The Inova Neurosurgical Residency Program is part of Inova Neurosciences, which is led by James Ecklund, MD, FACS, President, Inova Neurosciences. Inova Neurosciences offers comprehensive care of neurological conditions, including neurosurgery, as well as neurological education and clinical trials research. Each of the many subspecialty neurology programs are overseen by a Medical Director, team members with individualized resources who refer to Inova Neurosurgery when surgical treatment is recommended.
Our neurosurgical residency program is primarily located on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, which a neuroscience ICU and a surgical training suite. It is also home to the nationally recognized Inova Fairfax Hospital as well as the new Inova Children's Hospital, Inova Women's Hospital, and the Inova Heart & Vascular Institute. Inova Fairfax Hospital is home to Northern Virginia's only Level 1 Trauma Center, and is consistently ranked among the top healthcare providers in the United States.
Learn more about the many awards and top ratings that Inova has received
Below is information about just a few of our specialized programs and facilities available to physicians in the institute.
Inova Brain and Spine Tumor Program
The Inova Brain and Spine Tumor Program offers the specialized, world-class expertise required for the diagnosis and treatment of brain, pituitaray and spinal cord tumors. The program collaborates with the Inova Neuro Oncology Program of the Inova Schar Cancer Institute.
Our patients have access to state-of-the-art technologies in neurosurgery and cancer care, including Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) and intra-operative 5-ALA and a complete range of treatment and diagnostic alternatives.
Inova Children's Neuroscience Program
The Inova Children's Neuroscience Program is uniquely qualified to evaluate and treat neurological conditions from birth through adolescence. Combining the expertise of Inova Children's Hospital with the specialty knowledge of Inova Neuroscience Institute, the program features a full complement of board-certified specialists who cover all aspects of inpatient and outpatient care from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation and long-term follow-up. The combined specialized expertise of Inova's pediatric neurologists, pediatric neurosurgeons, pediatric critical care physicians, pediatric hematologist/oncologists, pediatric neuropsychologists, and pediatric psychiatrists forms the foundation of care excellence. Beyond this clinical care, extensive ancillary services and programs help children and families throughout their experience. Child Life specialists, social workers, physical, occupational and speech therapists, nutritionists and support groups all contribute to the care experience.
Inova Epilepsy Center
Inova's comprehensive epilepsy center requires unique specialists, leading technology and a multidisciplinary team. The Epilepsy Center at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus provides world-class services and patient care.
The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has accredited Inova Fairfax Medical Campus’s epilepsy program as a Level 4 epilepsy program since 2014 – the highest level of epilepsy care.
In addition to standard services, we provide complex neurodiagnostic monitoring and neuropsychological and psychosocial evaluation and treatment. Our Level 4 designation also means offering advanced epilepsy surgery services, including evaluation with intracranial electrodes and implantation of the NeuroPace RNS device.
Inova Neurosurgery Practice
Within our Neurosurgery practice of employed, fellowship trained neurosurgeons, we diagnose, assess and treat conditions of the central and peripheral nervous system and perform surgeries of the brain and spine for adults and children – often in the most acute of circumstances.
At Inova, we stay on the cutting edge of all technological advances, so that we can provide the highest standard of neurosurgical treatment available anywhere in the nation and the world and have over 100 area hospitals transferring patients here – in part for these reasons.
Our subspecialties include surgical expertise for cerebrovascular, epilepsy, movement disorders, pediatric, peripheral nerve conditions. spine, trauma, brain injury and tumor.
Inova Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center
Be it Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia or other movement disorders, the Inova Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center provides comprehensive care designed to get you moving again. Our Inova Neurosurgeon specializing in deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures is a vital member of the growing Inova Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center, which offered groundbreaking new technology called NeuroSphere™. Inova is one of just a few hospitals in the U.S. – and the only one in the state of Virginia and the Washington, DC region – to offer a new remote neurostimulation technology that allows for the adjustment and programming of a DBS device remotely through a telehealth visit.
Review the active clinical trials at the Inova Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center
Inova Neurotrauma and Neurocritical Care
Whether responding to a patient's life-threatening traumatic brain or spinal injuries or providing treatment for a serious neurological disease, Inova's Neurotrauma and Neurocritical Care teams are unsurpassed in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, region for access, experience and breadth of service. Inova Trauma Center, Northern Virginia's only level 1 trauma center for the highest, most comprehensive level of trauma care available, is headquartered on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. Field leaders in the treatment of traumatic injuries of the brain and spinal cord collaborate with neurologists, neuroradiologists, critical care intensivists and a host of other physician and nurse specialists to provide world-class care around the clock, 365 days a year.
Inova Spine Program
The Inova Spine Program gives a neurosurgical resident significant exposure to the field of spinal surgeries, access to all of the latest technologies, and integration with rehabilitation and pain management aspects of care. Areas of expertise include spine trauma, degenerative conditions, spinal oncology, and adult/pediatric deformity.
Technologies include minimally invasive surgical robots and augmented reality instrumentation, computer-aided spinal navigation and intraoperative CT. The trainee would experience a diverse and in- depth exposure to all aspects of spinal surgery, to pursue a dedicated spinal fellowship, or an independent spine-focused practice.
Inova Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease Program
The Inova Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease Program offers a complete system of stroke care. All five hospitals have attained a stroke certification from The Joint Commission. Inova Fairfax Hospital is a Comprehensive Stroke Center and Inova Alexandria Hospital a Thrombectomy Stroke Center.
The American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) "Get with the Guidelines" program has recognized all five Inova hospitals with Gold Plus awards for achieving excellence in stroke care.
With these efforts our aim is to meet the unique needs of stroke patients and foster better outcomes for stroke care. Inova's extensive diagnostic and treatment options include sophisticated minimally invasive technology and advanced imaging performed by our skilled interventional neuroradiologists and endovascular surgeons. Post treatment, Inova's comprehensive and regionally recognized rehabilitation programs further recovery and help patients return to normal activities.
Inova Neurosciences Research Program
The Inova Neurosciences Research Program is part of Inova Neurosciences and encompasses collaboration with all medical specialties as together we work toward advancements in diagnoses and treatment of diseases of the nervous system. Clinical trials research within Inova Neurosciences is dispersed throughout our many specialty programs and is supported by a fully staffed Inova Neurosciences research office with a Medical Director and full- time staff of research coordinators who help with the regulatory and administrative tasks associated with the many research projects. This effort includes facilitating research submissions to the Inova Fairfax Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Hear from our Neurosciences Research Director
View active Inova Neuroscience clinical trials
Facilities
DBS Operative MRI Suite
A life-altering technology, deep brain stimulation (DBS), is helping patients in a whole new way. Following a three-year ramp-up and $500,000 investment in cutting edge equipment as part of Inova’s expanded Movement Disorders Program, Inova is now providing innovative care with DBS, colloquially known as a "pacemaker for the brain" because it delivers constant electrical pulses to counteract abnormal brain activity. Fifty to one hundred such procedures are performed annually.
See Photos and Read the Story of Our First DBS Patient
Neuro Intensive Care Unit
Whether responding to a patient's life-threatening traumatic brain or spinal injuries or providing treatment for a serious neurological disease, Inova's neurotrauma and neurocritical teams are unsurpassed in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, region for access, experience and breadth of service.
Inova Trauma Center, Northern Virginia's only level 1 trauma center for the highest, most comprehensive level of trauma care available, is headquartered on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. Field leaders in the treatment of traumatic injuries of the brain and spinal cord collaborate with neurologists, neuroradiologists, critical care intensivists and a host of other physician and nurse specialists to provide world-class care around the clock, 365 days a year.
Simulation Programs
Inova is home to two world-class medical simulation programs, ICAMS and ASTEC.
ICAMS
The Inova Center for Advanced Medical Simulation (ICAMS) provides a safe, state-of-the-art environment for a multitude of advanced simulation and teamwork trainings. This 12,000 sq. ft. healthcare-centered center is one of the most robust in the region. ICAMS offers simulation services to the entire Inova Health System in everything from low-fidelity procedural simulations, high-fidelity patient simulations, and standardized patient encounters to communication, teamwork, workflow and handoff training. It promotes interprofessional and interdepartmental collaboration through a wide-variety of quality simulation training to enhance patient safety, teamwork, critical thinking, research and the patient experience.
ASTEC
The Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC) on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus is the most technologically advanced surgery simulation facility in the region. The center provides surgeons, surgical residents and surgical teams unsurpassed real-time surgical training and education to improve skills, allow for observation and evaluation, and provide teambuilding opportunities to benefit patient care and safety.
