Neurology

Brian-Fred Fitzsimmons, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurology

Specialty: Adult Neurology

Areas of Expertise:

• Acute Stroke Therapy
• Arterial Venous Malformation of the Brain & Spine
• Brain Aneurysm
• Carotid Artery Disease
• Endovascular Neurosurgery
• Interventional Neuroradiology
• Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting
• Pre-Operative Embolization of Head, Neck & Spine Tumors
• Stroke, Cerebral Aneurysms and Brain Hemorrhage
• Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)

Education:

• Doctor of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, 1996

Training:

• Internship, Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, 1996-1997
• Residency, Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 1997-2000
• Fellowship, Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 2000-2001
• Fellowship, Neurological Intensive Care, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, 2001-2002
• Fellowship, Interventional Neuroradiology, New York University Medical Center, New York City, NY, 2004-2006

Brief Clinical/Research Interest Statement:

Dr. Fitzsimmons research interests include the application and development of novel endovascular techniques for the treatment of acute stroke, with the intention of improving the safety and efficacy of such treatments, and increasing the number of patients who may be eligible to benefit from these treatments in the future.

Publications:

1. Hussain SI, Wolfe TJ, Lynch JR, Fitzsimmons BF, Zaidat OO. Diagnostic cerebral angiography: the interventional neurology perspective. J Neuroimaging. 2010 Jul;20(3):251-4. Epub 2009 Feb 13. PubMed PMID: 19226341.
2. Pawar SS, Loehrl TA, Michel MA, Fitzsimmons BF. Cavernous carotid pseudoaneurysm after endoscopic sphenoid mucocele marsupialization. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2010 Apr;136(4):407-10. PubMed PMID: 20403860.
3. Pandya DJ, Fitzsimmons BF, Wolfe TJ, Hussain SI, Lynch JR, Ortega-Gutierrez S, Zaidat OO. Measurement of antiplatelet inhibition during neurointerventional procedures: the effect of antithrombotic duration and loading dose. J Neuroimaging. 2010 Jan;20(1):64-9. PubMed PMID: 19018951.
4. Hussain SI, Lynch JR, Wolfe T, Fitzsimmons BF, Zaidat OO. Stent-assisted parent artery occlusion of giant cerebrovascular aneurysms to avoid mass effect. J Neuroimaging. 2009 Oct;19(4):370-4. Epub 2009 May 18. PubMed PMID: 19453830.
5. Wolfe TJ, Hussain SI, Lynch JR, Fitzsimmons BF, Zaidat OO. Pediatric cerebral angiography: analysis of utilization and findings. Pediatr Neurol. 2009 Feb;40(2):98-101. PubMed PMID: 19135622.
6. Zaidat OO, Wolfe T, Hussain SI, Lynch JR, Gupta R, Delap J, Torbey MT, Fitzsimmons BF. Interventional acute ischemic stroke therapy with intracranial self-expanding stent. Stroke. 2008 Aug;39(8):2392-5. Epub 2008 Jun 12. PubMed PMID: 18556584.
7. Lemke DM, Hussain SI, Wolfe TJ, Torbey MA, Lynch JR, Carlin A, Fitzsimmons BF, Zaidat OO. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy associated with seizures. Neurocrit Care. 2008;9(1):112-7. PubMed PMID: 18347760.
8. Schmidt JM, Rincon F, Fernandez A, Resor C, Kowalski RG, Claassen J, Connolly ES, Fitzsimmons BF, Mayer SA. Cerebral infarction associated with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neurocrit Care. 2007;7(1):10-7. PubMed PMID: 17657652.
9. Nelson PK, Sahlein D, Shapiro M, Becske T, Fitzsimmons BF, Huang P, Jafar JJ, Levy DI. Recent steps toward a reconstructive endovascular solution for the orphaned, complex-neck aneurysm. Neurosurgery. 2006 Nov;59(5 Suppl 3):S77-92; discussion S3-13. Review. PubMed PMID: 17053621.
10. Greenberg SM, Rosand J, Schneider AT, Creed Pettigrew L, Gandy SE, Rovner B, Fitzsimmons BF, Smith EE, Edip Gurol M, Schwab K, Laurin J, Garceau D. A phase 2 study of tramiprosate for cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2006 Oct-Dec;20(4):269-74. PubMed PMID: 17132972.
11. Fitzsimmons BF, Becske T, Nelson PK. Rapid stent-supported revascularization in acute ischemic stroke. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2006 May;27(5):1132-4. PubMed PMID: 16687558.
12. Naidech AM, Kreiter KT, Janjua N, Ostapkovich ND, Parra A, Commichau C, Fitzsimmons BF, Connolly ES, Mayer SA. Cardiac troponin elevation, cardiovascular morbidity, and outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Circulation. 2005 Nov 1;112(18):2851-6. PubMed PMID: 16267258.
13. Komotar RJ, Mocco J, Ransom ER, Mack WJ, Zacharia BE, Wilson DA, Naidech AM, McKhann GM 2nd, Mayer SA, Fitzsimmons BF, Connolly ES Jr. Herniation secondary to critical postcraniotomy cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia. Neurosurgery. 2005 Aug;57(2):286-92; discussion 286-92. PubMed PMID: 16094157.
14. Naidech AM, Janjua N, Kreiter KT, Ostapkovich ND, Fitzsimmons BF, Parra A, Commichau C, Connolly ES, Mayer SA. Predictors and impact of aneurysm rebleeding after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Arch Neurol. 2005 Mar;62(3):410-6. PubMed PMID: 15767506.
15. Parra A, Kreiter KT, Williams S, Sciacca R, Mack WJ, Naidech AM, Commichau CS, Fitzsimmons BF, Janjua N, Mayer SA, Connolly ES Jr. Effect of prior statin use on functional outcome and delayed vasospasm after acute aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a matched controlled cohort study. Neurosurgery. 2005 Mar;56(3):476-84; discussion 476-84. PubMed PMID: 15730572.
16. Naidech AM, Kreiter KT, Janjua N, Ostapkovich N, Parra A, Commichau C, Connolly ES, Mayer SA, Fitzsimmons BF. Phenytoin exposure is associated with functional and cognitive disability after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke. 2005 Mar;36(3):583-7. Epub 2005 Jan 20. PubMed PMID: 15662039.
17. Naidech A, Du Y, Kreiter KT, Parra A, Fitzsimmons BF, Lavine SD, Connolly ES, Mayer SA, Commichau C. Dobutamine versus milrinone after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neurosurgery. 2005;56(1):21-6l discussion 26-7. PubMed PMID: 15617582.
18. Mayer SA, Kowalski RG, Presciutti M, Ostapkovich ND, McGann E, Fitzsimmons BF, Yavagal DR, Du YE, Naidech AM, Janjua NA, Claassen J, Kreiter KT, Parra A, Commichau C. Clinical trial of a novel surface cooling system for fever control in neurocritical care patients. Crit Care Med. 2004 Dec;32(12):2508-15. PubMed PMID: 15599159.
19. Meyers PM, Lavine SD, Fitzsimmons BF, Commichau C, Parra A, Mayer SA, Solomon RA, Connolly ES Jr. Chemical meningitis after cerebral aneurysm treatment using two second-generation aneurysm coils: report of two cases. Neurosurgery. 2004 Nov;55(5):1222. PubMed PMID: 15791738.
20. Claassen J, Vu A, Kreiter KT, Kowalski RG, Du EY, Ostapkovich N, Fitzsimmons BF, Connolly ES, Mayer SA. Effect of acute physiologic derangements on outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Crit Care Med. 2004 Mar;32(3):832-8. PubMed PMID: 15090970.
21. Fitzsimmons BF, Marshall RS, Pile-Spellman J, Lazar RM. Neurobehavioral differences in superselective Wada testing with amobarbital versus lidocaine. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2003 Aug;24(7):1456-60. PubMed PMID: 12917146.
22. Gupta R, Oh U, Spessot AL, Anderson RC, Kaiser MG, Fitzsimmons BF. Resolution of Ondine's curse after suboccipital decompression in a 72-year-old woman. Neurology. 2003 Jul 22;61(2):275-6. PubMed PMID: 12874425.
23. Marshall RS, Rundek T, Sproule DM, Fitzsimmons BF, Schwartz S, Lazar RM. Monitoring of cerebral vasodilatory capacity with transcranial Doppler carbon dioxide inhalation in patients with severe carotid artery disease. Stroke. 2003 Apr;34(4):945-9. Epub 2003 Mar 6. PubMed PMID: 12624217.
24. Lazar RM, Fitzsimmons BF, Marshall RS, Mohr JP, Berman MF. Midazolam challenge reinduces neurological deficits after transient ischemic attack. Stroke. 2003 Mar;34(3):794-6. Epub 2003 Feb 20. PubMed PMID: 12624310.
25. Feng L, Fitzsimmons BF, Young WL, Berman MF, Lin E, Aagaard BD, Duong H, Pile-Spellman J. Intraarterially administered verapamil as adjunct therapy for cerebral vasospasm: safety and 2-year experience. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2002 Sep;23(8):1284-90. PubMed PMID: 12223366.
26. Mayer SA, Claassen J, Lokin J, Mendelsohn F, Dennis LJ, Fitzsimmons BF. Refractory status epilepticus: frequency, risk factors, and impact on outcome. Arch Neurol. 2002 Feb;59(2):205-10. PubMed PMID: 11843690.
27. Claassen J, Lokin JK, Fitzsimmons BF, Mendelsohn FA, Mayer SA. Predictors of functional disability and mortality after status epilepticus. Neurology. 2002 Jan 8;58(1):139-42. PubMed PMID: 11781422.
28. Lazar RM, Fitzsimmons BF, Marshall RS, Berman MF, Bustillo MA, Young WL, Mohr JP, Shah J, Robinson JV. Reemergence of stroke deficits with midazolam challenge. Stroke. 2002 Jan;33(1):283-5. PubMed PMID: 11779924.