Meena Vessell, MD

Dr. Vessell knows that bringing your child to the hospital or clinic can be scary, especially when surgical treatment for a neurological disease is needed. She strives to ensure that the experience of seeing a Texas Children’s neurosurgeon provides patients and families with the knowledge and peace of mind of knowing that their child is receiving top-notch surgical care. She prioritizes building a relationship of trust with her patients and families. Her greatest joy is seeing kids develop and grow. 

Clinical Interests

hydrocephalus, tumors of brain and spine, pediatric epilepsy (mesial temporal sclerosis, extratemporal epilepsy, tuberous sclerosis, tumor-related epilepsy, cortical dysplasia, Rasmussen’s syndrome, Sturge-Weber syndrome, hemimegalencephaly, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, hypothalamic hamartoma, Laundau-Kleffner syndrome), congenital malformations (spina bifida, spina bifida occulta, myelomeningocele, meningocele, dermal sinus tract, intracranial cysts, tethered spinal cord, fatty filum, Chiari malformations, encephalocele, diastematomyelia), vascular malformations of the brain and spine (arteriovenous malformations (AVM), cavernous malformations, moyamoya, arteriovenous fistulae of the brain and spine, intracranial aneurysms, veon of Galen malformation), craniofacial syndrome (Craniosynostosis, Apert syndrome, Crouzon syndrome, Pfieffer syndrome, plagiocephaly), spinal deformities, movement disorders (cerebral palsy, dystonia, spasticity, Tourette's syndrome, torticollis), traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injury 

Education

Organizations

* Texas Children’s Hospital physicians’ licenses and credentials are reviewed prior to practicing at any of our facilities. Sections titled From the Doctor, Professional Organizations and Publications were provided by the physician’s office and were not verified by Texas Children’s Hospital.

Research interests

Pediatric epilepsy, gut-brain axis, neurosurgery workforce

Vessell M, Willett A, Ugiliweneza B, Sharma M, Mutchnick I, Boakye M, Chern J, Weiner H, Neimat J. National 22-year epilepsy surgery landscape shows increasing open and minimally invasive pediatric epilepsy surgery.  Epilepsia. 2024;1-15. doi:10.1111/epi.18030

Vessell M, Willett A, Chapman B, et al. Evidence for Thalamic Responsive Neurostimulation in Treatment of Adult and Pediatric Epilepsy [published online ahead of print, 2023 Feb 2]. Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. 2023;1-11. doi:10.1159/000528629

Mamaril-Davis J, Vessell M, Ball T, et al. Combined Responsive Neurostimulation and Focal Resection for Super Refractory Status Epilepticus: A Systematic Review and Illustrative Case Report. World Neurosurgery. 2022;167:195-204.e7. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2022.07.141

Thatikunta M, Pearson L, Nguyen C, et al. Three-Dimensional Volumetric Changes in Posterior Vault Distraction With Distraction Osteogenesis. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. 2020;31(5):1301-1306. doi:10.1097/SCS.0000000000006450

Mutchnick I, Thatikunta M, Braun J, et al. Protocol-driven prevention of perioperative hypothermia in the pediatric neurosurgical population [published online ahead of print, 2020 Feb 14]. Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics. 2020;1-7. doi:10.3171/2019.12.PEDS1980

Thatikunta M, Mutchnick I, Elster J, et al. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors: case report. Journal of Neurosurgery Pediatrics. 2017;19(5):546-552. doi:10.3171/2016.12.PEDS16427

Mutchnick IS, Thatikunta MA, Gump WC, Stewart DL, Moriarty TM. Congenital myotonic dystrophy: ventriculomegaly and shunt considerations for the pediatric neurosurgeon. Childs Nervous System. 2016;32(4):609-616. doi:10.1007/s00381-015-2993-y

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