Ayub K. Ommaya - Neurosurgical Career

Neurosurgical Career

Dr. Ommaya completed his neurosurgical training under Dr. Joseph Pennybacker at Nuffield College of Surgical Sciences in London and at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. After his neurosurgical training, Dr. Ommaya came to America and began working as a researcher and clinician at the Surgical Neurology Branch of the NIH. He rose to the rank of chief of Neurosurgery at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health. He also was a clinical professor at George Washington University.

Dr. Ommaya was well known for his surgical skill and in 1977 he completed a difficult removal of a spinal Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM) which received attention in the lay press. During the 18 hour operation the patient was placed in total body hypothermia and total circulatory arrest for 45 minutes. The hypothermia was needed to slow metabolism and protect the brain and organs from reduced oxygen supply while Dr. Ommaya surgically embolized and removed an AVM which was located near the medulla. Dr. Ommaya was the honorary physician to the President of Pakistan and he received Pakistan’s highest civilian award the Star of Achievement. Dr. Ommaya also appeared with Peter Ustinov, Nick Nolte, and Susan Sarandon in the movie Lorenzo's Oil released in 1992.

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