Louis J. Kim, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Dr. Louis Kim is Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and attending neurosurgeon at Harborview Medical Center.

He received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1999 and completed his seven-year residency training in neurological surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona.  He went on to complete two subspecialty fellowships at Barrow, one in Cerebrovascular/Skull base microneurosurgery under Dr. Robert Spetzler, the other in Neuro-Endovascular surgery under Drs. Cameron McDougall and Felipe Albuquerque.

Patient Care:

Dr. Kim is part of a select group of neurosurgeons across the country fellowship-trained in both open vascular/skull base microsurgery and endovascular techniques for the treatment of cerebrovascular and spinal vascular diseases.

He specializes in the treatment of cerebrovascular and spinal vascular lesions, including cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), cavernous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulae (dAVFs), intracranial stenosis, carotid artery stenosis, and spinal AVMs.

His operative techniques include:  microsurgical clipping and coil embolization of aneurysms, surgical resection and superselective embolization of AVMs, surgical disruption and embolization of dAVFs, intracranial and carotid artery angioplasty and stenting, carotid endarterectomy and skull base surgical approaches to vascular lesions and skull base tumors.

His interests also include microsurgical and endovascular treatment of brain tumors, skull base tumors, and spinal tumors.

"My goal is to seamlessly combine cutting edge neurosurgical technology and compassionate patient care."  -Dr. Louis Kim

Research:

Dr. Kim’s clinical research relates to patient outcome measures and refinements in surgical and endovascular techniques in aneurysm, AVM, brain tumor, and cavernous malformation surgery.  He is also interested in models of patient radiation exposure during endovascular surgery.

His basic science research investigates neuroprotection during stroke, spinal cord perfusion during ischemia, and growth factors and cell-signaling that control blood vessel smooth muscle and endothelial proliferation.

Education and Training:

1999 M.D., Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY.

1999-2000, General Surgery Internship, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ.

2000-2006, Resident, Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ.

2006 Fellow in Cerebrovascular/Skull base surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ.

2005, 2007 Fellow in Neuro-Endovascular surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ.

Honors and Awards:

2004-06 Barrow Neurotrauma Research Grant, Co-investigator

2003 8th International Pituitary Congress Resident Award

2002 John R. Green Resident’s Paper Award

1998 Merck/AFAR Research Scholarship in Geriatric Pharmacology

1998 New York Academy of Medicine Glorney-Raisbeck Scholarship in Cardiovascular Research

1998 Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Student Research Fellowship Award

1997-1998 American Heart Association Medical Student Scholarship in Cerebrovascular Disease

1997 Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society

1997, 1995 NIH Medical Student Research Fellowship

1994 Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society

Selected Publications:

1. Kim LJ, Karis J, White WL.  Technical Note:  Preliminary experience with 3-Tesla MRI and Cushing’s disease.  Skull Base 2007 Volume17: 273-277

2. Kim LJ, Albuquerque FC, Spetzler RF, McDougall CG.  Postembolization neurological deficits in cerebral arteriovenous malformations:  Stratification by AVM grade. Neurosurgery. 2006 Jul 59(1): 96-104.

3. Kim LJ, Albuquerque FC, Aziz-Sultan A, Spetzler RF, McDougall CG.  Low morbidity associated with the use of NBCA liquid adhesive for preoperative embolization in 35 consecutive central nervous system tumors.  Neurosurgery, 2006 Jul 59(1): 53-9.

4. Kim LJ, Klopfenstein JD, Zabramski JM, Sonntag VKS, Spetzler RF. Analysis of pain after resection of intramedullary spinal cavernous malformations. Neurosurgery. 2006 Jan;58(1):106-11

5. Kim LJ, Albuquerque FC, McDougall CG, Spetzler RF.  Resolution of an infectious pseudoaneurysm in a cervical to petrous vein bypass graft with covered stent placement.  Case report.  Neurosurgery. 2006 Feb;58(2):E386

6. Klopfenstein JD, Ponce FA, Kim LJ, Albuquerque FC, Nakaji P, Spetzler RF.  Middle cerebral artery stenosis: endovascular and surgical options.
   Skull Base. 2005 Aug;15(3):175-89.

7. Kim LJ & Spetzler RF.  Classification and surgical management of spinal arteriovenous lesions:  arteriovenous fistulas and arteriovenous malformations. Neurosurgery, 59 (5Suppl 3): S195-S201, 2006.

8. Deshmukh VR, Klopfenstein J, Albuquerque FC, Kim LJ, Spetzler RF. Surgical management of distal coil migration and arterial perforation after embolization of ruptured ophthalmic artery aneurysm: technical case report. Neurosurgery 2006 Apr 58 (4 Suppl 2):ONS-E379.

9. Raabe A, Nakaji P, Beck J, Kim LJ, Hsu F, Kammerman J, Seifert V, Spetzler RF.  Prospective evaluation of surgical microscope-integrated intraoperative near-infrared indocyanine green videoangiography during aneurysm surgery.  Journal of Neurosurgery. 2005 Dec;103(6):982-9.

10. Kim LJ, Albuquerque FC, McDougall CG, Spetzler RF.  Combined surgical and endovascular treatment of a recurrent A3-A3 junction aneurysm unsuitable for stand alone clipping or coiling: Technical note.  Neurosurgical Focus, 18(2): E6, 2005.

11. Albuquerque FC, Fiorella D, Han PP, Deshmukh VR, Kim LJ, McDougall CG.  Endovascular management of intracranial dissecting vertebral artery aneurysms.  Neurosurgical Focus 18(2): E3, 2005.

12.  Feiz-Erfan I, Han PP, Spetzler RF, Horn EM, Klopfenstein JD, Kim LJ, Porter RW,Beals SP, Lettieri SC, Joganic EF.  Preserving olfactory function in anterior craniofacial surgery through cribriform plate osteotomy applied in selected patients.  Neurosurgery. 2005 Jul;57(1 Suppl):86-93; discussion 86-93.

13. Kim LJ, Rekate HL, Klopfenstein JD, Sonntag VKH.  Treatment of basilar invagination in the pediatric population using cervical reduction and posterior occipital-cervical fusion. Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics 101 (2): 189-195, 2004.

14. Klopfenstein JD, Spetzler RF, Kim LJ, Feiz-Erfan I, Han PP, Zabramski JM, Porter RW, Albuquerque FC, McDougall CG, Fiorella DJ.  Comparison of routine and selective use of intraoperative angiography during aneurysm surgery: a prospective assessment.  Journal of  Neurosurgery Feb;100(2):230-5, 2004.

15. Klopfenstein JD, Kim LJ, Feiz-Erfan I, Hott JS, Goslar P, Zabramski JM, Spetzler RF.  Comparison of rapid and gradual weaning from external ventricular drainage in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a prospective randomized trial. Journal of Neurosurgery, Feb;100(2):225-29, 2004.

16. Kim LJ, Klopfenstein JD, White WL.  Ectopic ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma within the cavernous sinus: a cause of failure of transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing’s disease.  Journal of Neurosurgery 98: 1312-1317, 2003

17. Huang J, Agus DB, Winfree CJ, Kiss S, Mack WJ, McTaggart RA, Choudhri TF,       Kim LJ, Mocco J, Pinsky DJ, Fox WD, Israel RJ, Boyd TA, Golde DW, Connolly ES Jr.  Dehydroascorbic acid, a blood-brain barrier transportable form of vitamin C, mediates potent cerebroprotection in experimental stroke. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2001 Sep 25;98(20):11720-4.

18. Huang J, Kim LJ, Mealey R, Marsh HC Jr, Zhang Y, Tenner AJ, Connolly ES Jr, Pinsky DJ. Neuronal protection in stroke by an sLex-glycosylated complement inhibitory protein.  Science 1999 Jul 23;285(5427):595-9.

19. Huang J, Kim LJ, Poisik A, Pinsky DJ, Connolly ES Jr. Titration of postischemic cerebral hypoperfusion by variation of ischemic severity in a murine model of stroke. Neurosurgery 1999 Aug;45(2):328-33.

20. Huang J, Choudhri TF, Winfree CJ, McTaggart RA, Kiss S, Mocco J, Kim LJ, Protopsaltis TS, Zhang Y, Pinsky DJ, Connolly ES Jr.  Postischemic cerebrovascular E-selectin expression mediates tissue injury in murine stroke. Stroke 2000 Dec; 31(12):3047-53

21. Poisik A, Heyer EJ, Solomon RA, Quest DO, Adams DC, Baldasserini CM, McMahon DJ, Huang J, Kim LJ, Choudhri TF, Connolly ES Jr. Safety and efficacy of fixed-dose heparin in carotid endarterectomy. Neurosurgery 1999 Sep;45(3):434-41

22. Choudhri TF, Hoh BL, Prestigiacomo CJ, Huang J, Kim LJ, Schmidt AM, Kisiel W, Connolly ES Jr, Pinsky DJ. Targeted inhibition of intrinsic coagulation limits cerebral injury in stroke without increasing intracerebral hemorrhage. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1999 Jul 5;190(1):91-9.

TEXTBOOK CHAPTERS -

1. Feiz-Erfan I, Zabramski JM, Kim LJ, Klopfenstein JD: Natural history of cavernous malformations of the central nervous system. In Lanzino G and Spetzler RF (eds): Cavernous Malformations of the Brain and Spinal Cord. New York, Thieme, 2007, pp 3-10.
   
   
2. Kim LJ, Daspit P.  Posterior fossa arachnoid cysts.  Neurotology (ed. Jackler & Brackmann) Elsevier Mosby, Philadelphia, PA, pp. 944-948, 2005.
   
   
3. Riina HA, Lemole GA, Kim LJ, Spetzler RF.  Stroke: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management (ed. Mohr, Choi, Grotta, Weir, Wolf) 4th edition, 2004 Elsevier Press, Philadelphia, PA; Chapter 72; Spinal arteriovenous malformations.

Contact Information

Patient Services:
Phone- 206-744-9300
Fax- 206-744-9943


Academic Office:
Phone- 206-744-9330
Fax- 206-744-9944

E-mail:
ljkim1@u.washington.edu

Mailing Address:
Harborview Medical Center
UW Medicine, Dept. of Neurosurgery
325 Ninth Avenue,
Box 359924
Seattle, WA 98104-2499

Clinic Location:
Patricia Bracelin Steel Memorial Building
Neurosurgery Clinics
401 Broadway - 2nd floor
Seattle, WA 98122