About Dr. Nwagwu

Chiedozie Nwagwu, M.D.

Education
1990 – 1995
College
The City College of New York / The Sophie Davis School of
Biomedical Education (Accelerated Program), New York, NY
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Education, Magna cum laude

1995 – 1997
Medical School
The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Doctor of Medicine, Magna cum laude

1997 – 1998
Internship
General Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College
July 1997 – June 1998

1998 – 2003
Residency
Neurosurgery Resident, New York Medical College
July 1998 – June 1999

Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Laboratory at New York
Medical College (Supervisor, Maiken Nedergaard, PhD)
July 1999 – June 2000

Neurosurgery Chief Resident, St. Vincents' Hospital and Medical Cente
July 2000 – June 2001

Neurosurgery Resident, New York Medical College
July 2001 – June 2002

Neurosurgery Chief Resident, New York Medical College
July 2002 – June 2003

2003 – 2005
Fellowship
Endovascular Neurosurgery Fellow, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group
July 2003 – June 2005

2005 – present
Practice
Assistant Clinical Professor, UCI Medical Center
Director, Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery
July 2005 – present

Honors and Awards

1990 – 1995 Dean's List

1990 – 1995 New York State Regents' Scholarship

1993 – 1994 The Brooklyn Arts Council Pianoforte Competition Silver Medal

1993 – 1994 Anna Bernstein Memorial Award for Excellence in Piano Performance

1990 Otto Burgdorf Memorial Award in Biological Science

Licensure

2000 New York State Medical License (Lic #216742)

2003 Indiana State Medical License (Lic #01057686A)

2005 California State Medical License (Lic #A91714)

Board Certification

2000 American Board of Neurological Surgeons (Primary Written Examination Passed)

1998 National Board of Medical Examiners (USMLE I, II, and III)

Society Memberships

Congress of Neurological Surgeons

American Association of Neurological Surgeons

AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section Member

American Medical Association

National Medical Association

Orange County Medical Association

Skills and Interests

Computer proficiency, Piano and Pipe Organ Performance, Photography, Chess

Publications

Spencer W, Das K, Nwagwu CI, Schaeffer S, Couldwell WT. "Approaches to the Sella and Parasellar Region: Anatomic Comparison of Microscopic and Endoscopic Approaches." Laryngoscope 109 (5):791-4, 1999.

Das K, Spencer W, Nwagwu CI, Schaeffer S, Couldwell WT. "Approaches to the Sella and Parasellar Region: Anatomic Comparison of Endonasal-Transsphenoidal, Sublabial Transsphenoidal, and Transethmoidal Approaches." Neurological Research 23, 1-4, 2001.

Liu JK, Nwagwu CI, Pikus HJ, Couldwell WT. "Laparoscopic Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Precipitating Pituitary Apoplexy." Acta Neurochir (Wien) 143:303-307, 2001.

Zhang W, Nwagwu CI, Le DM, Yong VW, Song H, Couldwell WT. "Increased Invasive Properties in Connexin 43 Overexpressing Malignant Glioma Cells." J Neurosurgery 99:1039-1046, 2003

Hillard VH, Musunuru K, Nwagwu CI, Das K, Murali R, Zablow B, Hirschfeld A. "Treatment of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm through an anomalous anastomosis from the cavernous internal carotid artery" J Neurosurgery 97:1432-1435, 2003

Hornyak MH, Hillard VH, Nwagwu CI, Zablow BC, Murali R. "Ruptured Intrasellar Superior Hypophyseal Artery Aneurysm Presenting with Pure Subdural Haematoma." Interventional Neuroradiology 10:55-59, 2004

Nwagwu CI, Mathews MS, Scott JA, DeNardo AJ, Horner TG. "Ruptured giant basilar aneurysm in a comatose adolescent: Successful obliteration using intraoperative SSEP, BAER, and MEP monitoring. Case Report" Interventional Neuroradiology September 2006

Franklin Westhout MD, Anton Hasso MD, Mehrdad Jalili MD, Michelle Chandler MD, William Armstrong MD, Benoosh Afghani MD, Chiedozie Nwagwu MD, Laurie Ackerman MD. Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis, Intraluminal Jugular Vein Thrombosis, Thrombocytopenia and Internal Carotid Artery Narrowing Without Cerebral Infarctions in Lemierre Syndrome. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics (January 2007)

Franklin D. Westhout M.D. and Chiedozie I. Nwagwu M.D. Intra-Arterial Verapamil Induced Seizures: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Accepted to Surgical Neurology. (March 2007)

Franklin Westhout MD, Michael Muhonen MD, Chiedozie Nwagwu MD. Early Propofol Infusion Syndrome following Cerebral Angiographic Embolization for Giant Aneurysm Repair. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics (February 2007)

Book Chapters

Das K, Nwagwu CI, Couldwell WT: Historical aspects and surgical management of movement disorders. Cosgrove GR, Couldwell WT (eds): Contemporary Surgical Management of Movement Disorders. St. Louis, Quality Medical Publishing

Zhang W, Nwagwu CI, Couldwell WT: Innovative Treatments for Malignant Gliomas. Grossman RG, Loftus CM (eds): Textbook of Neurosurgery. Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 2003.

Posters

Spencer W, Das K, Nwagwu CI, Schaeffer S, Couldwell WT. "Approaches to the Sella and Parasellar Region: Anatomic Comparison of Microscopic and Endoscopic Approaches." International Interdisciplinary Congress on Craniofacial and Skull Base Surgery. Cancun, Mexico, January 1998.

Nwagwu CI, Zhang Z, Couldwell WT, Nedergaard M. "Increased Invasive Properties in Connexin 43 Overexpressing Malignant Glioma Cells." American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. San Francisco, California, April 2000.

Murali R, Murali S, Nwagwu CI, Das K. "Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Transsphenoidal Resection of Pituitary Tumors." Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. September 2001.

Nwagwu CI, Harter DH, Braun A. "Primary Intraventricular Lymphoma of the Lateral and Fourth Ventricles." Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. September 2002.

Presentations and Lectures

"Direct Gap Junction Communication between Malignant Glioma Cells and Astrocytes", New York Neurosurgical Society Meeting, White Plains, NY, September 1999.

"GDC Embolization of Surgically Clippable Aneurysms", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, St. Vincents' Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY, October 2000.

"Diagnosis and Management of Craniovertebral Junction Disorders", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, St. Vincents' Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY, February 2001.

"Dural AV Malformations", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, St. Vincents Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY, May 2001.

"Cerebral Arteriography", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group, Indianapolis, IN, October 2003.

"Management of Aneurysms Associated with AVMs", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, February 2005.

"Percutaneous Vertebroplasty", Lecturer and Course Instructor. Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group, Indianapolis, IN, Sponsored by Cardinal Health, March 2005.

"Endovascular Management of Arteriovenous Malformations", 2nd Annual John A Kusske Neurosurgery Symposium. UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, June 2005.

"Carotid Body Tumors", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, November 2005.

"Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures" , 3rd Annual John A Kusske Neurosurgery Symposium. UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, June 2006.

"Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting", Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, June 2006.

"Evaluation and Management of the Carotid Artery in Skull Base Surgery" ENT/Otolaryngology Endoscopic Surgery Course, June 2006.

"Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting", National Medical Association Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, August 2006.

Nwagwu CI, Mathews M. "Endovascular Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of Normal Carotid Arteries." AANS/CNS/ASITN 2007 International Stroke Conference, San Francisco, CA, February 2007.

Abstracts

Das K, Nwagwu CI, Rothberg M. "The History of Thoracoscopic Surgery" accepted as oral presentation, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 2000.

Nwagwu CI, Mathews M. "Ruptured giant basilar artery aneurysm in a comatose adolescent: Successful obliteration using intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring. Submitted to the 2007 International Stroke Conference.