About Dr. Palmer

Sylvain Palmer, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Personal History
1952: Born, Paris, France
1955: Moved to Detroit, Michigan
1981: Moved to Laguna Beach, California
1990: Married Rosemary
Children: Alexandra 1991, Andrew 1992, Allison 1994

Education
1970-1972 Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

1972-1974 Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, Bachelor of Arts

1972-1977 Johns Hopkins University Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland, Doctor of Medicine

1976-1977 Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, Surgical Internship

1977-1981 Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, Neurosurgical Residency

Awards Received
Laubengayer Award in Chemistry, Cornell University

Phi Beta Kappa, Johns Hopkins University

Alpha Omega Alpha, Johns Hopkins University Medical School

2000 Ernest B. Codman Award, JCAHO, for the Treatment of Severe Head Injury

2001 Innovision Award, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, for the Treatment of Severe Head Injury

2001 American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves First Place Poster Sessions Award, Minimally invasive Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Initial Experience, Jeffrey D. Gross, MD, Sylvain Palmer, MD

2002 Innovations in Clinical Excellence Award. Using a FOCUS-PDCA Quality Improvement Model fro Applying the Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines to Practice: Process and Outcomes. Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Languages
English, French, Spanish

Accreditations
1986 Board Certified Neurological Surgery

Memberships in Professional Organizations
American Association of Neurological Surgeons

Congress of Neurological Surgeons

Fellow of the American College of Surgeons

Joint Section of Disorders of Spine and Peripheral Nerves

Joint Section of Trauma and Intensive Care

American Medical Association

California Medical Association

California Association of Neurological Surgeons

Orange County Medical Association

Society of Neurological Surgeons of Orange County; Secretary-Treasurer 1984-1986, Vice President 1986-1987, President 1987-1988

Faculty, Visiting Surgeon Program, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN

Faculty, Guest Lecturer Program, Integra Health Systems, Plainsbourough, NJ.

Hospital Affiliations
University of California-Los Angeles School of Nursing, Assistant Clinical Professor 2002-present.

Mission Hospital and Regional Medical Center; Board of Trustees 1992-1998, Secretary-Treasurer of the Medical Staff 1998-1999, Vice Chief of the Medical Staff 2000, Chief of Staff 2001.

Saddleback Memorial Medical CenterSouth Coast Medical CenterSan Clemente Medical CenterIrvine Medical Center

Publications & Presentations
Palmer S: Vertebralbasilar Insufficiency from Carotid Disease Associated with a Trigeminal Artery. Neurosurgery, 1981, April; 8(4): 458-461

Bader MK, Littlejohns L, Palmer S: Ventriculostomy and Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: In Search of a 0% Infection Rate. Heart & Lung, March/April, 1995

Bader MK, Palmer S: Keeping the Brain in the Zone: Applying the Severe Head Injury Guidelines to Practice. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America, December, 2000, 12:4, 413-427.

Palmer S, Bader MK, Azhar Q, Palmer J, Shaver T Borzatta M, Stalcup C: The impact of Using the Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines on Outcomes in a Community Hospital Setting. Congress of Neurological Surgeons, September, 2000.

Palmer S, Bader MK, Azhar Q, Palmer J, Shaver T Borzatta M, Stalcup C: The impact of Using the Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines on Outcomes in a Community Hospital Setting. Journal of Trauma, April, 2001.

Palmer S, Bader MK, Azhar Q, Palmer J, Shaver T Borzatta M, Stalcup C: The impact of Using the Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines on Outcomes in a Community Hospital Setting. JCAHO 2000 Ernest Codman Award Winner, Presentation JCAHO Conference, October, 2000.

Palmer S, Turner R, Palmer R: METRx-MD Bilateral Decompression of Spinal Stenosis from a Unilateral Approach. AANS/CNS Joint Spine Section, Poser Presentation, February, 2001.

Palmer S: Outpatient Minimally Invasive Lumbar Paramedian Microdiscectomy. Presentation American Association of Neurological Surgeons, April, 2001.

Palmer S, Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis from a Unilateral Approach, Submitted to Spine, February, 2001.

Palmer S, Mission Updates in Clinical Medicine presentations: Neurovascular Disorders 3-24-1989, Stereotactic Brain Biopsy 2-24-1990, pdate in Neurosurgery 2-3-1991, Percutaneous Discectomy 1-27-1993, Radiosurgery 10-10-1999, Microendoscopic Discectomy 10-29-1997, 9-10-1999

Palmer S, Current Concepts in Minimally Invasive Discectomy, Instructor and Presenter, AANS, April 2000 & April 2001; Memphis, TN, October 7, 2000, May 12, 2001.

Palmer, S, State-of-the-Art Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Spinal Science Advancement Foundation, August 1, 2001,Orlando, FL.

Palmer, S, The impact on outcomes in a community hospital setting of using the AANS traumatic brain injury guidelines, Donlin M. Long Seminar, Baltimore, MD, July 28, 2001.

Palmer, S, METRx in the Treatment of Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Lumbosacral Think Tank, Driggs, ID.

Palmer, S, METRx/Tangent/Sextant Lumbar Fusion, Degenerative Lumbosacral Think Tank, Driggs, ID.

Palmer, S, Bader, MK, A FOCUS PDCA model for improving organizational performance in the treatment of TBI, Patient Safety Leadership Conference, Albuquerque, NM, September 14,15, 2001.

Palmer, S, Bader, M, et al. Early Cerebral Oxygen Desaturation in Traumatic Brain Injury with Normal Intracranial Pressure, CNS Oral presentation, San Diego,2001.

Palmer, S, Bader, M, et al. Early Cerebral Oxygen Desaturation in Traumatic Brain Injury with Normal Intracranial Pressure, Neurocritical Care 2001, Cleveland, Ohio, 2001.

Palmer, S, Current Surgical Options for Lumbar Discectomy: Comparison of results, CNS Luncheon Seminar, San Diego, 2001.

Palmer, S, Bader, MK, A FOCUS PDCA model for improving organizational performance in the treatment of TBI, Association of Critical Care Nurses of Orange Count/Long Beach, October 18, 2001.

Palmer, S. Palestra: Estenose de Canal/Parafusos Pediculares Percutaneous. VII Workshop de Videoendoscopia de Coluna. Sao Paulo, Brazil, February 1-3, 2002.

Gross, JD, Palmer, S, Minimally Invasive Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Initial Experiece, Oral Presentation, AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerve, 2002.

Gross, JD, Palmer, S, Minimally Invasive Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Initial Experiece, Poster Presentation, AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerve, 2002.

Lefkowitz, MA, Palmer, S, Foley, KT, Minimally Invasive Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) and Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Insertion: Technique and Preliminary Results, Poster Presentation, AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerve, 2002.

Khoo, LT, Palmer, S, Laich, D, Fessler, RG, Percutaneous Microendoscopic Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF): A Cadaveric Validation and Initial Clinical Experience, Poster Presentation, AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerve, 2002.

Bader, MK, Palmer, S, Stalcup, C, Shaver, T, Using a FOCUS-PDCA Quality Improvement Model for Applying the Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines to Practice: Process and Outcomes, Clinical Column, Document Number 4C, The Online Journal of Knowledge Synthesis for Nursing, February 15, 2002.

Palmer S, Endoscopic discectomy and PLIF, Presentation at Total Spine: Advances in Theory, Techniques, and Technology, The Spinal Science Advancement Foundation, Cancun, Mexico, March 14-17, 2002

Palmer S, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. University of California Irvine, Department of Orthopedics, Invited Speaker Grand Rounds Presentation, March 28, 2002.

Palmer, S, Oxygen Saturation Monitoring in the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury, AANS Annual Meeting, Wall Street analyst meeting, 2002.

Palmer, S, AANS Annual Meeting Review Article, Minimally Invasive Microendosopic Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion With Instrumentation, Balloon Kyphoplasty, Laproscopic Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Clinical Management of a Series of 210 Spinal Intramedullary Tumors, Anterior Plating for Cervical Trauma, Minimally Invasive Techniques in Modern Spinal Surgery, Medscape, 2002.

Palmer, S, Bader, MK. Traumatic Brain Injury and Licox Oxygen Saturation Monitoring. University of Southern California, Invited Guest Speaker, Grand Rounds, May 15, 2001.

Palmer, S, Bader, MK. Traumatic Brain Injury and Licox Oxygen Saturation Monitoring. University of California San Diego, Invited Guest Speaker, Grand Rounds, May 30, 2001.

Palmer, S. Neuro Trauma. AORN Multispecialty Conference. Las Vegas, October 11, 2002.

Palmer S. Faculty, Fundamental Principles and Techniques in Spinal Surgery, San Diego, CA, September 5-7, 2002.

Palmer, S. Microscopic Lumbar Discectomy with a Tubular Retractor System—One-Year Prospective Study Results in 135 Patients. NASS abstract submission. 2002.

Palmer, S, Palmer, J, Gross, JD. Minimally Invasive Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF) and Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Instrumentation: Technique and First Years Experience in 20 Patients. NASS abstract submission. 2002.

Palmer, S. Implementation of the Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines. The lessons learned in a five-year experience. CNS oral presentation. Philadelphia. September 23, 2002.

Palmer, S. Microscopic Lumbar Discectomy with a Tubular Retractor System—One-Year Prospective Study Results in 135 Patients. CNS oral presentation, Philadelpia. September, 2002.

Palmer, S, Palmer,J, Gross,JD. Minimally Invasive Lumbar Reexploration Discectomies Using a Tubular Retractor System and Microscope. CNS poster presentation, Philadelpia. September, 2002.

Palmer, S, Palmer, J, Gross, JD. EMG Monitoring of Percutaneous placement of Pedicle Screws: Initial experience in Thirteen Cases. CNS poster presentation, Philadelpia. September, 2002.

Palmer, S, Bader, MK. Cerebral Tissue Oxygen Saturation (PbtO2)—Experience with the Licox Catheter in 47 Patients. CNS poster presentation, Philadelpia. September, 2002

Palmer, S, Faculty, Minimal Access Spinal Technologies Training Course, University of San Diego, June 2, 2002.

Palmer, S. Chairman, Minimal Access Spinal Technologies. Training Course, Mission Hospital and Regional Medical Center. June 29, 2002

Palmer, S. Minimally invasive laminotomy for stenosis. Minimally Invasive Techniques for Spinal Surgery. Orthopedics Today. August, 2002

Bader, MK, Palmer, S, Stalcup, C, Shaver, T. Innovations in Clinical Excellence Award. Using a FOCUS-PDCA Quality Improvement Model fro Applying the Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines to Practice: Process and Outcomes. Reflections on Nursing Leadership, Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, Second Quarter, 2002, page 34-35.

Bader, MK, Palmer, S, Stalcup, C, Shaver, T. Using a FOCUS-PDCA Quality Improvement Model fro Applying the Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Guidelines to Practice: Process and Outcomes. The Online Journal of Knowledge Synthesis for Nursing. Second Quarter, 2002.

Palmer, S. Minimally Invasive Techniques in Spinal Surgery. Invited Guest Speaker. South Florida Spine Group. July 19, 2002.

Palmer, S, Bader, MK. Traumatic Brain Injury and Licox Oxygen Saturation Monitoring. Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Invited Guest Speaker, Grand Rounds, September 2, 2002

Palmer, S, Turner, R, Palmer, R. Bilateral decompressive surgery in lumbar spinal stenosis associated with spondylolisthesis: unilateral approach and use of a tubular retractor system. Neurosurgical Focus 13 (1): Article 4, 2002.

Palmer, S. Use of a Tubular Retractor System in Lumbar Discectomy: One Year Prospective Results in 135 Patients. Neurosurgical Focus 13 (2): Article 5, 2002.

Palmer S. Sextant Minimally Invasive Pedicle Screws. MAST Course. EuroSpine, Nantes, France, September 11, 2002.

Palmer S. METRx PLIF combined with Sextant. MAST Course. EuroSpine, Nantes, France, September 12, 2002.

Palmer S. METRx Treatment of Spinal Stenosis. MAST Course. EuroSpine, Nantes, France, September 12, 2002.

Palmer, S, Turner, R, Palmer, R. Bilateral decompression of lumbar spinal stenosis involving a unilateral approach with microscope and tubular retractor system. J Neurosurg (Spine 2) 97:213-217, 2002.

Palmer S, Bader MK. Restoring Profoundly Brain Injured Patients: Clinical Guidelines Lead to Dramatic Improvements in Outcomes. Accelerating Changes Today for America’s Health. The national Coalition on Health Care, The Institute for Healthcare Improvement. September 2002, pp 24-27.

Khoo L, Palmer S, Laich K, Fessler R. Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. Neurosurgery (Supplement) 51:5, 2002, S2 166-181.

Palmer S. Chairman Miami MAST Instructional Course. Miami, Florida. December 7, 2002.

Palmer S., Bader M., Implementation of the Traumatic Brain Injury Protocols—Critical Bedside Decision Making, Abstact submission. AANS, 2003. Accepted

Palmer, Davision. Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis--One Year Prospective Results in Fifty-Four Patients. Abstact submission. AANS, 2003. Accepted

Palmer, Davision. Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis--One Year Prospective Results in Fifty-Four Patients. Abstact submission. Joint Spine Section, 2003. Accepted

Palmer S, Palmer J, Gross J. Evoked EMG Monitoring of Percutaneous Placement of Lumbar Pedicle Screws using INS-1. North American Spine Society. NuVasive, Inc. White Paper. Montreal, Canada. October, 2002.

Bader M, Palmer S, Stalcup C, Shaver T. Using a FOCUS-PDCA quality improvement model for applying the severe traumatic brain injury guidelines to practice: process and outcomes. Evidence-Based Nursing. Vol6, Number 1, January, 2003.

Palmer S. MAST Instructional Course, Western Region. Tucson, AZ. January 11-12, 2003

Palmer S. MAST Instructional Course. West Lake Village. January 15, 2003.

Palmer S. MAST Instructional Course. Long Beach Memorial. January 18, 2003.

Palmer S. MAST Instructional Course. UCSD. January 25, 2003.

Palmer S., Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, University of California-Irvine, Invited lecturer
Neurosurgery Grand Round, February 5, 2003.

Palmer S. Minimally Invasive Spinal Decompression: Cervical and Lumbar. Second Annual Symposium on Current Concepts in Spinal Disorders. La Quinta, CA. February 28-March 2, 2003.

Taylor, J, Palmer, S. Use of a Posterior Shock-Absorbing Implant for the Treatment of Lumbar Degenerative Disease. Abstract submission. NASS, 2003.

Taylor, J, Palmer, S. Use of a Posterior Shock-Absorbing Implant for the Treatment of Lumbar Degenerative Disease. Abstract submission. IMAST, 2003. Accepted

Palmer, S, Davison, L. Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis—Two-Year Results in Fifty-Four Patients. Abstract submission. NASS, 2003.

Palmer, S, Davison, L. Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis—Two-Year Results in Fifty-Four Patients. Abstract submission. IMAST, 2003. Accepted

Palmer, S, Davison, L. Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis—One-Year Prospective Results in Fifty-Four Patients. Oral Presentation. Joint Spine Section, March 6,2003.

Palmer, S. Clinical Applications of the METRx System. Spine 2003.The Pacific Spine Institute at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Newport Beach, CA, May 1-3, 2003.

Palmer, S. Sextant Pedicle Screw Fixation. Spine 2003. The Pacific Spine Institute at Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center. Newport Beach, CA, May 1-3, 2003.

Palmer, S. Modern Guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury including oxygen monitoring. Brain Trauma Meeting—New Trends in Monitoring and Therapy. Gold Coast, Australia, June 6-9, 2003.

Palmer, S. The Effect of Early Oxygen Desaturation with normal ICP. Brain Trauma Meeting—New Trends in Monitoring and Therapy. Gold Coast, Australia, June 6-9, 2003.

Palmer, S. Brain Death and Tissue Oxygen Monitoring. Brain Trauma Meeting—New Trends in Monitoring and Therapy. Gold Coast, Australia, June 6-9, 2003.

Palmer, S. Modern Guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury including oxygen monitoring. Grand Rounds, Royal Prince Albert Hospital , June 10, 2003.

Palmer, S. Modern Guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury in Children. Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, June 11, 2003.

Palmer, S. Modern Guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury including oxygen monitoring. The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, June 11, 2003.

Palmer, S. Brain Tissue Oxygenation—Applications in Traumatic Brain Injury. Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, June 12, 2003.

Palmer, S. Modern Guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury including oxygen monitoring. Dinner Registrars & Consultants, Melbourne, Australia, June 13, 2003.

Palmer S. Neurophysiologic Monitoring of Pedicle Screw Placement. Chapter in “An Anatomic Approach to Minimally Invasive Surgery, Perez-Cruet, M.(submission).

Palmer S. Minor Traumatic Brain Injury. Mission Hospital Update on Neurological Principles and Practice. Mission Hospital and Regional Medical Center. October, 2003.

Palmer S. The Anatomic Basis of Spinal Cord Injury. Mission Hospital Update on Neurological Principles and Practice. Mission Hospital and Regional Medical Center. October, 2003.

Palmer, S., Bader, MK. Brain Tissue Oxygenation (PbtO2) in Brain Death. Oral presentation CNS. October, 2003.

Palmer, S, Palmer, J, Gross, J. Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement using a Two Motion Segment/Three Screw Device. Poster presentation CNS October, 2003.

Sandhu F, Santiago P, Palmer S, Fessler R. Treatment of Lumbar Synovial Cysts using Minimally Invasive Techniques. CNS poster presentation. October, 2003.

Palmer S, Palmer J, Bader MK. Cerebral Tissue Blood Flow in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury—Initial Experience with the Bowman Monitor in 3 Patients. Abstract submission AANS. April, 2004.

Palmer S, Goodman G, Bader MK. Cerebral Tissue Oxygen Saturation (PbtO2) In Pediatrics—Experience with the Licox Catheter in 13 Patients. Abstract submission AANS. April, 2004