Paolo Bolognese, MD
Surgical Director
Paolo Bolognese, MD, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Turin School of Medicine in Italy and completed his initial neurosurgical training under Professor Victor A. Fasano. Following advanced research in intraoperative ultrasound and laser Doppler flowmetry, he relocated to the United States to continue clinical research with Dr. Thomas H. Milhorat. He subsequently completed a second neurosurgical residency, fellowship training in Chiari malformation and related disorders, and served as Chief Resident in Neurosurgery at SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn.
Dr. Bolognese later served as Associate Director of the Chiari Center and co-founded The Chiari Institute. In 2014, he established the Chiari Neurosurgical Center, which evolved into the Chiari EDS Center and ultimately The Center for Neuro-EDS and Craniospinal Disorders, reflecting the evolution of his clinical and research focus toward the complex neurological manifestations of connective tissue disorders.
Craniocervical Instability (CCI)
Advancing the Diagnosis and Treatment of Craniocervical Instability
For more than two decades, craniocervical instability (CCI) has been a principal focus of Dr. Paolo Bolognese's clinical practice and research, particularly in patients with connective tissue disorders characterized by generalized hypermobility. Central to this work is the recognition that the underlying biology of these disorders fundamentally alters the clinical presentation, disease behavior, and treatment response of craniocervical instability, necessitating a biologically informed diagnostic and surgical approach.
This work has driven the development of a biologically informed diagnostic framework incorporating intraoperative cervical traction (ICT) as a physiologic adjunct to diagnosis and surgical planning, together with specialized occipitocervical fusion strategies designed to address the unique challenges of connective tissue fragility, altered bone quality, and craniocervical biomechanics. Through ongoing clinical research and surgical innovation, Dr. Bolognese continues to advance the understanding and treatment of CCI in this unique patient population.
Clinical Innovation
Beyond his work in craniocervical instability, Dr. Bolognese has contributed to the development and refinement of diagnostic and surgical approaches across a broad spectrum of complex craniospinal disorders. His work emphasizes mechanism-based diagnosis, physiologic verification, and biologically informed surgical strategies designed to improve patient selection and outcomes.
Diagnostic Innovation
- Morphometric assessment of craniovertebral pathology
- Development of intraoperative cervical traction (ICT) as a physiologic adjunct to diagnosis and surgical planning
- Glossopharyngeal nerve blocks and targeted diagnostic strategies for Eagle syndrome
- Application of intracranial pressure monitoring to characterize disorders of craniospinal compliance
- Recognition of connective tissue disorders as biological modifiers of craniospinal disease
Surgical Innovation
- Tailored surgical management of Chiari spectrum disorders and craniovertebral pathology
- Minimally invasive and extradural posterior fossa decompression
- Biologically informed occipitocervical fusion strategies for connective tissue disorders, including condylar-based fixation
- Development of novel posterior approaches for internal jugular venous decompression and management of venous outflow disorders
- Surgical management of cerebrospinal fluid leaks and spontaneous intracranial hypotension
- Introduction of focal restrictive duraplasty for spontaneous intracranial hypotension
Leadership & Professional Service
Founder of the Chiari Neurosurgical Center, Chiari EDS Center, and The Center for Neuro-EDS and Craniospinal Disorders
Board of Directors, American Syringomyelia & Chiari Alliance Project (ASAP)
International collaborations advancing research in connective tissue disorders and complex craniospinal disease
Co-founder of The Chiari Institute
Scientific Education and Advisory Board, Chiari & Syringomyelia Foundation (CSF)
Invited lecturer and faculty member at national and international scientific meetings
Publications
Dr. Bolognese's publications reflect his longstanding commitment to advancing the diagnosis, biological understanding, and surgical management of complex craniospinal disorders, particularly in patients with connective tissue disorders characterized by generalized hypermobility.
View Publications →Media Library
Lectures, interviews, and educational media featuring Dr. Bolognese's work on craniocervical instability, Chiari spectrum disorders, and the neurological manifestations of connective tissue disease.
View Media Library →