Tethered Spinal Cord Program

Our neurosurgeons

• Mark R. Proctor, MD, is a pediatric neurosurgeon with special expertise in the treatment of tethered spinal cord, brain tumors, vascular abnormalities, congenital disorders of the central nervous system, craniofacial anomalies like craniosynostosis and plagiocephaly and neurological trauma. His research closely examines treatment options for spinal and craniofacial abnormalities. Proctor has worked at Children’s since 1997. He is also an associate professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School.
   
• Edward Robert Smith, MD, is a pediatric neurosurgeon specializing in the treatment of tethered cord, brain tumors, Moyamoya disease and pediatric stroke. Smith is also director of Children’s Pediatric Cerebrovascular Surgery, co-director of our Center for Head, Neck and Skull Base and an assistant professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School. Among his research pursuits is the development of tests to better identify and understand pediatric brain tumors and cerebrovascular disease.
   
• Benjamin C. Warf, MD, began his career as the first pediatric neurosurgery fellow at Children's. Director of Children’s Neonatal and Congenital Anomaly Neurosurgery, he is one of the world’s foremost practitioners of the endoscopic third ventriculostomy procedure to replace the use of shunts in hydrocephalus and spina bifida patients. Also an expert in treating tethered spinal cord syndrome and chiari and other congenital malformations, Warf is committed to introducing minimally invasive procedures like endoscopic third ventriculostomy in developing nations, where children's access to aftercare is severely limited.  He has helped build a neurosurgical hospital for children in Uganda, where he continues to train pediatric neurosurgeons. Warf is also an associate professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School.