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• Adult Tethered Cord
• Ankylosing Spondylitis

  Ankylosing Spondylitis

  Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. Ankylosing means stiff or rigid, spondyl means spine, and itis refers to inflammation. The disease causes inflammation of the spine and large joints, resulting in stiffness and pain.
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• Artificial Disc
• Back Surgery

  Laminectomy

  Laminectomy is a type of surgery in which a surgeon removes part or all of the vertebral bone (lamina). This helps relieve compression of the spinal cord or the nerve roots that may be caused by injury, herniated disk, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the canal), or tumors.
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• Basilar Invagination
• BMP (Bone Morphogenetic Protein)
• Bone Protein Implant
• Brachial Plexus

  Brachial Plexus Injuries

  The brachial plexus can be injured in many different ways - from pressure, stress, or being stretched too far. The nerves may also be damaged by cancer or radiation treatment. Sometimes, brachial plexus injuries happen to babies during childbirth.
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• Brain Injury

  Traumatic Brain Injury

  A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a type of brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to, or penetration of the head. A TBI can occur during a car accident, from being tackled during a football game, or from a combat-related wound.
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• Brain Stem Tumors
• Cavernous Angiomas
• Cervical Spine

  Cervical Spondylosis

  Cervical spondylosis is a type of degenerative disease that affects your neck. Normally, soft disks between the bones in your spine (called vertebrae) provide cushioning. With cervical spondylosis, these disks become squeezed (compressed). 
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• Chiari Malformation
• Complex Trauma
• Congenital Disorders of the Brain and Spine
• Craniocervical Junction Decompression & Fusion
• Discogram
• Disk Degeneration
• Disk Herniation

  Lumbar Disk Disease (Herniated Disk)

  Lumbar disk disease occurs when the spongy disks between the vertebrae bulge out or rupture. Lumbar disk disease is caused by a change in the structure of the normal disk. Most of the time, disk disease happens as a result of aging and the normal break down that occurs within the disk. 
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• Endoscopic Spine Surgery

  Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

  Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is surgery on the bones of your spine (backbone). It uses smaller incisions than standard surgery and causes less pain and faster recovery.
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• Facet Joint Syndrome
• Fracture of Spine
• General Neurosurgery

  Neurological Surgery

  Neurological surgery is used to treat disorders of the brain, spine, and nerves. The healthcare provider who specializes in neurological surgery is called a neurosurgeon or neurological surgeon.
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• Hydrocephalus

  Hydrocephalus

  A baby with hydrocephalus has extra fluid around the brain. This fluid is called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Too much CSF can increase the pressure in your baby’s head. This causes the bones in your baby’s skull to expand and separate. The baby's head may look larger than normal.
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• Kyphoplasty / Vertebroplasty

  Kyphoplasty

  Kyphoplasty is a procedure used to treat fractures or breaks in the vertebrae. It involves injecting a cement-like material into the vertebra to make it more stable.
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• Laminectomy

  Laminectomy

  Laminectomy is a type of surgery in which a surgeon removes part or all of the vertebral bone (lamina). This helps relieve compression of the spinal cord or the nerve roots that may be caused by injury, herniated disk, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the canal), or tumors.
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• Lipoma

  Other Benign Skin Growths in Children

  Detailed information on benign skin growths, including dermatofibromas, dermoid cyst, freckles, keloids, lipomas, moles, atypical moles, pyogenic granulomas
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• Lumbar Tumor Surgery
• Magnetic Resonance Neurography
• Metabolic Bone Disease
• Microsurgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

  Methods of Surgery

  An "open" surgery means cutting the skin and tissues so that the surgeon has a full view of the structures or organs involved. Minimally invasive surgery is a relatively new approach that allows the patient to recuperate faster with less pain. Not all conditions are suitable for this type of surgery.
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• Multi Trauma
• Myelopathy
• Neck Pain

  Neck Pain

  Your neck is at risk for injury because of its location and range-of-motion. Neck pain can be caused by injury, age, or inflammatory disorders. Neck pain can range from mild discomfort to disabling, chronic pain.
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• Nerve Tumor

  Neurological Disorders

  Here is a list of nervous system disorders that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional.
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• Neuro Endoscopy

  Neurological Disorders

  Here is a list of nervous system disorders that require clinical care by a physician or other healthcare professional.
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• Nonunion Trauma
• Oncology

  Cancer Overview

  Cancer cells don't function properly, and they can spread to many areas of the body. Tumors are clusters of cells that are capable of growing and dividing uncontrollably; their growth is not regulated.
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• Osteoporosis

  Osteoporosis

  Osteoporosis is a disease that causes weak, thinning bones. This leaves the bones at greater risk of breaking. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists.
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• Pars Defect of Lumbar Spine
• Pars Defect Repair
• Peripheral Nerve
• Platybasia
• Radiculopathy

  Pinched Nerve

  Radiculopathy, commonly called pinched nerve, is most likely to occur in your lower back (lumbar radiculopathy), but it can also affect your neck (cervical radiculopathy) or other parts of your spinal cord.  
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• Re-open Surgery
• Re-operation Surgery
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

  Rheumatoid Arthritis

  Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term (chronic) disease that causes inflammation of the joints. The inflammation can be so severe that it affects how the joints and other parts of the body look and function.
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• Sacroiliac Joint Fusion

  Ankylosing Spondylitis

  Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. Ankylosing means stiff or rigid, spondyl means spine, and itis refers to inflammation. The disease causes inflammation of the spine and large joints, resulting in stiffness and pain.
  Learn more >
• Sacroiliac Joint Pain

  Therapeutic Pain Blocks

  If you don't get relief from standard pain relievers, you doctor may suggest injecting pain-relieving medicine into the site of the affected nerve. This injection will block the pain signals the nerve would otherwise send to your brain. If your brain doesn't receive this message of alarm, you won't feel the pain you would normally feel.
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• Schwannoma

  Acoustic Neuroma

  Acoustic neuroma is a rare noncancerous tumor. It affects hearing and balance when the tumor presses on the nerves in the inner ear.
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• Sciatica

  Sciatica

  Sciatica, also called lumbar radiculopathy, is a pain that originates along your sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body. The pain extends from the back of your pelvis down the back of your thigh.
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• Scoliosis / Kyphosis
• Spina Bifida

  Spina Bifida in Children

  Spina bifida is a condition present at birth (birth defect) when there are problems with the spine, spinal cord, and the surrounding nerves. It can cause part of the spinal cord and areas around it to form outside of the body. This problem can happen anywhere along the spine.
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• Spinal Compression Fracture & Fusion

  Compression Fracture

  A compression fracture is a type of break in the bones in your back that stack up to form your spine. A compression fracture can cause back pain, limited movement, a decrease in height, and a stopped over posture. It often develops as a result of osteoporosis.
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• Spinal Cord Injury
• Spinal Cord Stimulators

  Treating Pain with Spinal Cord Stimulators

  Spinal cord stimulation is one way to manage various types of pain. A spinal cord stimulator is an implanted device that sends low levels of electricity directly into the spinal cord.
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• Spinal Cord Tumors

  Spinal Cord Tumor Overview

  Spinal cord tumors are fairly uncommon. It's much more common to develop a brain tumor than a tumor on the spinal cord. A spinal cord tumor may form inside the spinal cord itself or around the bones that make up the spine.
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• Spinal Fusion

  Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion

  Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to join 2 or more bones of your spine together permanently. A minimally invasive spinal fusion uses a smaller cut (incision) than a traditional spinal fusion surgery.
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• Spinal Infections

  Overview of Nervous System Disorders

  Disorders of the nervous system include stroke, infections, such as meningitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and functional disorders, such as headache and epilepsy.
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• Spinal Stenosis

  What Is Spinal Stenosis?

  Spinal stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal narrows and pinches the nerves. This results in back and leg pain. Surgical treatment for spinal stenosis is considered after nonsurgical remedies have not improved symptoms, and when the benefits of surgery are greater than the potential risks.
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• Spinal Tumor

  Spinal Cord Tumor Overview

  Spinal cord tumors are fairly uncommon. It's much more common to develop a brain tumor than a tumor on the spinal cord. A spinal cord tumor may form inside the spinal cord itself or around the bones that make up the spine.
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• Spine

  Anatomy of the Spine

  Your backbone, also called the vertebral column, is made up of 33 vertebrae separated by spongy disks.
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• Spine / Back Surgery
• Spine Minimally Invasive

  Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

  Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is surgery on the bones of your spine (backbone). It uses smaller incisions than standard surgery and causes less pain and faster recovery.
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• Spine Surgery Instrumentation
• Spine Trauma (Complex & Fresh)

  Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

  Car accidents, falls, and other injuries are a common cause of acute spinal cord injury. Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic injury that bruises, partially or completely tears the spinal cord. SCI is a common cause of permanent disability and death in children and adults.
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• Spondylolisthesis/Spondylolysis

  Overuse Injuries

  Detailed information on overuse injuries in children, including jumper's knee, patellar tendonitis, little leaguers' elbow, little leaguers' shoulder, osteochondritis dissecans, Sever's disease, shin splints, Sinding-Larsen-Johansson disease, spondylolisthesis, and spondylolysis
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• Sports Spine Injury Disorder
• Synovial Cyst

  Baker Cyst

  A Baker cyst (popliteal cyst) is a fluid-filled sac that forms behind the knee.
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• Syringomyelia
• Thoracic Spine and Disks

  Anatomy of the Spine

  Your backbone, also called the vertebral column, is made up of 33 vertebrae separated by spongy disks.
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• Trauma

  Trauma

  Detailed information on neurological trauma in children
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• Unstable Spine
• Vertebroplasty

  Vertebroplasty

  Vertebroplasty is a procedure used to treat fractures or breaks in the vertebrae. In this procedure, a thick cement mixture is injected into a fractured vertebra to stabilize the spine.
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Link to Dr. Lu's PubMed publications >

Peer- Reviewed Publications

1. Au Yong N., Lu D.C. Neuromodulation of lumbar spinal locomotor circuit. Neurosurg Clin N Am 25: 15-23 (2014).
2. Buchanan C.C., Lu D.C., Buchanan C., Tran T.T. Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma and spinal cord infarction following orthotopic liver transplantation: Case report and review of the literature. Sug Neurol Int 4: S359-61 (2013).
3. Saigal R., Lu D.C., Deng D.Y., Chou D. Conversion to high to mid-sacral amputation via S2 nerve preservation during partial S2 sacrectomy for chordoma. J. Neurosug Spine: 421-9 (2014).
4. Kimball J., Kusnezov N.A., Pezeshkian P., Lu D.C. Minimally invasive surgical decompression for lumbar metastases. Surg Neurol Int. 4: 78 (2013).
5. Kimball J., Yew A., Getachew R., Lu D.C. Minimally invasive tubular surgery for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Neurosurg Focus 35: Video19 (2013).
6. Yew A., Kimball J., Pezeshkian P., Lu D.C. Minimally invasive palliative resection of lumbar epidural metastasis. Neurosurg Focus 35: Video 18 (2013).
7. Kimball J., Yew A., Lu D.C. Minimally invasive surgery for lumbar microdiscectomy. Neurosurg Focus 35: Video 15 (2013).
8. Li C.H., Yew A.Y., Lu D.C. Migration of traumatic intracranial SDH to lumbar spine causing radiculopathy. Surg Neurol Int 4:81 (2013).
9. Lee S.I, Ghasemzadeh H., Mortazavi B.J., Yew A., Getachew R., Razaghy M., Ghalehsari N., Paak B.H., Garst J.H., Espinal M., Kimball J., Lu D.C., Sarrafzadeh M. Objective assessment of overexcited hand movements using a lightweight sensory device. Paper #77. IEEE Body Sensor Network Conference (2013).
10. Li C.H., Yew A.Y., Kimball J.A., McBride D.Q., Wang J.C., Lu D.C. Comparison of operating field sterility in open versus minimally invasive microdiscectomies of the lumbar spine. Surg Neurol Int 4:S295-8 (2013). 
11. Yew A., Kimball, J., Lu D.C. Surgical seroma formation following posterior cervical laminectomy and fusion without rhBMP-2. J Neurosurg Spine Jul 5 (2013).
12. Huang A.P., Chen C.M., Lai H.S., Chou C.C., Lu D.C., Kuo L.T., Chuang H.Y., Tsai, J.C. The posterior transthecal approach for repair of cauda equine fibers and ventral dural laceration: a novel surgical technique. Spine (2013).
13. Kusnezov N.A., Velani S.A., Lu D.C. Cerebrospinal fluid leak secondary to chiropractic manipulation. Surg Neurol Int. 4: S118-20 (2013).
14. Lu D.C., Tumialan L.M., Chou D. Multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with and without rhBMP-2: a comparison of dysphagia rates and outcomes in 150 patients. J Neurosurg Spine 18: 43-9 (2012).
15. Yang I., Nagasawa D.T., Kim W., Spasic M., Trang A., Lu D.C., Martin N.A. Chromosomal anomalies and prognostic markers for intracranial and spinal ependymomas. J Clin Neurosci 19: 779-85 (2012).
16. Lu D.C., Zador Z., Yao J., Fazlollahi F., Manley G.T. Aquaporin-4 reduces post-traumatic seizure susceptibility by promoting astrocytic glial scar formation in mice. J Neurotrauma (2011).
17. Rodriguez-Hernandez A., Lu D.C., Meric S., Lawton M.T. Aneurysms associated with non-moyamoya collateral arterial networks: report of three cases and review of literature. Neurosurg Rev. 34: 517-22 (2011).
18. Nagasawa D.T., Smith Z.A., Cremer N., Fong C. Lu D.C., Yang I. Complications associated with the treatment for spinal ependymomas. Neurosurg Focus. 31: E13 (2011).
19. Lu D.C., Chou D., Mummaneni P.V. A comparison of mini-open and open approaches for resection of thoracolumbar intradural spinal tumors. J Neurosurg Spine Mar 11 (2011).
20. Lau D., Lee J.G., Han S.J., Lu D.C., Chou D. Complications and perioperative factors associated with learning the technique of minimally invasive transforaminal interbody fusion (TLIF). J Clin Neurosci. 18: Feb 23 (2011).
21. Han S.J., Lau D., Lu D.C., Chou D. Anterior thoracolumbar corpectomies: apporach morbidity with and without an access surgeon Feb 4 (2011).
22. Lu D.C., Dhall S.S., Mummaneni P.V. The transpinous mini-open approach for resection of intradural spinal neoplasms: cadaveric feasibility study and report of 3 clinical cases. World Neurosurg 74: 195-199 (2010).
23. Clark A.J., Lu D.C., Richardson R.M., Tihan T., Parsa A.T., Chou D., Barbaro N.M., Kunwar S., Weinstein P.R., Lawton M.T., Berger M.S., McDermott M.W. Surgical technique of temporary arterial occlusion in the operative management of spinal hemangioblastomas. World Neurosurg 74: 200-205 (2010).
24. Chou D.C., Lu D.C. Mini-open transpedicular corpectomies with expandable cage reconstruction. J Neurosurg Spine (2010).
25. Lu D.C., Zador Z., Mummaneni P.V., Lawton M.T. Rotational vertebral artery occlusion-series of 9 cases. Neurosurgery 67: 1066-72 (2010).
26. Lu D.C., Lawton M.T. Clinical presentation and surgical management of intramedullary spinal cord cavernous malformations. Neurosurg Focus 29: E12 (2010).
27. Lau D., Han S.J., Lee J.G., Lu D.C., Chou D. Minimally invasive compared to open microdiscectomy for lumbar disc herniation. J Clin Neurosci (2010).
28. Lu D.C., Lau D., Lee J.G., Chou D. The transpedicular approach versus the anterior approach: an analysis of 80 thoracolumbar corpectomies. JNS Spine 12: 583-91 (2010).
29. Mummaneni P., Lu D.C., Dhall, S., Mummaneni V., Chou D. C1 Lateral Mass Fixation: A comparison of ccnstructs. Neurosurgery 66, 153-60 (2010).
30. Lu D.C., Roeser A.C., Mummaneni V.P., Mummaneni P. Nuances of occipitocervical fixation. Neurosurgery 66, 141-6 (2010).
31. Wang V., Chin C., Lu D.C., Smith J.S., Chou D. Free-hand thoracic pedicle screw placed by neurosurgery residents: a CT analysis. Eur Spine J (2010).
32. Lu D.C., Wang V., Chou D. The use of allograft or autograft and expandable titanium cages for the treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis. Neurosurgery 64:122-30 (2009).
33. Zador Z., Lu D.C., Arnold C.M., Lawton M.T. Deep bypasses to the distal posterior circulation: anatomical and clinical comparison of pretemporal and subtemporal approaches. Neurosurgery 66, 92-100 (2010).
34. Lu D.C., Gupta N., Mummaneni P. Minimally invasive decompression for rotational vertebral artery occlusion. J Neurosurg Peds 4, 191-195 (2009).
35. Chou D., Eltgroth M., Yang I., Lu D.C., Manley G. Rib head disarticulation for multilevel transpedicular thoracic corpectomies and exapandable cage reconstruction. Neurol India 57, 469-473 (2009).
36. Aryan H.E., Newman C.B., Lu D.C., Hu S.S., Tay B.K., Bradford D.S., Puttlitz C.M., Ames C.P. Relaxation of forces needed to distract cervical vertebrae after discectomy. J Spinal Disord Tech 22, 100-104 (2009).
37. Lu D.C., Dhall S.S., Mummaneni P. Mini-open removal of extradural foraminal tumor of the lumbar spine. J Neurosurg Spine 10, 46-50 (2009).
38. Lawton M.T., Lu D.C., Zodor Z. Current strategies for complex aneurysms using intracranial bypass and reconstructive techniques. Jap J Neurosurg 17: 601-611 (2008).
39. Lu D.C., Zheng H., Verkman A.S. Impaired olfaction in mice lacking aquaporin-4 water channels. FASEB J. 22, 3216-23 (2008).

• Experimental implant shows promise for restoring voluntary movement after spinal cord injury
  Spinal stimulator recaptures hand motion, strength after cervical spinal cord injury
  Numerous news outlets reported Dec. 13 on the story of a young San Dimas man who broke his neck five years ago and has regained some hand control due to an experimental device implanted In his spine by Dr. Daniel Lu, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Coverage included Univision (New York), WCBS-TV (New York), KTLA-TV (Los Angeles), KMEX-TV (Los Angeles), WJBK-TV (Detroit), KSWB-TV (San Diego), STAT News, the U.K.’s Daily Mail, United Press International, Becker’s Spine Review, Spain’s Canarias 7, the Netherlands’ RTL News, Futurism and Mass Device. Additional coverage included a Jan. 4 story in Healthline and a Jan. 2 feature on Brian in LaVerne Online
• Becker's Spine Review: Spinal Cord Injury Research (Becker's Spine Review)
• A conversation with Dr. Lu (Healio - Spine Surgery)

• H and H Lee Surgical Research Scholar Award 2012
• Larson Research Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons 2012
• Oppenheimer Program Seed Award 2012
• Outcomes Research Award, AANS/CNS Joint Section of Spine and Peripheral Nerves 2010
• Edwin Boldrey Award, San Francisco Neurological Society 2009
• Synthes Craniofacial and Brain Trauma Research Award, AANS Section in Trauma 2009
• Clinical Trial Proposal Award, AANS/CNS Joint Section of Spine and Peripheral Nerves 2008
• Meyerson-Shoofey Spine Research Award 2008
• UCSF Clinical Trials Research Funding Program 2008

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