medical education at the Medical Faculty of Istanbul University. In 1984, Dr. Gokaslan returned to the U.S. and worked as the Clinical Director of Sleep Disorders Center of the Department of Psychiatry for 1 years. He then entered General Surgery Residency under Dr. Michael E. DeBakey in 1985. After one year of internship, he joined Department of Neurosurgery of Baylor College of Medicine as Clinical Neurotrauma Research Fellow. In 1988, he became a Neurosurgery Resident under Dr. Robert G. Grossman and completed his training at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1993. He was, then, accepted into Neurosurgery/Orthopaedic Spine Surgery Fellowship Training under Drs. Paul Cooper and Thomas Errico at the New York University Medical Center in New York. After the completion of his Fellowship Training in Spinal Surgery, Dr. Gokaslan returned to Houston and joined the faculty of Department of Neurosurgery as Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center under Dr. Raymond Sawaya. That is where Dr. Gokaslan specialized in the surgical treatment of spinal neoplasms, published extensively on the topic and developed novel surgical approaches in managing these tumors.
In 2000, Dr. Gokaslan became the Director of Neurosurgical Spinal Oncology Section and, in 2002, he was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and was promoted to Associate Professor. In 2002, Dr. Gokaslan was recruited to Johns Hopkins University, Department of Neurosurgery and became the Director of the Spine Division, Vice-Chairman, and Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology, and Orthopaedic Surgery under Dr. Henry Brem. Later that year, he was awarded the Donlin M. Long Professorship at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Ziya Gokaslan completed his medical education at the Medical Faculty of Istanbul University. In 1984, Dr. Gokaslan returned to the U.S. and worked as the Clinical Director of Sleep Disorders Center of the Department of Psychiatry for 1 years. He then entered General Surgery Residency under Dr. Michael E. DeBakey in 1985. After one year of internship, he joined Department of Neurosurgery of Baylor College of Medicine as Clinical Neurotrauma Research Fellow. In 1988, he became a Neurosurgery Resident under Dr. Robert G. Grossman and completed his training at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in 1993. He was, then, accepted into Neurosurgery/Orthopaedic Spine Surgery Fellowship Training under Drs. Paul Cooper and Thomas Errico at the New York University Medical Center in New York. After the completion of his Fellowship Training in Spinal Surgery, Dr. Gokaslan returned to Houston and joined the faculty of Department of Neurosurgery as Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center under Dr. Raymond Sawaya. That is where Dr. Gokaslan specialized in the surgical treatment of spinal neoplasms, published extensively on the topic and developed novel surgical approaches in managing these tumors.
In 2000, Dr. Gokaslan became the Director of Neurosurgical Spinal Oncology Section and, in 2002, he was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and was promoted to Associate Professor. In 2002, Dr. Gokaslan was recruited to Johns Hopkins University, Department of Neurosurgery and became the Director of the Spine Division, Vice-Chairman, and Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology, and Orthopaedic Surgery under Dr. Henry Brem. Later that year, he was awarded the Donlin M. Long Professorship at Johns Hopkins.
Physician Title
Vice-Chairman of Neurosurgery
Director of the Neurosurgical Spine Center
Director of the Neurosurgical Spine Center
Expertise
- Aneurysmal Bone Cyst
- Back Injuries
- Back Pain
- Basilar Impression
- Basilar Invagination
- Cauda Equina Syndrome
- Cavernous Angioma
- Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
- Cervical Degenerative Disc Herniation
- Cervical Disc Herniation
- Cervical Myelopathy
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Cervical Spondylosis
- Chiari Malformations
- Chondrosarcoma
- Chordomas
- Cranio-cervical Junction Pathology
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Degenerative Spine Disease
- Disc Pain
- Giant Cell Tumor
- Hemangioblastoma
- Hemangiomas
- Kyphosis
- Lumbar Degenerative Disease
- Lumbar Disc Herniation
- Lumbar Radiculopathy
- Minimally Invasive Pediatric Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Myxopapillary Ependymoma
- Neck Pain
- Nerve Sheath Tumor
- Neurological Surgery
- Neurosurgery
- Neurosurgical Oncology
- Osteoblastoma
- Osteoid Osteoma
- Radiculopathy
- Sacral Tumors
- Sarcoma
- Schwannoma
- Sciatica
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Column Tumors
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Spinal Cord Malformation
- Spinal Cord Trauma
- Spinal Cord Tumors
- Spinal Decompression
- Spinal Deformities
- Spinal Deformity
- Spinal Disorders
- Spinal Dural Fistula
- Spinal Ependymoma
- Spinal Fixation
- Spinal Fusion
- Spinal Infection
- Spinal Instability
- Spinal Meningioma
- Spinal Metastases
- Spinal Neurofibroma
- Spinal Pain
- Spinal Reconstruction
- Spinal Schwannoma
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spinal Trauma
- Spinal Tumors
- Spine and Spinal Deformities
- Spine Surgery
- Spine Tumors
- Spondylolisthesis
- Thoracic Disc Herniation
Professional Highlights
Dr. Gokaslan has authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers and has presented over 150 national and international lectures since 1996. He was voted one of the Best Doctors in America in 2005 and garnered Baltimore Magazines Top Doctors recognition in 2007. He serves on the editorial boards of top academic journals, including the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques, The Spine Journal, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, The European Spine Journal, Nature Reviews in Neurology, Journal of Surgical Oncology, and World Neurosurgery. Dr. Gokaslan is also the Chairman of AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves
Research
Research and Publications
Zadnik P, Hwang L, Ju D, Groves M, Sui J, Amin A, Witham T, Bydon A, Wolinksy JP, Gokaslan ZL, Sciubba DM. Demographics and Prognostic Variables for Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery for Metastatic Breast Cancer. Submitted Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. September 2012.
Kaloostian PE, Zadnik PL, Karami K, Groves ML, Amin AG, Ju DG, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Bydon A, Gokaslan ZL, Sciubba DM. Larger tumor volumes predict higher mortality and increased local recurrence rates following surgical resection of sacral chordoma: The results of a 10-year study at a single academic institution. Submitted Annals of Oncology November 2012.
Karami K, Zadnik PL, Kaloostian P, Groves ML, Gurakar M, Amin AG, Ju DG, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Bydon A, Gokaslan
ZL, Sciubba DM. Clinical outcomes following surgery for multiple myeloma: results from a decade of experience at a single center. Submitted Neurosurgery November 2012 (submitted).
Zadnik P, Sarabia-Estrada R, Groves M, Molina C, Jackson C, McCarthy E, Gokaslan ZL, Bydon A, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Sciubba DM.A novel animal model of human breast cancer metastasis to the spine: a pilot study using intracardiac injection and luciferase-expressing cells. Laboratory investigation. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. Accepted November 26, 2012.
Papadimitriou K, Amin AG, Kretzer RM, Sciubba DM, Bydon A, Witham TF, Wolinsky JP, Gokaslan ZL, Baaj AA. Thromboembolic events and spinal surgery. J Clin Neurosci. 2012 Dec;19(12):1617-21
Kaloostian PE, Gokaslan ZL. The Current Role of Surgery in Metastatic Spine Disease: A New Era. Ann Surg Oncol. 2012. Nov 13.
Baaj AA, Gokaslan ZL. Venous thromboembolism in spine surgery. World Neurosurg. 2012 Nov;78(5):433.
Dasenbrock HH, Wolinsky JP, Sciubba DM, Witham TF, Gokaslan ZL, Bydon A. The impact of insurance status on outcomes after surgery for spinal metastases. Cancer. 2012 Oct 1;118(19):4833-41.
Feiz-Erfan I, Fox BD, Nader R, Suki D, Chakrabarti I, Mendel E, Gokaslan ZL, Rao G, Rhines LD. Surgical treatment of sacral metastases: indications and results. J Neurosurg Spine. 2012 Oct;17(4):285-91.
Bydon M, Papadimitriou K, Witham T, Wolinsky JP, Sciubba D, Gokaslan Z, Bydon A. Treatment of Spinal Synovial Cysts. World Neurosurg. 2012 Sep 25.
Clarke MJ, Dasenbrock H, Bydon A, Sciubba DM, McGirt MJ, Hsieh PC, Yassari R, Gokaslan ZL, Wolinsky JP. Posterior-only approach for en bloc sacrectomy: clinical outcomes in 36 consecutive patients. Neurosurgery. 2012 Aug;71(2):357-64; discussion 364.
Hsu W, Mohyeldin A, Shah SR, Gokaslan ZL, Quinones-Hinojosa A. Role of cancer stem cells in spine tumors: review of current literature. Neurosurgery. 2012 Jul;71(1):117-25. Review.
Kaloostian PE, Zadnik PL, Karami K, Groves ML, Amin AG, Ju DG, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Bydon A, Gokaslan ZL, Sciubba DM. Larger tumor volumes predict higher mortality and increased local recurrence rates following surgical resection of sacral chordoma: The results of a 10-year study at a single academic institution. Submitted Annals of Oncology November 2012.
Karami K, Zadnik PL, Kaloostian P, Groves ML, Gurakar M, Amin AG, Ju DG, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Bydon A, Gokaslan
ZL, Sciubba DM. Clinical outcomes following surgery for multiple myeloma: results from a decade of experience at a single center. Submitted Neurosurgery November 2012 (submitted).
Zadnik P, Sarabia-Estrada R, Groves M, Molina C, Jackson C, McCarthy E, Gokaslan ZL, Bydon A, Wolinsky JP, Witham TF, Sciubba DM.A novel animal model of human breast cancer metastasis to the spine: a pilot study using intracardiac injection and luciferase-expressing cells. Laboratory investigation. Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. Accepted November 26, 2012.
Papadimitriou K, Amin AG, Kretzer RM, Sciubba DM, Bydon A, Witham TF, Wolinsky JP, Gokaslan ZL, Baaj AA. Thromboembolic events and spinal surgery. J Clin Neurosci. 2012 Dec;19(12):1617-21
Kaloostian PE, Gokaslan ZL. The Current Role of Surgery in Metastatic Spine Disease: A New Era. Ann Surg Oncol. 2012. Nov 13.
Baaj AA, Gokaslan ZL. Venous thromboembolism in spine surgery. World Neurosurg. 2012 Nov;78(5):433.
Dasenbrock HH, Wolinsky JP, Sciubba DM, Witham TF, Gokaslan ZL, Bydon A. The impact of insurance status on outcomes after surgery for spinal metastases. Cancer. 2012 Oct 1;118(19):4833-41.
Feiz-Erfan I, Fox BD, Nader R, Suki D, Chakrabarti I, Mendel E, Gokaslan ZL, Rao G, Rhines LD. Surgical treatment of sacral metastases: indications and results. J Neurosurg Spine. 2012 Oct;17(4):285-91.
Bydon M, Papadimitriou K, Witham T, Wolinsky JP, Sciubba D, Gokaslan Z, Bydon A. Treatment of Spinal Synovial Cysts. World Neurosurg. 2012 Sep 25.
Clarke MJ, Dasenbrock H, Bydon A, Sciubba DM, McGirt MJ, Hsieh PC, Yassari R, Gokaslan ZL, Wolinsky JP. Posterior-only approach for en bloc sacrectomy: clinical outcomes in 36 consecutive patients. Neurosurgery. 2012 Aug;71(2):357-64; discussion 364.
Hsu W, Mohyeldin A, Shah SR, Gokaslan ZL, Quinones-Hinojosa A. Role of cancer stem cells in spine tumors: review of current literature. Neurosurgery. 2012 Jul;71(1):117-25. Review.
Research Interests
- Devising novel therapeutic approaches to spinal tumors
- Define roles of proteolytic enzymes in tumor invasion
- Development of new animal models to study the pathophysiology of neoplastic spinal cord compression
More Info
Languages
- English
- Turkish
Memberships
Dr. Gokaslan is a member of numerous prestigious societies, notably the Spine of Neurological Surgeons since 2007. Cervical Spine Research Society since 2003, American Society of Clinical Oncology since 2001, America Association of Neurological Surgeons since 1998, Congress of Neurological Surgeons since 1997, and North American Spine Society since 1994.
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