Curriculum Vitae

NAME: Dan Salomon Heffez, M.D., F.R.C.S.

CITIZENSHIP: U.S.

EDUCATION:

September 1981
Completion Microsurgical Course Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

1975 - 1979
Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Degree: Doctor of Medicine, Master of Surgery McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

1975
Pre-Medical Year McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

1972 - 1974
Diploma of Collegiate Studies in Biological Science McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE and TRAINING:

1985 - 1986
Chief Resident, Department of Neurosurgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland

January - June 1985
Chief Resident, Division of Neurosurgery
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

1983 - 1985
Fogarty Research Fellow
Laboratory of Neurochemistry,
National Institute of Neurological and
Communicative Disorders and Stroke
Bethesda, Maryland

1980 - 1983
Resident, Department of Neurosurgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland

1979 - 1980
Surgical Intern, The Royal Victoria Hospital
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec

EMPLOYMENT:

2019 - present
Neurosurgeon Medical College of Wisconsin

November 2008 - present
Medical Director, Wisconsin Chiari Clinic

July 2008 - 2010
Chairman, Dept. of Neurosurgery, Columbia Saint Mary’s Hospital

September 2004 - present
Neurosurgeon, Milwaukee Neurological Institute

April 15, 2003 - December 2009
President, Heffez Neurosurgical Associates

September 2001 - 2004
Attending Neurosurgeon St. Joseph Hospital, Chicago IL

January 1999 - April 2003
Attending Neurosurgeon, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital

September 1990 - October 2001
Attending surgeon, Columbus Hospital

September 1990 - April 2003
Attending Neurosurgeon, Director of Cerebrovascular Surgery, The Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch and Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center (1999-April 2003)

June 1986 - August 1990
Attending Neurosurgeon, The Johns Hopkins Hospital

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS:

2019 - present
Professor of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin

January 2002 - 2018
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Rush Medical College

January 1999 - January 2002
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Rush Medical College

June 1986 - August 1990
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

SOCIETIES AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:

March 1987- present
Fellow Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Canada)

August 1988 - present
Member, Congress of Neurological Surgeons

1990 - 1996
Member, Research Society of Neurological Surgeons

June 1990 - 1998
Fellow, Stroke Council, American Heart Association

1990 - present
Member, American Medical Association

1990 - 1995
Member, Chicago Medical Society

1990 - 1995
Member, Illinois State Medical Society

November 1990 - present
Member, American Association of Neurological Surgeons

April 1991 - 2000
Member, Cerebrovascular Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons

1987 - 1991
Member, Pediatric Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons

CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE:

Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners

Diplomate of the Medical Council of Canada

Licensed Member of the Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec (allowed to lapse 1992)

Certified Specialist (Neurosurgery) of The Professional Corporation of Physicians of Quebec, November 1989.

Certified Specialist (Neurosurgery) Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, December 1986.

Diplomate of The American Board of Neurological Surgeons, September 1989

Licensee of the Board of Medical Examiners of Maryland, (license expired 2006)

Licensed Physician and Surgeon, State of Illinois

Licensed Physician State of Wisconsin

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES:

  1. Alternate Methods of Drug Delivery in the Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm. (Principal investigator) 1987-1991.
  2. Experimental Spinal Dysraphism. Supported by Department of Pediatric Neurology Research Fund of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, The Mental Retardation Research Center Grant to the John F. Kennedy Institute, Baltimore, Md., and the Chicago Institute of NeuroSurgery and NeuroResearch. 1987-1991
  3. Cerebrovascular smooth muscle physiology in experimental cerebral vasospasm. 1987-1991
  4. Three dimensional imaging of cerebrovascular lesions for the planning of definitive surgical treatment. 1990-1995
  5. Prospective double blind study of the use of Omega-3 free fatty acids for the prevention or treatment of vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage. (Principal investigator) 1992-1999.
  6. Cervicomedullary compression and cervical myelopathy and its relationship to the fibromyalgia syndrome. Prospective outcome study of the results of surgical treatment. $25,000 grant, National Fibromyalgia Research Association, 1999- 2000.
  7. Cervicomedullary compression and cervical myelopathy and its relationship to the fibromyalgia syndrome. Prospective outcome study of the results of surgical treatment. $4500 grant, National Fibromyalgia Research Association, 2000- 2001.
  8. Cervicomedullary compression and cervical myelopathy and its relationship to the fibromyalgia syndrome. Prospective outcome study of the results of surgical treatment. Grant from Acromed Corp., $20,000/yr for 2 years. 2002-2003.
  9. Cervicomedullary compression and cervical myelopathy and its relationship to the fibromyalgia syndrome. Prospective outcome study of the results of surgical treatment. Grant from Shelhigh Inc., $3000. for 1 year, Feb. 2002-Feb. 2003.
  10. Three dimensional Imaging as applied to the Chiari 1 malformation.

SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS:

McGill University Scholar, 1972 - 1979

CIBA-GEIGY Research Fellow Award, 1977

Joseph Hils Prize, Pharmacology, 1977

Upjohn Resident of the Year Award, The Johns Hopkins Hospital,1984

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Clinician Scientist Award, 1989, 1990.

Achievement Award 2000 for “Cutting Edge Research and Treatment Application” awarded by Fibromyalgia Association Created for Education and Self-help (FACES)

PUBLICATIONS:

Selected Journal Articles:

  1. Heffez DS, Aryanpur J, Hutchins G, and Freeman JM: The paralysis associated with myelomeningocele:clinical and experimental data implicating a preventable spinal cord injury. Neurosurgery, 26:987-992, June 1990.
  2. Heffez DS, Zinreich SJ and Long DM: Surgical resection of intrinsic brainstem lesions, Neurosurgery, 27:789-798, September 1990.
  3. Heffez D.S., Hutchins A., Cuello, NA, Aryanpur J. and Freeman J.: Intrauterine repair of experimental surgically created dysraphism. Neurosurgery, 32:1005-1010, 1993.
  4. Hutchins GM, Meuli, M, Meuli-Simmen, C, Jordan, MA, Heffez, DS, Blakemore, KJ: Acquired spinal cord injury in human fetuses with myelomeningocele. Pediatric Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 1996 September - October;16(5) 701-712.
  5. Heffez, DS, Mikhael, M, Jensen, K.: Operative confirmation of three dimensional computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging of cerebrovascular pathology. Journal of Image Guided Surgery, 1:179-190, 1995.
  6. Heffez, DS: Stereotactic trans-sylvian transinsular approach to deep-seated lesion. Surgical Neurology, 1997; 48:113-124.
  7. Heffez, DS, Osterdock, RJ, Alderete, L, Grutsch, J: The impact of incomplete patient follow-up on the reported results of AVM radiosurgery. Surgical Neurology, 1998; 49:373-384.
  8. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow Y et al: Clinical Evidence for Cervical Myelopathy in Patients with the Fibromyalgia Syndrome., Eur Spine J. 2004 Oct;13(6):516-23. Epub 2004 April 9
  9. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow Y et al: Treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome:Outcomes and implications, European Spine J, Eur Spine J. 2007 Sep;16(9):1423-33. Epub 2007 April 11.
  10. Freeman MD,, Rosa S, Harshfield D, Smith F, Bennett R, Centeno CJ, Kornel E, Nystrom A, Heffez D, Kohles SS: A case-control study of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia (Chiari) and head/neck trauma (whiplash), Brain Injury, July 2010; 24(7–8): 988–994
  11. Robert N. Holdefer, Ph.D.1,3 Daniel S. Heffez, M.D.2 and Bernard A. Cohen, Ph.D:Utility of Evoked EMG Monitoring to Improve Bone Screw Placements in the Cervical Spine, J Spinal Disorders and Techniques, 2013 July 26(5):163-169.
  12. Heffez DS et al:Is there a relationship between the extent of tonsillar ectopia and the severity of the clinical Chiari syndrome? Acta Neurochirugica Dec. 23, 2019 Epub before print.
  13. Heffez DS et al: Operative findings and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing Chiari 1 malformation decompression: relationship to the extent of tonsillar ectopia.  Acta Neurochirugica Dec. 23, 2019 Epub before print.

Book Chapters:

  1. Heffez DS and Carson B: Congenital hydrocephalus. In Johnson RT (ed): Current therapy in neurologic disease. B.C. Decker, Inc., Toronto and Philadelphia, 1986
  2. Heffez DS: The Head Injured Child in Long DM (ed.): Current Therapy in Neurological Surgery. B.C. Decker, Inc., Toronto and Philadelphia, 1989.
  3. Heffez DS: Spinal Injury. In Johnson RT (ed): Current Therapy in Neurology. B.C. Decker, Inc., Toronto and Philadelphia, 1990.
  4. Heffez DS, and Ducker TB: Fracture and Dislocation of the Pediatric Spine in Pang D (ed): Disorders of the Pediatric Spine, Raven Press, New York, 1995.
  5. Ruland S and Heffez DS: Pros and Cons of Screening for and Ablating Asymptomatic Intracranial Aneurysms, in Stroke Prevention, Gorelick PB and Alter M eds), Carnforth: Parthenon, 2002.

Selected Published Abstracts and Presentations:

  1. Heffez DS: Surgically created dysraphism in the fetal rat. High Risk Obstetrics Conference, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, October 12, 1988.
  2. Heffez DS, Aryanpur J, Freeman JM, Hutchins G: Surgically created dysraphism in the fetal rat: Implications for the cause of paralysis in spina bifida. Abstract presented at the meeting of the Pediatric Section, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Scottsdale, Arizona, December 1988.
  3. Heffez DS, Aryanpur J, Freeman JM, Hutchins G: Surgically created dysraphism in the fetal rat: Implications for the cause of paralysis in spina bifida. Abstract accepted for presentation at the meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Washington D. C., April 1989.
  4. Heffez DS: Spina Bifida: The promise of fetal surgery. Invited presentation. Johns Hopkins Hospital Centennial Science Writers Seminar, May 23, 1989.
  5. Levy L.M., Di Chiro, G., DeSouza B., McCullough D.C., McVeigh E., and Heffez D.S.: The fixed cord: effects of surgery and correlation with MR imaging. Abstract accepted for presentation at the meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, Chicago 1989.
  6. Heffez D.S., Aryanpur J., Freeman J.M., and Hutchins G.: Intrauterine repair of experimental dysraphism: implications for the treatment of myelomeningocele. Abstract accepted for presentation to the Pediatric Section, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Washington D.C., November 28, 1989.
  7. Heffez D.S., Aryanpur J., Freeman J.M., and Hutchins G.: Intrauterine repair of experimental dysraphism: implications for the treatment of myelomeningocele. Abstract accepted for presentation to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Nashville, TN., April 1990.
  8. Heffez DS: Experimental dysraphism: implications for the treatment of myelomeningocele. Presentation to the Research Society of Neurological Surgeons, Boston, MA., June 14, 1990.
  9. Heffez D.S., Hutchins G., Aryanpur J., Freeman J.: Intrauterine repair of experimental dysraphism II: Implications for the mechanism of spinal cord injury. Presentation to the meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgery, April 1991.
  10. Heffez, D.S., Cuello, N., Hutchins G, Freeman J: Intrauterine repair of experimental dysraphism in the fetal pig. Presentation, Pediatric Section meeting, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, December 1991.
  11. Heffez, D.S., Wang, C., Becker, J.: Acute distention of the basilar artery impairs endothelium dependant relaxation: implications for the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm. Accepted for poster presentation, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, San Francisco, April 1992.
  12. Heffez, D.S., Wang, C., Becker, J.: Acute distention of the basilar artery impairs endothelium dependant relaxation: implications for the pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm. Accepted for poster presentation, Second World Congress of Stroke, Washington, D.C., September 1992.
  13. Heffez, D.S.: Stereotactic trans-sylvian transinsular approach for deep-seated lesions. Oral presentation, Neurosurgical Society of America, Semi-Ah-Moo, Washington, May 1994.
  14. Heffez, D.S., Osterdock, R.J., Alderete, L., Grutsch, J., Helenowski, T.K.: The impact of poor patient follow-up on the results of AVM radiosurgery. Oral presentation, Joint Section, Cerebrovascular Surgery, San Antonio, Texas, January 23-25, 1996.
  15. Heffez, D.S., Mikhael, J.A., Elias, D.A., Shepard, A.E., Segura, R., Caron, M.J.: Trivial degrees of tonsillar descent detected by MRI scan may be symptomatic. Oral presentation, Lende Winter Neurosurgery Meeting, Snowbird, Utah, February 4-10, 1996.
  16. Heffez, D.S., Osterdock, R.J., Alderete, L., Grutsch, J., Helenowski, T.K.: The published results of AVM radiosurgery are statistically biased. Oral presentation, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting, Minneapolis, MN., April 29-May 2, 1996.
  17. Heffez, DS, Clemis, JD, Elias, DA, Mikhael, MA, Cerullo, LJ: Trivial degrees of tonsillar ectopia may be symptomatic. Accepted for presentation at 75 Years of Neurosurgery in Canada, a Symposium of Advances in Neurosurgery and Related Neurosciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, October 1998.
  18. Heffez, DS: Tonsillar ectopia: how much is too much? Presented at New Concepts of Chiari Malformation and Cervical Stenosis, Charlotte, N.C., January 23-24, 1999.
  19. Heffez, DS: The clinical symptoms of minimal tonsillar ectopia. Presented at New Concepts of Chiari Malformation and Cervical Stenosis, Charlotte, N.C., January 23-24, 1999.
  20. Heffez, DS: Neurological findings in patients with fibromyalgia. Presentation at “Subsets in Fibromyalgia” Symposium, September 25-27, 1999, Portland, Oregon.
  21. Heffez, DS: Surgical outcome in fibromyalgia patients undergoing cervicomedullary decompression. Presentation at “Subsets in Fibromyalgia” Symposium, September 25-27, 1999, Portland, Oregon.
  22. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow V et al: Is cervical myelopathy overlooked in patients with fibromyalgia? Poster presentation, meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Toronto, Canada, 2001.
  23. Heffez DS: Cervicomedullary compression in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Is myelopathy being overlooked? Oral presentation, FAME 2000, International Fibromyalgia Conference, Universal City, CA, May 20-21, 2000.
  24. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow V et al: Is there an association between cervical myelopathy and fibromyalgia? Abstract accepted for oral presentation by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, October 2001.
  25. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow V et al: Is there an association between cervical myelopathy and fibromyalgia? Accepted for poster presentation Myopain, Portland Oregon, September, 2001.
  26. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow V et al: Is cervical myelopathy overlooked in patients with fibromyalgia? Accepted for poster presentation Myopain, Portland Oregon, September, 2001.
  27. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow V et al: Is there an association between cervical myelopathy and fibromyalgia? Oral presentation 18th annual meeting, European Cervical Spine Research Society, Paris, France, June 13-14, 2002.
  28. Heffez DS, Ross RE, Shade-Zeldow V et al:Clinical evidence for cervical myelopathy in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome. Poster presentation 18th annual meeting, European Cervical Spine Research Society, Paris, France, June 13-14, 2002.
  29. Heffez DS: Rationale for viewing fibromyalgia as a neurological disorder. Presented at Neurology and New Treatments in Fibromyalgia, Portland, Oregon, October 4-6, 2002. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Research Association.
  30. Heffez DS: The treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with fibromyalgia:clinical outcomes in a nonrandomized case control study. Presented at Neurology and New Treatments in Fibromyalgia, Portland, Oregon, October 4-6, 2002. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Research Association.
  31. Heffez DS:Cervical Myelopathy. The new great imitator? Northwest Rheumatism Society Annual Conference. April 29-30,2005, Seattle, Washington.
  32. Holdefer, R, Heffez, D, and Cohen,B:Triggered EMG threshold testing for lateral mass and pedicle screw placement in the cervical spine. Accepted for presentation at NASS, October, 2007.
  33. Bernard Allan Cohen, PhD, Robert Holdefer, PhD, Dan Heffez, MD Triggered EMG Threshold Testing In The Cervical Spine Using Two Different Testing Techniques, Neuromonitoring Congress - ISIN 2007 - Lucerne, Switzerland, November 15-17, 2007.
  34. D.S. Heffez, R. Holdefer, B. Cohen; Extent of Exploration Required for Optimal Decompression of Chiari 1 Malformation:Electrophysiological Studies, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, April 2008.
  35. Heffez DS et al:Is there a relationship between the extent of tonsillar ectopia and the severity of the clinical Chiari syndrome? Accepted for presentation at meeting of the AANS, San Francisco, April, 2014.
  36. Heffez DS et al:Is there a relationship between the extent of tonsillar ectopia and the severity of the clinical Chiari syndrome? Accepted for presentation at meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Boston, October 2014.
  37. Heffez DS et al. Is there a relationship between the extent of tonsillar ectopia and the severity of the clinical Chiari syndrome? Presented at the Lende Neurosurgical meeting. Snowbird, Utah. February 2017.
  38. Heffez DS: Chiari 1 malformation. Is intradural exploration ever indicated? Presented at the meeting of the American Syringomyelia and Chiari Alliance Project, Long Island NY, July 2017.
  39. Heffez DS. Chiari 1 malformation. Does size matter? Presented at the meeting of the American Syringomyelia and Chiari Alliance Project, Long Island NY, July 2017.

Selected Presentations and Unpublished Abstracts:

  1. Heffez, DS: Cervicomedullary decompression in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, University of Chicago, December 11,1999.
  2. Heffez, DS: Cervicomedullary decompression in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Rheumatology Rounds, Rush College of Medicine, March 9, 2000.
  3. Heffez, DS: Cervicomedullary compression in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Is myelopathy being overlooked? Neurology Grand Rounds, Rush College of Medicine, April 6, 2000.
  4. Heffez DS: Cervicomedullary compression in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Oral presentation, Integrative Medicine Symposia 2000, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, June 10, 2000, Chicago IL.
  5. Heffez DS: Cervicomedullary compression in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Is myelopathy being overlooked? Oral presentation, Neurosurgical Society of America, Amelia Island , Fla., June 7, 2001.
  6. Heffez DS: The treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with FM/CFS. FAME 2001, June 23,24, 2001, Chicago IL.
  7. Heffez DS: The treatment of cervical myelopathy in patients with FM/CFS. Surgical indications and outcomes. Johns Hopkins Hospital Symposium in Honor of Dr. Donlin Martin Long, June 29, 2001, Baltimore MD.
  8. Participant, Canadian Clinical Definition Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols for Fibromyalgia, March 30-April 1, 2001, Toronto, Canada.
  9. Heffez DS: Cervical myelopathy masquerading as the fibromyalgia syndrome. Neurosurgical Grand Rounds, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore Maryland. June 20, 2002.
  10. Speaker Luncheon seminar entitled Chiari 1 malformation and Syringomyelia, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Philadelphia, September, 2002.
  11. Heffez DS: Cervical Myelopathy- A Great Masquerader. Keynote presentation at the 12th Annual Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident Research Symposium, University of Illinois, Chicago, June 20, 2003.
  12. Heffez, DS: The Chiari malformation: Myelopathy due to brain stem compression at the foramen magnum independent of the position of the cerebellar tonsil, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, Dana Childrens Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel, June 25, 2008.
  13. Myelopathy due to brain stem compression at the foramen magnum independent of the position of the cerebellar tonsil, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, University of Edmonton, November 13, 2009.
  14. Myelopathy due to brain stem compression at the foramen magnum independent of the position of the cerebellar tonsil, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, Stanford University, December 4, 2009.
  15. Myelopathy due to brain stem compression at the foramen magnum independent of the position of the cerebellar tonsil, Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, May 6, 2011.
  16. Myelopathy due to brain stem compression at the foramen magnum independent of the position of the cerebellar tonsil, Regional Neurosurgery Grand Rounds presentation, University of Montreal, Notre Dame Hospital, April 24, 2012.