Omar A. Choudhri, MD, is an assistant professor of neurosurgery and radiology, co-director of the cerebrovascular & endovascular neurosurgery, and director of the Penn Center for Cerebral Revascularization at Penn Medicine and sees patients at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP).
In addition to general neurosurgery, Dr. Choudhri specializes in open microsurgical and endovascular care of neurovascular conditions such as Brain aneurysms, Brain and Spine Arteriovenous Malformations (AVMs), Brain and Spine Cavernous Malformations, Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs), stroke, carotid stenosis, intracranial stenosis including moyamoya disease, pseudotumor cerebri, and intracranial hypertension.
What conditions will you treat at Penn Medicine?
As a cerebrovascular and skull base surgeon, I will be specializing in treating all conditions related to the blood vessels of the brain and spine as well as conditions of the skull base. I am a dual trained neurosurgeon so can offer both minimally invasive (endovascular and radiosurgical) and microsurgical treatment for these conditions. This includes conditions such as brain aneurysms, brain arteriovenous malformations(AVMs), dural fistulas, cavernous malformations, carotid stenosis, moyamoya disease, stroke, pseudo tumor cerebri, vestibular schwannomas and skull base meningioma. In addition, I will be also treating general neurosurgical conditions of brain and spine.
What is the most exciting thing about being a part of the Penn neurosurgery team?
Penn Neurosurgery team is a wonderful group of academic neurosurgeons who push the frontiers of modern neurosurgery. For me, it’s exciting to be a part of a surgeon-scientist group which is changing the field of neurosurgery for the better in an environment of collaboration, while providing excellent neurosurgical care and compassion one patient at a time.
What is your philosophy on patient care?
My philosophy for patient care is simple: I aim to treat my patients like I would my family members: in a dedicated, professional, current, informative, inclusive, compassionate and successful fashion. I am always available for my patients and their family and establish high standards in developing trust and communication.
What kinds of research will you be involved in at Penn and what does that mean for patients?
I will be involved in both clinical and basic translational research relating to cerebrovascular disease. As the principal investigator of the translational cerebrovascular imaging and outcomes laboratory (TCIO), I will be using advanced imaging techniques to develop new tools for diagnosis and treatment of neurovascular conditions such as aneurysm and AVMs. I will also be developing predictive tools and devices for improving outcomes in patients with stroke including clinical trials to offer these latest treatments.
What types of emergency neurovascular conditions will you be treating? What type of elective neurovascular conditions will you be treating?
Emergency: I will be treating patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from ruptured aneurysms, arteriovenous malformation and as well as acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
Elective: I will be treating patients with unruptured brain aneurysms (with coiling or surgical clipping), arteriovenous malformations (surgical resection, embolization or gamma/cyber knife radio surgery), carotid stenosis (stenting or endarterectomy), intracranial stenosis (bypass surgery). As part of a multidisciplinary Penn Center of Cerebral revascularization, I aim to provide cutting edge bypass solutions for patients with cerebrovascular disease.
What do you enjoy doing outside of practicing medicine?
I enjoy spending time with family, traveling, playing squash, and swimming outside of practicing medicine.