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Effective treatment for your hard-to-reach brain tumor or pituitary tumor requires the right combination of specialists working together to develop a treatment plan that's as unique as you are.
The Tufts Medical Center Skull Base Surgery Center was founded in the early 1990s in downtown Boston to provide superior, integrated care for complex tumors and other neurological conditions. Today, U.S. News & World Report ranks all of our physicians among the top 1% of neurosurgeons in the nation.
We've developed a reputation for excellence because we're not only expert surgeons, but also expert collaborators. Every day, we coordinate teams of Tufts MC specialists to provide personalized care for our patients. Depending on the location of your tumor, we work with doctors from departments such as Endocrinology, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Neuroradiology, Oncology (Cancer Center), Neurology and Otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat specialists).
Our surgeons treat all tumors along the skull base, ear and around the eye (orbit), including:
Treatment for brain and pituitary tumors varies widely depending on the size and location of your tumor as well as your personal health history.
We want to provide you with the most effective treatment while minimizing pain, risk and recovery time. That's why all of our neurosurgeons specialize in minimally invasive care. Using tools like catheters, endoscopes and computer-guided surgical systems, we can often access tumors through incisions as small as the tip of your finger.
We're so committed to minimally invasive surgery that we've dedicated an entire operating suite to the technology. This room is equipped with the latest high-definition endoscopes and operating microscopes along with ceiling-mounted screens so your surgeon can view your procedure from every angle.
If your tumor requires traditional, or "open," surgery, you'll receive exceptional treatment in our neurosurgical intensive care unit. The experienced doctors and nurses in this unit specialize in helping patients recover from brain surgery safely and comfortably.
Our neurosurgeons deliver leading-edge care for complex brain and pituitary tumors.
Neurosurgeon-in-Chief Carl Heilman, MD was one of the world's first neurosurgeons to treat pituitary tumors using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques. He recently completed his term as president of the North American Skull Base Society and has served as president of the New England Neurological Society, the Boston Society of Neurology and Psychiatry, and the Society of University Neurosurgeons.
Dr. Heilman leads a team of nationally recognized surgeons who are committed to giving you the compassionate, individualized treatment you need to enjoy the best possible recovery.
Accepting New Patients
Virtual Appointments Available
Title(s): Neurosurgeon-in-Chief and Chair, Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center; Chair and Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine Department(s): Neurosurgery Appt. Phone: 617-636-5860 Fax #: 617-636-7587
Meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, skull base surgery, pituitary surgery, Chiari surgery
Title(s): Neurotologist; Associate Program Director, Otolaryngology Residency Program; Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine; Clerkship Director, Tufts University School of Medicine Department(s): Otolaryngology, Neurotology Appt. Phone: 617-636-8724 Fax #: 617-636-1479
Acoustic neuromas, glomus tumors, and other skull base diseases, cochlear implants and hearing loss disorders, otosclerosis, cholesteatoma, and chronic ear diseases
Title(s): Chair, Department of Otolaryngology, Tufts Medical Center; Otolaryngologist; Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Tufts University School of Medicine Department(s): Otolaryngology Appt. Phone: 617-636-3030 Fax #: 617-636-1479
Head and neck cancer, management of thyroid cancer and hyperparathyroidism, head and neck reconstruction including microvascular techniques, management of radiation-related complications
Title(s): Chief, Division of Head and Neck Surgery; Associate Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine Department(s): Otolaryngology Appt. Phone: 617-636-8711 Fax #: 617-636-1479
Head and neck surgical oncology, head and neck reconstruction, management of salivary and thyroid disorders, management of radiation-related complications, maxillofacial trauma, sleep apnea and sleep endoscopy
