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Charles A. Sansur, MD, FAANS

Academic Title:

Professor

Primary Appointment:

Neurosurgery

Secondary Appointment(s):

Orthopaedics

Location:

UMMC, South Hospital, S-12-D

Phone (Primary):

(410) 328-0282

Fax:

(410) 328-0756

Education and Training

Education and Training:

  • University of Pennsylvania, B.A. 1996, Magna Cum Laude with Distinction
  • University of Maryland School of Medicine, M.D., May 2002
  • Duke University School of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, MHSc in Clinical Research, May 2002 (course work 2000-2001, thesis defense 2002)

Neurosurgery Residency and Fellowships:

  • General Surgery Intern, University of Virginia Medical Center, 2002-2003
  • Resident in Neurosurgery, University of Virginia Medical Center, 2003-2006
  • Brain and Spine Fellowship, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand, 2006-2007
  • Chief Resident in Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, 2007-2008
  • Complex Spine Fellowship, University of Virginia Departments of Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Surgery, 2008-2009

Biosketch

As the director of Spine Surgery for the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Maryland, I see a large volume of patients with spinal deformity,  degenerative disease, spinal oncology and spine trauma. I frequently perform surgeries that are not capable of being performed in the community hospital setting.   I am nationally recognized as an expert in spine surgery and I regularly am asked to speak at well recognized spine societies, including the American Association of Neurological Surgery, The Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the ONESpine meetings at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute. 

Research/Clinical Keywords

• Spine Outcome Studies • Spinal Deformity • Scoliosis • Spine Trauma • Spinal Oncology

Highlighted Publications

Sansur CA, Fu KM, Oskouian RJ, Jagannathan J, Kuntz C, Shaffrey CI. Surgical Management of Global Sagittal Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis. Neurosurg Focus 2008;24(1):E8 Review

Sansur CA, Reames Di, Smith JS, Hamilton DK, Berven Sh, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR, Hart RA, Zeller RD, Donaldson WF, Polly DW, Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey Ci. Morbidity and Mortality in the surgical treatment of 10,242 adults with spondylolistheis. J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 Mpv 23;13(5):589-593.

William BJ, Sansur CA, Smith JS, Berven SH, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp Dr Jr., Hart RA, Zeller RD, Donaldson WF 3rd, Polly DW Jr, Perra Jh, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Incidence of unintended durotomy in spine surgery based on 108,478 cases. Neurosurgery. 2011 Jan;68(1):117-23;discussion 123-4.

Sansur CA, Smith JS, Coe JD, Glassman SD, Berven SH, Polly DW Jr., Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Scoliosis research society morbidity and mortality of adult scoliosis surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 April 20;36(9);E953-7.

Smith JS, Sansur CA, Donaldson WF 3rd, Perra JH, Mudiyam R, Choma TJ, Zeller RD, Knapp DR Jr., Nordeen HH, Berven Sh, Goytan MJ, Boachi-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Short-term morbidty and mortality associated with correction of thoracolumbar fixed sagittal plane deformity: a report from the scoliosis research morbidity and mortality committee. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 May 20;36(12):958-64.

Additional Publication Citations

 Sansur CA, Chin LS, Ames JW, Banegura AT, Aggarwal S, Ballesteros M, Amin P, Simard JM, Eisenberg H, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Brain Metastases. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2000; 74(1):37-51. Review.

Sansur CA, Heiss JD, DeVroom HL, Eskioglu E, Ennis R, Oldfield EH.Pathophysiology of headache associated with cough in patients with Chiari I malformation. J Neurosurg, March 2003. Mar;98(3):453-8.

Kanter AS, Diallo AO, Jane Jr JA, Sheehan JP, Asthagiri AR, Oskouian RJ, Okonkwo DO, Sansur CA, Vance ML, Rogol A, Laws ER. Pediatric Cushing's Disease: A Single Center's Experience. J Neurosurg. 2005 Nov; 103(5 Suppl):413-20.

Kanter AS, Sansur CA, Jane Jr JA, Laws ER.Rathke's Cleft Cyst.  Front Horm Res. 2006;34:127-57. Review.

Oskouian RJ Jr, Shaffrey CI, Whitehill R, Sansur CA, Pouratian N, Kanter AS, Asthagiri AR, Dumont AS, Sheehan JP, Elias WJ, Shaffrey ME. Anterior stabilization of three-column thoracolumbar spinal trauma. J Neurosurg Spine. 2006 Jul; 5(1):18-25.

Sansur CA, Sheehan JP, Sherman J, Jane Sr JA. Ventriculus Terminalis Causing Back Pain and Urinary Retention. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2006 Aug; 148(8):919-20.

Sansur CA, Pouratian N, Dumont AS, Schiff D, Shaffrey CI, Shaffrey ME.Spinal Cord Neoplasms, Part II: Primary tumors of the bony spine and adjacent soft tissues. Lancet Oncol. 2007 Feb;8(2):137-47. Review.

Boulos PT, Kassell NF, Razack N, Sansur CA, Jensen ME, Dumont AS. Aneurysm-venous fistula formation following coil embolization of a basilar bifurcation aneurysm. Case illustration. J Neurosurg. 2007 Mar;106(3):515.

Pouratian P, Sansur CA, Jane Jr. JA, Jane Sr. JA. Uncorrected Nonsyndromal Sagittal Synostosis Resulting in Chiari Malformation: Report of 2 Cases. Surg Neurol. 2007 Apr; 67(4):422-7; discussion 427-8.

Oskouian RJ Jr., Sansur CA, Shaffrey CI. Congenital abnormalities of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2007 Jul;18(3):479-98. Review.

Sansur CA, Frysinger RC, Pouratian N, Fu KG, Bittl M, Oskouian RJ, Laws ER, Elias WJ. Incidence of symptomatic hemorrhage after stereotactic electrode placement.  J Neurosurg. 2007 Nov;107(5):998-1003.

Hamilton DK, Jones-Quaidoo SM, Sansur CA, Shaffrey CI, Oskouian R, Jane JA Sr. Outcomes of bone morphogenetic protein-2 in mature adults: posterolateral non-instrument-assisted lumbar decompression and fusion. Surg Neurol. 2008 May;69(5):457-61; discussion 461-2. Epub 2008 Jan 18.

Sansur CA, Fu KM, Oskouian RJ, Jagannathan J, Kuntz C, Shaffrey CI.Surgical Management of Global Sagittal Deformity in Ankylosing Spondylitis. Neurosurg Focus. 2008;24(1):E8. Review.

Jagannathan J, Shaffrey CI, Oskouian RJ, Dumont AS, Herrold C, Sansur CA, Jane JA. Radiographic and clinical outcomes following single-level anterior cervical discectomy and allograft fusion without plate placement or cervical collar. J Neurosurg Spine. 2008 May;8(5):420-8.

Sheehan J, Ionescu A, Pouratian N, Hamilton DK, Schlesinger D, Oskouian RJ Jr, Sansur CA. Use of trans sodium crocetinate for sensitizing glioblastoma multiforme to radiation: laboratory investigation. J Neurosurg. 2008 May;108(5):972-8.

Furneaux CE, Marshall ES, Yeoh K, Monteith SJ, Mews PJ, Sansur CA, Oskouian RJ, Sharples KJ, Baguley BC. Cell cycle times of short-term cultures of brain cancers as predictors of survival.  Br J Cancer. 2008 Nov;99(10):1678-83.

Jagannathan J, Chankaew E, Urban P, Dumont AS, Sansur CA, Kern J, Peeler B, Elias WJ, Shen F, Shaffrey ME, Whitehill R, Arlet V, Shaffrey CI. Cosmetic Outcomes and Cosmetic Related Complications for Anterior Paramedian and Anterolateral Retroperitoneal Approaches to the Lumbar Spine. J Neurosurg, 2008 Nov;9(5):454-65.

Joaquim AF, Shaffrey CC, Sansur CA, Shaffrey CI. Man-in-the-barrel syndrome after thoracoilium fusion. J Neurosurg, 2008 Dec;9(6):566-9.

Elias WJ, Sansur CA, Frysinger RC. Sulcal and ventricular trajectories in stereotactic surgery. J Neurosurg. 2009 Feb;110(2):201-7.

Sansur CA, Early S, Reibel J, Arlet V. Pharyngocutaneous fistula after anterior cervical spine surgery. Eur Spine J. 2009 May;18(5):586-91. Epub 2009 Mar 28.

Jagannathan J, Sansur CA, Oskouian RJ Jr, Fu KM, Shaffrey CI. Radiographic restoration of lumbar alignment after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion. Neurosurgery. 2009 May;64(5):955-63; discussion 963-4.

Joaquim AF, Sansur CA, Hamilton DK, Shaffrey CI.  Degenerative lumbar stenosis: update. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2009 Jun;67(2B):553-8.

Fu KM, Smith JS, Sansur CA, Shaffrey CI. Standardized measures of health status and disability and the decision to pursue operative treatment in elderly patients with degenerative scoliosis. Neurosurgery. 2010 Jan;66(1):42-7.

Crowley RW, Sansur CA, Sheehan JP, Mandell JW, Kassell NF, Dumont AS. Intracranial plasmacytoma with apoplectic presentation and spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: Case report and review of the literature. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2010 Feb;112(2):172-5.

Fu KM, Smith JS, Polly DW Jr, Perra JH, Sansur CA, Berven SH, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR Jr, Hart RA, Zeller RD, Donaldson WF 3rd, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Morbidity and mortality in the surgical treatment of 10,329 adults with degenerative lumbar stenosis. J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 May;12(5):443-6.

Smith JS, Fu KM, Polly DW Jr, Sansur CA, Berven SH, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR Jr, Hart RA, Donaldson WF 3rd, Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Complication Rates of Three Common Spine Procedures and Rates of Thromboembolism Following Spine Surgery Based on 108,419 Procedures: A Report From the Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality Committee. Spine. 2010 Nov;35(24):2140-9.

Sansur CA, Reames DL, Smith JS, Hamilton DK, Berven SH, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR, Hart RA, Zeller RD, Donaldson WF, Polly DW, Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Morbidity and mortality in the surgical treatment of 10,242 adults with spondylolisthesis. J Neurosurg Spine. 2010 Nov 13;13(5):589–593.

Sansur CA, Oldfield EH. Pituitary carcinoma. Semin Oncol. 2010 Dec;37(6):591-3. Review.

Williams BJ, Sansur CA, Smith JS, Berven SH, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR Jr, Hart RA, Zeller RD, Donaldson WF 3rd, Polly DW Jr, Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Incidence of unintended durotomy in spine surgery based on 108,478 cases. Neurosurgery. 2011 Jan;68(1):117-23; discussion 123-4.

Fu KM, Smith JS, Polly DW Jr, Perra JH, Sansur CA, Berven SH, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR Jr, Hart RA, Donaldson WF 3rd, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI.  Morbidity and Mortality in the Surgical Treatment of Six Hundred Five Pediatric Patients with Isthmic or Dysplastic Spondylolisthesis. Spine. 2011 Feb 15;36(4):308-12.

Smith JS, Shaffrey CI, Sansur CA, Berven SH, Fu KM, Broadstone PA, Choma TJ, Goytan MJ, Noordeen HH, Knapp DR Jr, Hart RA, Donaldson WF 3rd, Polly DW Jr, Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O; Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality Committee. Rates of infection after spine surgery based on 108,419 procedures: a report from the Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality Committee. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Apr 1;36(7):556-63.

Sansur CA, Smith JS, Coe JD, Glassman SD, Berven SH, Polly DW Jr, Perra JH, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Scoliosis research society morbidity and mortality of adult scoliosis surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Apr 20;36(9):E593-7.

Smith JS, Sansur CA, Donaldson WF 3rd, Perra JH, Mudiyam R, Choma TJ, Zeller RD, Knapp DR Jr, Noordeen HH, Berven SH, Goytan MJ, Boachie-Adjei O, Shaffrey CI. Short-term morbidity and mortality associated with correction of thoracolumbar fixed sagittal plane deformity: a report from the scoliosis research society morbidity and mortality committee. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 May 20;36(12):958-64.

Smith JS, Shaffrey CI, Glassman SD, Berven SH, Schwab FJ, Hamill CL, Horton WC, Ondra SL, Sansur CA, Bridwell KH. Risk-Benefit Assessment of Surgery for Adult Scoliosis: An Analysis Based on Patient Age. Spine. 2011 May;36(10):817-24.

Hamilton DK, Smith JS, Sansur CA, Glassman SD, Ames CP, Berven SH, Polly DW Jr, Perra JH, Knapp DR, Boachie-Adjei O, McCarthy RE, Shaffrey CI; Scoliosis Research Society Morbidity and Mortality Committee. Rates of new neurological deficit associated with spine surgery based on 108,419 procedures: a report of the scoliosis research society morbidity and mortality committee. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Jul 1;36(15):1218-28.

Hamilton DK, Smith JS, Sansur CA, Dumont AS, Shaffrey CI. C-2 neurectomy during atlantoaxial instrumented fusion in the elderly: patient satisfaction and surgical outcome. J Neurosurg Spine. 2011 Jul;15(1):3-8. Epub 2011 Apr 1.

Beaty NB, Diaz C, Crandall K, Sansur C. Penetrating intracranial gunshot wound transecting the right transverse sinus. BMJ Case Rep. 2012 Sep 17.

Heiss JD, Snyder K, Peterson MM, Patronas NJ, Butman JA, Smith RK, Devroom HL, Sansur CA, Eskioglu E, Kammerer WA, Oldfield EH. Pathophysiology of primary spinal syringomyelia. J Neurosurg Spine. 2012 Nov; 17(5):360-80.

Patel AP, Koltz MT, Sansur CA, Gulati M, Hamilton DK. An analysis of deep vein thrombosis in 1277 consecutive neurosurgical patients undergoing routine weekly ultrasonography. J Neurosurg. 2013 Mar;118(3):505-9.

Koltz MT, Maulucci CM, Sansur CA, Hamilton DK. C7 intralaminar screw placement, an alternative to lateral mass or pedicle fixation for treatment of cervical spondylytic myelopathy, kyphotic deformity, and trauma: A case report and technical note. Surg Neurol Int. 2014 Jan 17;5:4.

Beaty N, Slavin J, Diaz C, Zeleznick K, Ibrahimi D, Sansur CA. Cervical spine injury from gunshot wounds. J Neurosurg Spine. 2014 Sept;21(3):442-449.

Slavin J, Beaty N, Raghavan P, Sansur C, Aarabi B. Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Evaluate Cervical Spinal Cord Injury from Gunshot Wounds from Handguns. World Neurosurg. 2015 Sep 1. pii: S1878-8750(15)01049-9. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2015.08.033.

Puttlitz C, Maulucci C, Sansur C, Singh V, Cholewczynski A, Shetye S, McGilvray K. Cortical bone facet spacers for cervical spine decompression: effect on intervertebral kinetics and foraminal area. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Jan;24(1):69-76. doi: 10.3171/2015.4.SPINE14845. Epub 2015 Sep 25.

Chryssikos T, Crandall K, Sansur C Imaging symptomatic bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced heterotopic bone formation within the spinal canal: case report. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Jan 29:1-5.

Sansur CA, Caffes NM, Ibrahimi DM, Pratt NL, Lewis EM, Murgatroyd AA, Cunningham BW. Biomechanical fixation properties of cortical versus transpedicular screws in the osteoporotic lumbar spine: an in vitro human cadaveric model. J Neurosurg Spine. 2016 Oct;25(4):467-476

Research Interests

  • Spine Infection
  • Spine Fusion
  • Sacroiliac Joint Disease
  • Spinal Instrumentation

Clinical Specialty Details

  • Revision Spine Surgery
  • Scoliosis
  • Spinal Degenerative Pathology
  • Spine Trauma
  • Spinal Oncology
  • Pituitary Disorders

Awards and Affiliations

  • Russell A. Hibbs Best Clinical Science Award at the Scoliosis Research Society’s 44th Annual Meeting, September 2009
  • Baltimore Veterans Hospital Gold Pin Award for excellence in clinical care, January 2010