One of the highest-volume centers of its kind in New York, the Skull/Cranial Base Center at Montefiore Einstein provides cutting-edge, multidisciplinary care by experienced, fellowship-trained surgeons and physicians for even the most complex cases. The team is comprised of healthcare providers and support staff from across neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology, radiation oncology, ophthalmology, endocrinology, radiology, plastic surgery, medical oncology, critical care and head and neck surgery departments. The pathologies treated here include meningiomas, sinonasal cancers, pituitary tumors, acoustic neuromas and a range of other benign and malignant brain and head and neck cancers.

Decisions regarding surgery and radiotherapy are made in one of three weekly multidisciplinary conferences—Adult Brain Tumor Conference, Pediatric Tumor Board and Skull-Base Conference—to ensure best practices and optimize outcomes. Neurosurgical procedures for patients with primary or metastatic brain tumors are performed by Pat LaSala, MD or Celina Crisman, MD, while tumors involving the base of the skull (such as meningiomas, pituitary adenomas and vestibular schwannoma) are performed by Vijay Agarwal, MD or Emad Eskandar, MD in conjunction with Pat Colley, MD, Howard Moskowitz, MD or other specialists in Otorhinolaryngology. A particular area of excellence is the use of minimally-invasive endoscopic techniques or through small incisions and keyhole surgery, whenever possible, to minimize postoperative pain and reduce the hospital stay for patients who would otherwise require large open cranial procedures.

In its evaluation and treatment of patients, the center employs the latest approaches and state-of-the-art technologies, including the use of enhanced navigation for skull base tumors (3-D ultrasound, fiber pathway tracking and endoscopic assistance) and 5-ALA fluorescence-guided surgery. The center also routinely conducts standard and advanced techniques for malignant brain tumors, such as awake craniotomies and intraoperative imaging.

The Skull/Cranial Base Center at Montefiore Einstein is currently one of only a handful of its kind in the country conducting complex transorbital/TONES approaches for incisionless brain tumor resections through the eye. Its work in expanded endonasal and minimally invasive combined surgical approaches will be highlighted in two textbooks published by Cambridge University Press in 2021 and 2022.