Michel Kliot, M.D.
Professor
Chief of Neurosurgery at V.A.P.S.H.C.S.

Dr. Michel Kliot is a Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine and an attending neurosurgeon at both University of Washington Medical Center and Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System.

Dr. Kliot received a BA from Harvard College and a MA from Harvard University in 1977 in biology. He did graduate work in neurobiology at Stanford University from 1979-1982, and obtained an MD from Yale University School of Medicine in 1984. He then did a general surgery internship at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC in 1985 followed by a neurosurgical residency at the Neurological Institute in NYC which he completed in 1990. He then did a traveling peripheral nerve fellowship in 1990-1991, spending time with Dr. Alan Hudson at the University of Toronto and Dr. David Kline at LSU Medical School in New Orleans. He joined the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington in 1991 where he is a Professor.

Patient Care:

Dr. Kliot specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral nerve problems which include entrapment neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome, traumatic nerve injuries such as those involving the brachial plexus, and masses involving peripheral nerves such as tumors.

He and his colleagues have helped develop improved methods of diagnosing and treating peripheral nerve problems using high resolution MRI techniques. He has also participated in the development of a bioabsorbable device to reduce scar formation following surgery.

"Each patient represents a unique opportunity to apply clinical skills and compassion to better understand and treat medical problems to optimize their health and ability to enjoy life." - Dr. Michel Kliot

To Schedule a Clinic Appointment with Dr. Michel Kliot:
I specialize in the treatment of patients with a variety of peripheral nerve problems. Please send or fax us your pertinent medical records:

Dr. Michel Kliot
1959 NE Pacific Street
Box 356165
Seattle, WA 98195-6165

fax: 206-598-6494

These documents would include a clinical description of your medical problem as well as any relevant diagnostic studies such as electrical studies (electromyogram, also known as EMG and nerve conduction studies), and radiology images and/or reports such as MRI or CT scans or Xrays.

If you do not hear back from us within 3 days, please call my assistant, Kenny Patton at 206-598-9468. Thank you! I look forward to meeting you and hopefully helping you.

Research:

Dr. Kliot has strong clinical and laboratory interests in developing new methods of enhancing recovery following injury in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. Specifically, he has conducted research on cellular factors mediating the reponse of macrophages following axonal injury.

Dr. Kliot has studied the response of endogenous stem cells to acute and chronic injury in the adult mammalian central nervous system.

Dr. Kliot and colleagues are currentlydeveloping new methods using ultrasound to non-invasively measure important clinical parameters such as intracranial pressure, cardiac function, and pain generating internal organs and tissues. more about Dr. Kliot's research.

Translational Research:

Dr. Kliot is a founding scientist of Gliatech, Inc. a biotechnology company that at one time was listed on the NASDAQ and brought to the clinic an antiscar bioabsorbable gel placed at the time of surgery to reduce scar formation. It has been used in thousands of patients undergoing lumbar back surgery, as well as in hundred of patients undergoing peripheral nerve surgery.

Dr. Kliot is a founding Scientist of UltraImage, Inc which then merger with Pathway Medical Inc. a biotechnology company that developed and has brought to the clinic several types of phase array MRI surface coils to improve the imaging of important biological structures such as peripheral nerves and blood vessels. Pathway Medical is also developing novel intravascular methods of removing clots from blood vessels.

Dr. Kliot is a founding Scientist of Physiosonics Inc. (previously - Allez Physionix, Inc.) a biotechnology company that is using ultrasound to develop:

• a non-invasive method and device for measuring intracranial pressure which currently requires an invasive and dangerous device.
• a non-invasive method and device for using focused ultrasound to localize pathological tissues within the body generating painful sensations.
• an automatic and user-independent method and device for measuring blood flow and emboli within the head

Education and Training:

1977 BS, Biology, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA

1977 MA, Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

1980-82 Graduate Work, Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

1984 MD, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

1984-85 General Surgery Internship, Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY

1985-89 Neurosurgical Resident, Neurological Institute, New York, NY

1987-88 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Columbia University, New York, NY

1989-90 Chief Neurosurgical Resident, Neurological Institute, New York, NY

1990-91 Peripheral Nerve Surgery Traveling Fellowship,
University of Toronto and Louisiana State University in New Orleans

Research Grants (since 2001):

2001-06 Co-Investigator: NIAMS – Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center in Musculoskeletal Disorders - $5,196,000: 5% of salary

This grant is directed at evaluating clinical outcome following carpal tunnel syndrome surgery and spinal fusion surgical procedures using both randomized and cohort clinical trial designs. It is also directed at developing and evaluating improved diagnostic methods for these clinical problems.

2004-09 Co-Investigator: NIH and Muscular Dystrophy Association - Gene Therapy for Muscular Dystrophy Center - $8,500,000: $15,000 salary for a technician.

This grant is directed at developing and applying methods of gene therapy developed in the laboratory to patients with muscular dystrophy.

2004-05 NIH Phase I STTR grant – Noninvasive determination of intracranial pressure: Co-Investigator - $100,000

This grant is directed at developing a non-invasive ultrasound method of determining intracranial pressure in patients with a variety of neurosurgical problems.

2004-2005 STTR Phase I grant - Transcutaneous Acoustic Palpation for Diagnosis of Pain: Co- Investigator - $100,000: Consultant and $15,000 for a technician.

This grant is directed at developing an ultrasound based technique to assess painful tissue and organ pathology using a rat skin inflammation model.

2005-2006 NIH STTR grant - Harmonic doppler ultrasound emobolus characterization – Co-Investigator - $748,673

This grant is directed at characterizing the ultrasound signature of emboli of different composition (e.g. gas versus particles).

2005-2008 Merit Review VA Grant (Rehabilitation) – Ultrasound palpation to safely evaluate tissue pathology: Principle Investigator - $436,000.

This grant is directed at developing an ultrasound based technique to assess painful tissue and organ pathology using a rat painful neuropathy model.

2005-2009 NASA grant - Testing a prototype for the non-invasive determination of intracranial pressure: Co-Investigator - $1,700,000 – 5% of salary.

This grant is directed at developing a non-invasive ultrasound method of determining intracranial pressure in patients with a variety of neurosurgical problems.

2005-2006 Phase II WTC grant – Developing a transcranial Doppler user-independent head set for measurement of intracranial pressure non-invasively - $100,000: consultant

This grant is directed at developing a user-independent head set for measurement of transcranial Doppler blood flow. The specific aim is to measure middle cerebral artery blood flow for use in determining intracranial pressure non-invasively.

2006-2007 Grant from J&J – To support a feasibility study using multiple clinical sites to develop a method for measuring intracranial pressure non-invasively using a trasncranial ultrasound device - $437,000: consultant.

This grant is directed at developing a non-invasive ultrasound method of determining intracranial pressure in patients with a variety of neurosurgical problems.

2005-2007 NIH Phase II STTR grant – Refinement of non-invasive approach to the determination of intracranial pressure: Co-Investigator - $1,065,473

This grant is directed at developing and refining a non-invasive ultrasound method of determining intracranial pressure in patients with a variety of neurosurgical problems. A major focus is to determine whether non-invasive arterial blood pressure measurements can substitute for invasive arterial blood pressure measurements.

Selected Publications:

1. A.T. Dailey, A.M. Avellino, L. Benthem, J. Silver, and M. Kliot. Complement depletion reduces macrophage infiltration and activation during Wallerian degeneration and axonal regeneration. J. Neuroscience 18: 6713-6722. 1998. PubMed abstract
   
   
2. G.A. Grant, R. Goodkin, and M. Kliot. Evaluation and surgical management of peripheral nerve problems. Neurosurgery 44: 825-840. 1999. PubMed abstract
   
   
3. D.A. Lazar, D.B. Ellegala, A.M. Avellino, A.T. Dailey, K. Andrus, and M. Kliot. Modulation of macrophage and microglial responses to axonal injury in the peripheral and central nervous system. Neurosurgery 45: 593-600. 1999. PubMed abstract
   
   
4. T.D. McCall, G.A. Grant, G.W. Britz, R. Goodkin, and M. Kliot. Treatment of recurrent peripheral nerve entrapment problems. Neurosurgery Clinics 12: 329-339. 2001. PubMed abstract
   
   
5. P.D. Mourad, D. Lazar. F.P. Curra, A. Avellino, L. McNutt, K. Andrus, L. Crum, and M. Kliot. Ultrasound accelerates functional recovery after peripheral nerve damage. Neurosurgery 48: 1136-1141. 2001. PubMed abstract
   
   
6. G. Grant, R. Goodkin, and M. Kliot. MRI in evaluating and treating peripheral nerve problems. Nerve and Muscle 25: 314-331.
   
   
7. J.G. Jarvik, E. Yuen, D.R. Haynor, C.M. Bradley, D. Fulton-Kehoe, T. Smith-Weller, R. Wu, M. Kliot, G. Kraft, L. Wang, L. Robinson, V. Erlich, P.J. Haegerty, and G.M. Franklin. MR nerve imaging in a prospective cohort of patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome. Neurology 58: 1597-1602. 2002. PubMed abstract