Neurosurgery
Key Researcher
David Darrow, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Dr. David Darrow grew up in Plano, TX before heading to Texas A&M University to complete a degree in Physics and a degree in Mathematics. He attended medical and graduate school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. Following devastating hurricanes, Dr. Darrow ran a free clinic and public health programs in Texas. He completed his Master’s in Public Health and developed a passion for treating and understanding diseases of the brain and mind. He has received numerous awards and recognitions including AOA, GHHS, McGovern Award, and MLK Service award.
Dr. David Darrow is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota and the Rockswold-Kaplan Endowed Chair for Traumatic Brain Injury at Hennepin County Medical Center, specializing in functional and pain neurosurgery. Dr. Darrow treats diseases of the central nervous system with neuromodulation including epilepsy, movement disorders, trigeminal neuralgia/facial pain, chronic pain, and psychiatric diseases.
Restorative Neurotrauma Lab
Despite advances in patient care after traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, traumatic injuries to the nervous system still confer a high morbidity and mortality. The development of effective treatments and therapies to minimize complications of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) is of paramount importance. Yet, they have been hindered due to a fundamental lack of understanding of the injury processes. In order to be the leading institution for the treatment of traumatic injuries to the brain and spinal cord, a better understanding of the underlying physiology and pathology (basic science) must inform personalized and novel treatment strategies (translation) built on a foundation of ceaseless clinical improvements (quality improvement). The Restorative Neurotrauma Lab at HHRI aims to investigate and bolster promising treatments/therapies through a multifaceted approach by integrating clinical and academic expertise.
Dr. Darrow is interested in functional neurosurgery and the treatment of functional diseases of the central nervous system including epilepsy, movement disorders, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and psychiatric diseases. Through his research, he works directly with biomedical engineers to unify noninvasive and invasive forms of neuromodulation with validated, model-based approaches and control theory. He specializes in clinical trials and the application of novel devices and algorithms to optimize and understand neuromodulation approaches to treating disease.
Dr. Darrow is the PI of the Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Research Center at HCMC where electrophysiology and neuromodulation and used to better understand and treat traumatic injuries of the central nervous system. He is the PI for the E-STAND trial, where neuromodulation is used to restore function after Spinal Cord Injury. In collaboration with many other investigators, the team is testing neuromodulation to restore volitional movement and autonomic function using algorithmic, personalized approaches through remote data collection.
Studies / Projects / Highlights
- Epidural Neuromodulation for Spinal Cord Injury (E-STAND)
- Cortical spreading depolarization after severe traumatic brain injury (CSD); Depth electrode detection of cortical spreading depolarization after traumatic brain injury (Depth)
- Epidural Neuromodulation for Spinal Cord Injuries Long Term (LTO)
- DPClinical MT-3921 Drug Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of MT-3291 for Acute Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
- StiMulating After Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury (SMART)
- The Impact of Injustice Appraisals on Psychosocial Outcomes Following Spinal Cord Injury: A Longitudinal Study
Affiliated Researchers
Dr. Thomas Bergman, MD Chief of Neurosurgery https://www.hennepinhealthcare.org/provider/thomas-a-bergman-md/
Dr. Walter Galicich, MD Neurosurgeon https://www.hennepinhealthcare.org/provider/walter-e-galicich-md/
Dr. Samuel Cramer, Ph.D.
Publications
- Link to PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30667299/
- Injuries from Less-Lethal Weapons during the George Floyd Protests in Minneapolis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33440082/ - Optimization of Spinal Cord Stimulation Using Bayesian Preference Learning and Its Validation
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34543198/ - Discrepancy Between Internal and External Intracranial Pressure Transducers: Quantification of an Old Source of Error in EVDs?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31394360/ - Advances in Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation to Restore Function after Spinal Cord Injury: History and Systematic Review https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/neu.2022.0007
- The safety of epidural spinal cord stimulation to restore function after spinal cord injury: post-surgical complications and incidence of cardiovascular events https://www.nature.com/articles/s41393-022-00822-w
- Effect of epidural spinal cord stimulation after chronic spinal cord injury on volitional movement and cardiovascular function: study protocol for the phase II open label controlled ESTAND trial https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/12/7/e059126.full.pdf
- Mapping Spinal Cord Stimulation-Evoked Muscle Responses in Patients with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1094715922013605?via%3Dihub
- Reliability of visual review of intracranial electroencephalogram in identifying the seizure onset zone: A systematic review and implications for the accuracy of automated methods https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/epi.17446
- Long-Term Spinal Cord Stimulation After Chronic Complete Spinal Cord Injury Enables Volitional Movement in the Absence of Stimulation https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2020.00035/full
- The Language of Less-Lethal Weapons https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2117779119?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&url_ver=Z39.88-2003
- Mapping spreading depolarisations after traumatic brain injury: a pilot clinical study protocol https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35831043/
Staff
Tara Nash, RN, FNP-BC
Research Manager
Tara became a Minnesota registered nurse in 2014. Tara had an aspiration for more education and she perused her Masters of Science in Nursing from Simmons University, Boston Massachusetts. As an advanced practice nurse in the state of Minnesota, she is able to compliment Dr. David Darrow’s research. Tara brings her nursing experience to the team to ensure there is integration between research and subject experience. Tara always states her passion for research, as a wonderful blend of science and compassion for people.
Srinidhi Satish (Nidhi), MPH
Research Coordinator
Nidhi graduated from St. Olaf College with a degree in Biology and Psychology. She went on to get her MPH degree from Tufts University in Boston, MA. She developed a passion for public health and clinical care, and finds research to be a fantastic medium to address issues in both areas of her interest. She is interested in research and how vital it is for furthering medicine and to make healthcare more accessible and equitable for everyone.
To make a donation to this program, click on the Donate to this Program button. In the Other box under Designation, type in Neurosurgery Fund 03275
Key Researcher
David Darrow, MD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Dr. David Darrow grew up in Plano, TX before heading to Texas A&M University to complete a degree in Physics and a degree in Mathematics. He attended medical and graduate school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. Following devastating hurricanes, Dr. Darrow ran a free clinic and public health programs in Texas. He completed his Master’s in Public Health and developed a passion for treating and understanding diseases of the brain and mind. He has received numerous awards and recognitions including AOA, GHHS, McGovern Award, and MLK Service award.
Dr. David Darrow is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota and the Rockswold-Kaplan Endowed Chair for Traumatic Brain Injury at Hennepin County Medical Center, specializing in functional and pain neurosurgery. Dr. Darrow treats diseases of the central nervous system with neuromodulation including epilepsy, movement disorders, trigeminal neuralgia/facial pain, chronic pain, and psychiatric diseases.