Dr. Abhijeet Gummadavelli brings specialized expertise in epilepsy surgery for adults, neurostimulation and spine surgery.
As the son of two engineers, new Denver neurosurgeon Abhijeet Gummadavelli, MD, grew up intrigued by networks. Applying that interest to the networks within the human body, specifically the central nervous system, Dr. Gummadavelli has spent the past 18 years researching and training as a neurosurgeon. After recently completing a fellowship in functional neurosurgery with a focus in adult epilepsy surgery, Dr. Gummadavelli joined Neurosurgery One in August 2023.
As the newest neurosurgeon with Neurosurgery One, Dr. Gummadavelli hopes he can help the thousands of adults with uncontrolled epilepsy seizures throughout the state and surrounding region. He especially enjoys working with patients who have had other treatments or surgeries that have not resulted in the hoped-for benefits.
“I like being able to look at their issues from a new perspective and offer the latest in evidence-based epilepsy treatment options, giving them renewed hope and helping them achieve their goals.”
Dr. Gummadavelli, who is specially trained in functional neurosurgery, will be based in Neurosurgery One’s Littleton clinic and work as part of the comprehensive epilepsy team at Littleton Adventist Hospital.
He has experience in a broad range of neurosurgery procedures, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), NeuroPace responsive neurostimulation (RNS),vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), laser ablation surgery, and resections. He specializes in the use of stereoelectroencephalography (stereo-EEG) to pinpoint seizure-generating networks, making epilepsy surgery even more effective.
Dr. Gummadavelli also diagnoses and treats craniofacial pain, trigeminal neuralgia, spasticity, and refractory back pain, as well as performing minimally invasive and traditional brain tumor and spine surgeries.
He recently completed a fellowship in stereotactic functional and epilepsy neurosurgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and has nearly a decade of neurosurgery experience. He is a gifted researcher, having studied epilepsy surgery and brain research for more than 18 years. He has co-authored 18 publications and been the lead author on 9 pieces, including research that was published in Neurosurgery, Epilepsia, and Frontiers in Neuroscience. He has also contributed to 50 research presentations and abstracts and 5 textbook/chapter publications.
We asked Dr. Gummadavelli about his experience as an adult epilepsy surgeon and new Denver neurosurgeon, and he shared the following.
Where did you train to become an adult epilepsy surgeon and neurosurgeon?
I received my bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at John Hopkins University. I’ve always been interested in the networks of the brain at the cellular level and how behaviors and pathologies are all interconnected. Both of my parents are engineers, so networking has been ingrained in me, but I took a different path and applied that thinking to medicine.
After undergrad, I went to medical school at Yale University School of Medicine and then completed my neurosurgery residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital. I recently finished my fellowship in stereotactic functional and epilepsy neurosurgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. I have more than 18 years in the field of epilepsy and neurosurgery research and have performed more than 1,500 surgical cases. I am currently fulfilling my post-residency practice requirement to become board certified.
Why did you choose to focus on epilepsy?
Given my interest in the networks of the brain at the cellular level and how they impact behaviors and pathologies, epilepsy was a natural fit. There’s so much we’re continuing to learn about epilepsy, and I am fascinated by how we can make a positive impact on patients’ lives through interventions and epilepsy surgery. For instance, it wasn’t that long ago that we didn’t think surgery could benefit people with generalized seizures, but today we know that’s not true and there are different thalamic targets we can impact during neuromodulation techniques such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS). I’m also really inspired by how epilepsy research can impact other areas of medicine.
When should someone with epilepsy consider seeing an epilepsy surgeon?
In general, if an epilepsy patient has failed two or more epilepsy medications (that they were properly dosed for and tolerated), they should consider seeing an experienced epilepsy surgeon or visiting a certified epilepsy center. Doing so doesn’t mean that they will automatically qualify for epilepsy surgery–it simply means that the next step to giving them the quality of life they desire would be to consult with an expert epilepsy team. An epileptologist, who is a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy, will conduct a full workup, which takes a few months. This gives the patient time to get to know the epilepsy team and understand the various treatment options.
What are some of the epilepsy surgeries you perform?
I am experienced and skilled at all of the major evidence-based epilepsy surgeries including DBS, RNS, VNS, resections and laser ablation surgery. Neurostimulation to treat epilepsy has really evolved in the past few years, and we’re now able to pinpoint cortical and thalamic targets for focal and generalized seizures. I have seen great success with laser ablation surgery for patients with epilepsy. It’s less invasive than some of the other epilepsy surgery options and patients can typically go home the next day.
While I can perform all the epilepsy surgeries with success and low complication rates, it really comes down to the patient’s goals for their epilepsy seizures and quality of life. By using stereoelectroencephalography (stereo-EEG), I can often pinpoint the location of seizure generating networks prior to surgery and recommend the best course of action.
What sets you apart from other epilepsy surgeons?
In addition to having 18 years of experience in the field of epilepsy, I am passionate about helping patients understand the complexity of their condition through simple, clear language. I was born in India and raised in fairly small, tight-knit communities in India, Alabama, and Ohio, which has helped me relate to people from all backgrounds and make sophisticated terminology and treatment understandable. The reality is that medical terminology and treatment can be complex. I think it’s important for my patients to understand, in terms that make sense to them, what’s going on, what their options are, and how I can help them.
One of the other things that may make me unique as an adult epilepsy surgeon is that I am interested in helping patients who have had other interventions, whether that be surgery or another form of treatment. I like being able to look at their issues from a new perspective and offer the latest in evidence-based epilepsy treatment options, giving them renewed hope and helping them achieve their goals.
What is one thing about epilepsy surgery that you wish more people knew about?
Epilepsy surgery is dramatically underutilized. There are approximately 3 million adults in the US with epilepsy, and nearly 1.2 million (about 30-40%) have refractory (or uncontrolled) seizures. Yet, only 70,000 people with epilepsy receive a surgical evaluation, and only 20,000 undergo any type of epilepsy surgery. This means there are hundreds of thousands of people with uncontrollable epileptic seizures who could potentially benefit from epilepsy surgery but are not, either out of lack of referrals, limited awareness, preconceived fears of surgery, or any combination.
What drew you to Neurosurgery One?
Neurosurgery One has a long history of evidence-based epilepsy surgery and to be able to step into a practice that has the infrastructure in place to properly diagnose and treat patients is such a privilege. I also appreciate that I can apply my experience as a brain tumor and spine surgeon at Neurosurgery One. While functional neurosurgery and epilepsy are my main focus and interest, I can still help patients who suffer from brain tumors, back and neck pain, or craniofacial pain.
What do you enjoy outside of neurosurgery?
My wife, who is a hospitalist, and I just had our first child–a son–so he will likely be in charge for a while. We also love traveling, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors. We’re excited to be in Colorado and explore more here as well as utilize the amazing airport to travel.
