Zulma Tovar-Spinoza
Papers
2
Total Citations
128
H-Index
2
About
Zulma Tovar-Spinoza is a pioneering pediatric neurosurgeon whose work has fundamentally advanced the application of minimally invasive laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for treating complex neurological conditions in children. Her research centers on the clinical translation of LITT for brain tumors and drug-resistant epilepsy, with a particular focus on improving outcomes and quality of life for pediatric patients. As a principal investigator of the landmark LAANTERN registry, she has led the largest prospective, multicenter studies evaluating the NeuroBlate system, demonstrating that LITT achieves durable seizure control and favorable quality-of-life outcomes in epilepsy patients, with one-year data showing significant Engel class I seizure freedom rates. Her 2020 LAANTERN publication on brain tumor ablation (75 citations) and her epilepsy outcomes study (53 citations) have become foundational references in the field, establishing evidence-based benchmarks for this technology. Dr. Tovar-Spinoza’s contributions have been instrumental in shifting the paradigm from open cranial surgery to targeted, robotic-assisted thermal ablation, offering children with otherwise inoperable lesions a safer, recovery-sparing alternative. Her work continues to shape international guidelines for pediatric laser neurosurgery.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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