Fangyi Zhang, M.D.
Assistant Professor

Dr. Zhang is Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery and attending neurosurgeon at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Zhang received his medical degree in 1986 at Capital University of Medical Sciences in Beijing, China, followed by completion of a five-year neurosurgical residency at the Beijing Neurosurgical Institute and Beijing Tiantan Hospital in China.

In 1991, Dr. Zhang came to the United States to pursue his research interests in the field of cerebrovascular biology and stroke in the Department of Neurology at the University of Minnesota. After this seven-year research endeavor, Dr. Zhang elected to repeat his clinical training in the United States through the neurosurgical residency program at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas from 1998-2003.

After completion of that training, he joined the University of Washington Department of Neurological Surgery as a senior and then chief resident from 2003-2005. Following this in 2005-2006 he successfully completed a 1 year Spine Surgery Fellowship Training in both Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurological Surgery departments at the University of Washington.

From 2006 to 2009, Dr. Zhang practiced as a neurosurgeon in Houston, Texas with a faculty appointment as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston.

With his return to the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center, Dr. Zhang’s areas of clinical focus are in complex and minimally invasive spinal surgery in the management of degenerative spinal disorders, as well as the management of traumatic spine and traumatic brain injuries.

Patient Care:

Dr. Zhang specializes in the treatment of:

• Degenerative spine disorders
• Cervical, thoracic and lumbar disc herniation
• Spondylosis and spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Degenerative scoliosis
• Spinal tumors
• Traumatic spine and spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries

Dr. Zhang is trained in these surgical techniques:

• Complex adult spine reconstruction
• Microsurgery and minimally invasive spine surgery
• Spinal tumor resection

Dr. Zhang evaluates patients at the Neurosurgery Clinics at the Ninth and Jefferson Building (across from Harborview Medical Center) Appointments may be scheduled by contacting 206-744-9300.

Education and Training:

1986-1991: Neurosurgical Resident, Dept of Neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute and Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing, China

1991-1995 Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Biology & Stroke, Dept. of Neurology, University of Minnesota

1995-1998 Research Associate; Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Biology & Stroke, Dept. of Neurology, University of Minnesota

1998-1999 Internship, General Surgery; University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX

1999-2003 Residency, Neurological Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX

2003-2005 Resident/Chief Resident, Neurological Surgery; University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle WA

2005-2006 Post-Residency Fellow; Joint Spine Fellowship Program of Orthopedic and Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle WA

Honors and Awards:

1992-1994 - Fellowship Award, American Heart Association

1987;1988 - Outstanding Physician of the Year, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute/Beijing Tiantan Hospital (1987; 1988)

Selected Publications:

1. Zhang F, Bransford R, Manning T, Chapman J. Early experience with treatment of thoracic disc herniation using a modified transfacet pedicle-sparing decompression and segmental fusion. [Journal Article] (In preparation); Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
2. Kerby JD, Sainz JG, Zhang F, Hutchings A, Sprague S, Farrokhi FR, Son M: Resuscitation from Hemorrhagic Shock with Hboc-201 in the Setting of Traumatic Brain Injury. Shock 27(6): 652-656, 2007.
3. Zhang F. Sprague SM. Farrokhi F. Henry MN. Son MG. Vollmer DG. Reversal of attenuation of cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia by a nitric oxide donor after controlled cortical impact in a rat model of traumatic brain injury. [Journal Article] Journal of Neurosurgery. 97(4):963-69, 2002
4. Gerzanich V. Zhang F. West GA. Simard JM. Chronic nicotine alters NO signaling of Ca(2+) channels in cerebral arterioles. [Journal Article] Circulation Research. 88(3):359-65, 2001
5. Iadecola C. Zhang F. Niwa K. Eckman C. Turner SK. Fischer E. Younkin S. Borchelt DR. Hsiao KK. Carlson GA. SOD1 rescues cerebral endothelial dysfunction in mice overexpressing amyloid precursor protein. [Journal Article] Nature Neuroscience. 2(2):157-61, 1999
6. Iadecola C. Salkowski CA. Zhang F. Aber T. Nagayama M. Vogel SN. Ross ME. The transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 1 is expressed after cerebral ischemia and contributes to ischemic brain injury. [Journal Article] Journal of Experimental Medicine. 189(4):719-27, 1999
7. Nagayama M. Zhang F. Iadecola C. Delayed treatment with aminoguanidine decreases focal cerebral ischemic damage and enhances neurologic recovery in rats. [Journal Article] Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. 18(10):1107-13, 1998
8. Zhang F. Iadecola C. Temporal characteristics of the protective effect of aminoguanidine on cerebral ischemic damage. [Journal Article] Brain Research. 802(1-2):104-10, 1998
9. Nogawa S. Forster C. Zhang F. Nagayama M. Ross ME. Iadecola C. Interaction between inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 after cerebral ischemia. [Journal Article] Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 95(18):10966-71, 1998
10. Zhang F. Slungaard A. Vercellotti GM. Iadecola C. Superoxide-dependent cerebrovascular effects of homocysteine. [Journal Article] American Journal of Physiology. 274(6 Pt 2):R1704-11, 1998
11. Tsekos NV. Zhang F. Merkle H. Nagayama M. Iadecola C. Kim SG. Quantitative measurements of cerebral blood flow in rats using the FAIR technique: correlation with previous iodoantipyrine autoradiographic studies. [Journal Article] Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. 39(4):564-73, 1998
12. Yang G. Feddersen RM. Zhang F. Clark HB. Beitz AJ. Iadecola C. Cerebellar vascular and synaptic responses in normal mice and in transgenics with Purkinje cell dysfunction. [Journal Article] American Journal of Physiology. 274(2 Pt 2):R529-40, 1998