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Neuroendovascular Surgery

Overview & Our Approach

The Division of Neuroendovascular Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center is home to a team of highly skilled and experienced physicians. Their expertise covers advanced state-of-the-art treatments for patients seeking unparalleled, life-saving cerebral care, as well as minimally-invasive spinal care that improves quality of life. The neuroendovascular surgeons at Mount Sinai are committed to creating definitive and preventative treatments for patients with life-threatening vascular diseases affecting the brain and spinal cord, as well as selective diseases in the head and neck.

Following rigorous sub-specialized training and independent clinical practice at some of the top-ranked neurovascular institutions in the United States (i.e., Johns Hopkins University, UCLA, Yale, University of Iowa, University of Miami, etc.), our surgical experts stay true to Mount Sinai’s mission in providing timely, compassionate, high quality care. Our surgeons have earned the trust and respect of local and regional emergency responders, who rely on Mount Sinai for its cutting-edge, life-saving care in South Florida, making them esteemed figures across the United States and abroad.

Neuroendovascular Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center

  • Mount Sinai Medical Center was among the first hospitals in South Florida to introduce the neurointerventional biplane angiography suite. This technology enables surgeons to access the most remote parts of the brain using mini-catheters. It allows for highly complex and minimally-invasive procedures to address conditions such as aneurysms, vascular malformations, brain hemorrhages, and brain tumors. In its ongoing commitment to delivering top-tier neurovascular care, the medical center stands out as the first in South Florida to incorporate the the latest endovascular procedures angiography suite. This state-of-the-art technology empowers our surgeons to significantly enhance their technical prowess, ensuring safe and effective treatment of even the most high-risk neurovascular diseases.
  • Our neuroendovascular surgeons are highly regarded for their proficiency and expertise in administering advanced minimally invasive treatments for cerebral aneurysms. These treatments encompass a range of cutting-edge technologies and techniques, notably including detachable coiling and stent flow diversion procedures, bifurcation stent reconstruction, intra-aneurysmal flow diversion, and other minimally invasive methodologies.
  • Our division is also acclaimed for its skill and expertise skill and expertise in minimally invasive treatment of ischemic stroke. We have played a pivotal role in innovating and refining the use of combination aspiration and stent-retriever mechanical thrombectomy (a procedure to remove a blood clot mechanically), as well as using stents to help clear blockages in head and neck arteries during a stroke. Additionally, Mount Sinai has assumed significant leadership roles in South Florida and across the country in treating narrowed blood vessels in the brain using advanced techniques like stent-assisted percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (SAPTA).
  • As a comprehensive Stroke Center, Mount Sinai possesses collective interdisciplinary expertise and technology drawn from numerous clinical specialties, including neurosurgery, stroke neurology, diagnostic neuroradiology, emergency medicine, critical care, and rehabilitative medicine. This enables us to offer a full range of support services to maximize the best possible outcomes for our patients in preventing and/or restoring neurologic dysfunction from a stroke, as well as preventing future strokes.

A Leader in Stroke Care

Mount Sinai has established a remarkable benchmark for stroke care, encompassing treatments, prevention, rehabilitation, education, and community awareness. The Division of Neuroendovascular Surgery at Mount Sinai, in partnership with the Stroke Center, is committed to delivering top-tier neurovascular care to all patients. Our Stroke Center is staffed and equipped around the clock to swiftly and accurately diagnose and treat acute stroke cases. We offer the latest diagnostic and therapeutic advancements and offer the widest range of interventional options to stop a stroke in progress and minimize potential damage. For more information about The Harvey R. Chaplin Family Stroke & Chest Pain Center, click HERE.

What We Treat

  • Cerebral Aneurysms
  • Cerebral AVMs (Arterio-Venous Malformations)
  • Cerebral Dural AVFs (arterio-venous fistulas)
  • Cerebral arterial dissections and dissecting aneurysms
  • Vascular brain tumors
  • Subdural hematomas
  • Intracranial hemorrhages
  • Acute ischemic stroke (cerebral large vessel arterial occlusions)
  • Cerebral arterial vasospasm
  • Dural sinus thrombosis
  • Central retinal artery occlusion (“Ocular Stroke”)
  • Intra-cranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) stenoses (plaque blockages)
  • Extra-cranial atherosclerotic disease (EAD)- Carotid artery stenoses (plaque blockages)
  • Extra-cranial atherosclerotic disease (EAD)- Vertebral artery stenoses (plaque blockages)
  • Extra-cranial atherosclerotic disease (EAD)- Subclavian and Brachiocephalic artery stenoses (plaque blockages)
  • Spinal Cord AVMs (Arterio-Venous Malformations)
  • Spinal Cord Dural AVFs (arterio-venous fistulas)
  • Spinal/Spine AVFs (arteriovenous fistulas)
  • Vascular tumors of the spinal cord
  • Vascular tumors (primary and metastatic) of the spinal column
  • Vascular tumors (e.g. paragangliomas, glomus tumors, juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma
  • Epistaxis (nose bleeding)
  • Carotid blowout syndrome (bleeding from the carotid artery)
  • Spinal Cord Dural AVFs (arterio-venous fistulas)
  • Spinal/Spine AVFs (arteriovenous fistuals)
  • Vascular tumors of the spinal cord
  • Osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine
  • Osteoporotic compression and insufficiency fractures of the sacrum
  • Traumatic burst fractures (selective) of the thoracic and lumbar spine
  • Pathologic fractures from tumors of the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine
  • Nerve root pain (radiculopathies) from herniated discs and bony disease of the spinal column
  • Percutaneous direct puncture radio-frequency tumor ablation [OsteoCool RF system]

Diagnostic Services & Procedures

Advanced Diagnostics

  • Biplane Robotic C-arm Interventional Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) (cerebral and spinal catheter angiography)
    [Siemens Icono-Artis system] with 3-Dimensional DSA and road-mapping and cone-beam CT imaging
  • Biplane C-Arm Interventional Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) (cerebral and spinal catheter angiography)
    [Siemens -Artis system]
  • Single plane Robotic C-Arm Interventional Digital Subtraction Angiography DSA (cerebral and spinal catheter angiography) [Siemens Pheno system]
  • Biplane Robotic C-arm Interventional cone-beam CT brain perfusion imaging
  • 64 slice Multi-phase CT Angiography (CTA)
  • Rapid CT perfusion imaging and blood flow mapping
  • 3T MRI
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
  • Transcranial Doppler
  • SPECT
  • PET/CT

Neuroendovascular Surgery

  • Percutaneous Balloon-Assisted Coil Embolization of brain aneurysms
  • Percutaneous Stent-Assisted Coil Embolization of brain aneurysms
  • Percutaneous Y-Stent and Telescoping Stent Reconstruction of bifurcation brain aneurysms
  • Percutaneous Stent-Assisted Flow Diversion Occlusion of brain aneurysms
  • Percutaneous Intra-Aneurysmal Flow Diversion of brain aneurysms using WEB (Woven Endo-Bridge) embolization device
  • Percutaneous Parent Artery Occlusion/Trapping of brain aneurysms
  • Percutaneous Parent Artery Occlusion/Trapping of traumatic injuries to the cerebral arteries
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of brain AVMs (brain arteriovenous malformations)
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of brain DAVFs (brain dural arteriovenous fistulas)
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of brain tumors
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of intracranial subdural hematomas (SDHs)
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of spinal AVMs (spinal arteriovenous malformations)
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of spinal DAVFs (spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas)
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of spinal cord vascular tumors
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of bony spinal column vascular tumors
  • Percutaneous Superselective and Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of head & neck tumors
  • Percutaneous Ultra-Superselective Transarterial Embolization of intractable epistaxis (nose bleeding)
  • Percutaneous direct puncture tumor embolization and ablation of head and neck tumors
  • Percutaneous direct puncture therapeutic embolization and ablation of head and neck vascular malformations
  • Percutaneous Superselective & Ultra-Superselective Intra-arterial Mechanical Thrombectomy for ischemic stroke
  • Percutaneous Superselective & Ultra-Superselective Intra-arterial Mechanical Thrombolysis for ischemic stroke
  • Superselective & Ultra-Superselective Intra-arterial Chemical Thrombolysis for ischemic stroke
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Balloon Angioplasty (PTA) of intracranial arterial stenoses/occlusions
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Balloon Angioplasty (PTA) of intracranial arterial vasospasm
  • Superselective & Ultra-Superselective Intra-arterial Chemical angioplasty of of intracranial arterial vasospasm
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Stent-Assisted Angioplasty (SAPTA) of intracranial arterial stenoses/occlusions
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Stent-Assisted Angioplasty (SAPTA) of intracranial venous stenoses/occlusions
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Stent-Assisted Angioplasty (SAPTA) of extra-cranial carotid artery stenoses/occlusions
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Stent-Assisted Angioplasty (SAPTA) of extra-cranial vertebral artery stenoses/occlusions
  • Percutaneous Transluminal Stent-Assisted Angioplasty (SAPTA) of subclavian & brachiocephalic artery stenoses/occlusions
  • Ultra-Superselective Intra-arterial Chemical Thrombolysis for central retinal artery ischemia (ischemic blindness)
  • Selective and superselective balloon test occlusions

Percutaneous Spine Interventions

  • Percutaneous kyphoplasty/kypho-vertebroplasty of the lumbar and thoracic spine
  • Percutaneous sacral vertebroplasty
  • Percutaneous vertebroplasty of the cervical spine
  • Percutaneous direct puncture tumor embolization and ablation
  • Percutaneous direct puncture radio-frequency tumor ablation [OsteoCool RF system]
  • Percutaneous Implantable Fracture Reduction System (PIFR) [SpineJack system] osteoporotic compression fractures
  • Fluoroscopic-guided epidural spine injections (lumbar, cervical and thoracic)
  • Fluoroscopic-guided nerve root blocks (lumbar, cervical and thoracic)
  • Fluoroscopic-guided intercostal nerve blocks
  • Fluoroscopic-guided and CT-guided ganglion blocks
  • Image-guided biopsies and drainage procedures

Meet the Physicians

About John C. Chaloupka, MD, FAHA, FACA

Dr. John C. Chaloupka serves as Chief of the Mount Sinai Division of Neuroendovascular Surgery within the Departments of Neurosurgery and Radiology. Recruited by Mount Sinai Medical Center in July 2011, Dr. Chaloupka was brought in to spearhead the development and expansion of the division’s clinical activities. Since joining, he has successfully cultivated one of South Florida’s busiest and most diversified neuroendovascular practices.

Dr. Chaloupka is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, subsequently obtaining his residency training in Neuroendovascular Surgery and Neurosurgery at UCLA’s renowned Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. He has led a distinguished academic and clinical career for more than 30 years, holding faculty appointments at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, and The University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine, where he was granted his tenure as Professor of Radiology, Neurosurgery, and Neurology. Through extensive international teaching commitments, Dr. Chaloupka also has been conferred an academic appointment as Honorable Professor of Neurosurgery at Harbin Medical University in China.
Having previously established and led prolific, high-volume academic clinical practices at Yale and the University of Iowa, Dr. Chaloupka has become an internationally recognized neuroendovascular surgeon specializing in the management of various cerebrovascular diseases. These include intracranial aneurysms, cerebral AVMs, dural AVFs, intracranial athero-occlusive disease, acute ischemic stroke intervention, carotid blowout syndrome, as well as cervical carotid and vertebral atherosclerotic disease. He is also an authority on a wide spectrum of in vivo, in vitro, and mathematical models of cerebrovascular disease, with particular emphasis on endovascular device development and validation, as well as pathogenesis/natural history analysis.
Through independent laboratory and clinical research, as well as extensive industry collaboration, Dr. Chaloupka has made numerous pioneering and seminal contributions to the invention, development, and validation of many of the contemporary devices and/or techniques used in modern neuroendovascular surgical practice today.

Dr. Chaloupka is a highly accomplished scholar with extensive publications in his field. He has been a sought-after invited lecturer, panelist, and moderator, as well as an expert surgical proctor for numerous national and international scientific conferences, symposia, meetings, and sponsored training programs. His renowned expertise has led him to contribute to teaching activities in over 30 countries.

About Vasu Saini, MD

Dr. Vasu Saini earned his medical degree from Delhi University’s Maulana Azad Medical College in India and subsequently completed his neurology residency at Jackson Health System and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Saini then completed two fellowships including Vascular Neurology and Neuroendovascular Surgery at Jackson Health System and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
He holds board certifications from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Neurology and Vascular Neurology. Dr. Saini is an active member of several medical associations, including the American Heart Association, American Academy of Neurology, Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, and Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery.
Recognized for his research contributions, Dr. Saini has received numerous awards for presentations at international and national conferences. His extensive publication record encompasses manuscripts covering stroke epidemiology, endovascular thrombectomy, cerebral aneurysms, radial arterial access for neurointervention, upper extremity transvenous access for neurointervention, and innovative applications of endovascular devices.
In his clinical practice, Dr. Saini focuses on ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, intracranial or carotid atherosclerotic disease, cerebral aneurysm, cerebral or spinal arteriovenous fistula, arteriovenous malformation, and tumor embolization.

Our Physicians

John C Chaloupka, MD

Section Chief, Neuro Interventional/Neuro Endovascular Surgery

  • Neuroscience
  • Stroke Care
  • Neuro Endovascular Surgery

Vasu Saini, MD

  • Neuro Endovascular Surgery
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