Anthony M. Avellino, M.D.
Associate Professor,
Chief of Neurosurgery at CHRMC,
Neurosurgery Residency Program Director

Dr. Avellino is an Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery and Joint Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Seattle Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center, and an attending neurosurgeon at Seattle Children’s Hospital, Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington Medical Center. In addition, Dr. Avellino is the Residency Program Director of our Neurosurgical Residency Program.

He received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in 1992. After completing an eight-year residency in Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington and a one-year pediatric neurosurgical fellowship at the Seattle Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center, he joined the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery as an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Hospital in January, 2001, and was a member of the consulting medical staff at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (Baltimore, MD).

Dr. Avellino subsequently returned to the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Seattle Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center in January, 2003. Since 2005, he has been the University of Washington Department of Neurological Surgery Residency Program Director. He has completed the “Certificate Program in Medical Management” in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and is in the process of completing his MBA degree.

Dr. Avellino is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery.

Patient Care
Dr. Avellino’s clinical practice focuses primarily on all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery with special expertise in:

• minimally invasive endoscopic neurosurgery
• complex spine problems
• brain and spinal cord tumors
• investigations in the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus
• management of spasticity including selective dorsal rhizotomies and placement of baclofen pumps
• neural tube defects including myelomeningocele, lipomyelomeningocele, and tethered spinal cord

"I am dedicated to providing each child and their family the most comprehensive pediatric neurosurgical care while providing strong support and encouragement." - Dr. Anthony Avellino

The Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery conducts a pediatric neurosurgical clinic on Wednesdays, and on other days of the week on an urgent basis. Appointments may be scheduled by contacting the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at 206-987-2544.

Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center.

For more information about Dr. Avellino's Clinical Specialties, please link to his webpage at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center section.

Research
Dr. Avellino’s research laboratory is currently investigating the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus and characterizing the CSF proteome in children with hydrocephalus using proteomic techniques. He is also investigating how complementary and alternative medicine may influence pediatric neurosurgical care in collaboration with Bastyr University.

Education and Training
1988, B.S., Microbiology and Biochemistry, Cornell University; Ithaca, NY

1992, M.D., Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons; New York, NY

1992 – 1993, Intern in General Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center; Seattle, WA

1993 – 2000, Resident in Neurosurgery, University of Washington Medical Center; Seattle, WA

1996 – 1997, Specialist Registrar in Neurosurgery, Atkinson Morley's Hospital, University of London, St. George's Hospital Medical School; UK

1997, Complex Spine Fellowship in Neurosurgery and Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Washington Medical Center; Seattle, WA

1999, Acting Instructor in Neurosurgery, University of Washington Medical Center; Seattle, WA

2000, Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship (one-year), Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center; Seattle, WA

Honors and Awards
2006: Seattle Magazine: 385 Top Doctors in the Northwest - Top doctors in Pediatric Neurosurgery pdf file of article

2006: Seattle Metropolitan Magazine: Seattle’s Best Doctors in Pediatric Neurological Surgery pdf file of article

2002: The Irving J. Sherman, MD, Traveling Fellowship of Neuroendoscopy, Mainz, Germany (Johns Hopkins University)

1992: Doctor Harold Lee Meierhof '17 Memorial Prize (Columbia University)

1989: NIH / Dean's Summer Research Fellowship (Columbia University)

1988: Quill & Dagger Senior Honorary Society (Cornell University)

1988: Ho-Nun-De-Kah, Academic Honorary Society (Cornell University)

1987: Co-Founder of Health Career Service Organization (Cornell University)

1987: Alpha Epsilon Delta, National Pre-Medical Honorary Society (Cornell University)

1985: Dewitt Wallace Reader's Digest Fellow, Rusk Rehabilitation Institute, NYU Medical Center (Cornell University)

Research Grants (since 2000)
7/05 - present: Co-Investigator for “An implantable systems performance outcome registry for intrathecal baclofen pumps.” Multi-Institutional Study by Medtronic Corporate Funding.

11/04 – present: Principal Investigator for “A precision and accuracy study of the Codman valve position verification (VPV) system.” Multi-Institutional Study by Codman Corporate Funding.

2/98 – 12/00: National Institutes of Health / National Research Service Award (# 1 F32 NS-10480-01A1); CAMs Mediating Macrophage Response After Nerve Injury; First year: $34,144; Second year: $35,476 Co-Sponsors (University of Washington): J.M. Harlan, M.D. (Head, Division of Hematology) and M. Kliot, M.D. (Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery).

7/98 – 12/00: American Philosophical Society Daland Fellowship For Research In Clinical Medicine; Cell Adhesion Molecules Mediating Macrophage Response After Axonal Injury; $34,000 for two years. Co-Sponsors (University of Washington): J.M. Harlan, M.D. (Head, Division of Hematology) and M. Kliot, M.D. (Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery).

Selected Publications
1. A.M. Avellino. So You Want To Be A Doctor? A Guide For Those Interested In A Career In Medicine (Especially High School Students). Carlton Press, Inc., New York, NY, Copyright 1988. Nationwide book release.

2. A.M. Avellino, L.S. Hair, W.F. Symmans, A.P. Gold, P. Carmel, J.M. Powers. Meningeal meningiomatosis in a child: Case report. Clinical Neuropathology 13 (2): 82-87, 1994.

3. A.M. Avellino, D. Hart, A.T. Dailey, M. MacKinnon, D. Ellegala, M. Kliot. Differential macrophage responses in the peripheral and central nervous system during Wallerian degeneration of axons. Experimental Neurology 136: 183-198, 1995. PubMed abstract

4. A.M. Avellino, D.K. Kim, E. Weinberger, T.S. Roberts. Resolution of spinal syringes and chiari I malformation in a child. Case illustration. Journal of Neurosurgery 84: 708, 1996.

5. A.M. Avellino, M.S. Berger, R.C. Rostomily, C-M. Shaw, G.A. Ojemann. Surgical management and seizure outcome in patients with tuberous sclerosis. Journal of Neurosurgery 87: 391-396, 1997. PubMed abstract

6. A.T. Dailey, A.M. Avellino, L. Benthem, J. Silver, M. Kliot. Complement depletion reduces macrophage infiltration and activation during Wallerian degeneration and axonal regeneration. Journal of Neuroscience 18 (17): 6713-6722, 1998. PubMed abstract

7. G.W. Britz, A.M. Avellino, R. Schaller, J.D. Loeser. Percutaneous placement of ventriculoatrial shunts in the pediatric population. Pediatric Neurosurgery 29: 161-163, 1998. PubMed abstract

8. A.M. Avellino, G.W. Britz, J.R. McDowell, D.W. Shaw, R.G. Ellenbogen, T.S. Roberts. Spontaneous resolution of a cervicothoracic syrinx in a child: Case report and review of the literature. Pediatric Neurosurgery 30: 43-46, 1999. PubMed abstract

9. G.A. Grant, A.M. Avellino, J.D. Loeser, R.G. Ellenbogen, M.S. Berger, T.S. Roberts. Management of intrinsic gliomas of the tectal plate in children: A ten year review. Pediatric Neurosurgery 31: 170-176, 1999. PubMed abstract

10. A.M. Avellino, G.A. Grant, A.B. Harris, S.K. Wallace, C-M. Shaw. Recurrent intracranial Masson's vegetant intravascular hemangioendothelioma: Case report and review of the literature. Journal of Neurosurgery 91: 308-312, 1999.

11. A.M. Avellino, J.D. Loeser. Intrathecal baclofen for the treatment of intractable spasticity of spine or brain etiology. Neuromodulation 3 (2): 75-81, 2000.

12. J.M. Schuster, A.M. Avellino, F.A. Mann, A.A. Girouard, M.S. Grady, D.W. Newell, H.R. Winn, J.R. Chapman, S.K. Mirza. Use of structural allografts in spinal osteomyelitis: A review of 47 cases. Journal of Neurosurgery (Spine 1) 93: 8-14, 2000.

13. A.M. Avellino, A.H. Mesiwala, D.W.W. Shaw, D.J. Fisher, D.B. Musante, T.S. Roberts, R.G. Ellenbogen. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image of a pediatric spinal epidermoid cyst. Pediatric Neurosurgery 34: 325-326, 2001.

14. A.H. Mesiwala, A.M. Avellino, R.G. Ellenbogen. The diagonal ventricular dimension: A method for predicting shunt malfunction on the basis of changes in ventricular size. Neurosurgery 50: 1246-1252, 2002. PubMed abstract

15. A.M. Avellino, P.P. Wang, N.H. Miller, E.H. Herskovits. Flair magnetic resonance image of a pediatric spinal epidermoid cyst. Pediatric Neurosurgery 36: 220-222, 2002. PubMed abstract

16. E.H. Kossoff, E.P.G. Vining, P.L. Pyzik, S. Kriegler, K.S. Min, B.S. Carson, A.M. Avellino, J.M. Freeman. The postoperative course and management of 106 hemidecortications. Pediatric Neurosurgery 37: 298-303, 2002. PubMed abstract

17. S.L. Tow, S. Chandela, N.R. Miller, A.M. Avellino. Long-term outcome in children with gliomas of the anterior visual pathway. Pediatric Neurology 28: 262-270, 2003.

18. A.M. Avellino, A.T. Dailey, J.M. Harlan, S. Sharar, R.K. Winn, L. McNutt, M. Kliot. Blocking of upregulated ICAM-1 does not prevent macrophage infiltration during Wallerian degeneration of peripheral nerve. Experimental Neurology 187: 430-444, 2004.

19. A.M. Avellino, F.A. Mann, M.S. Grady, J.R. Chapman, R.G. Ellenbogen, T.D. Alden, S.K. Mirza. The misdiagnosis of acute cervical spine injuries and fractures in infants and children?: The 12 year experience of a level I pediatric and adult trauma center. Child’s Nervous System 21: 122-127, 2005.

20. T.D. Veenstra, T.P. Conrads, B.L. Hood, A.M. Avellino, R.G. Ellenbogen, R.S. Morrison. Biomarkers: Mining the biofluid proteome. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics 4: 409-418, 2005.