Dean G. Karahalios, M.D.

Neurological Surgery

Dean G. Karahalios, M.D., a board-certified neurosurgeon, is well versed in treating the full spectrum of neurological disorders. He is a leading authority on the treatment of patients with complex spinal disorders, and is particularly well known for his use of implants, fusion systems, instrumentation, and innovative complex spine techniques to treat patients with degenerative problems, and traumatic injuries to the spine. He also has a keen interest and extensive experience in a unique and aggressive multi-modality approach to primary and metastatic tumors of the spine, which includes cutting-edge surgical approaches and spinal radiosurgery. He is highly skilled in the use of image-guided and minimally invasive surgical techniques, which reduce the risks and speed the recovery time of spine surgery.

Dr. Karahalios earned his medical degree in 1991 from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. After receiving his degree, Dr. Karahalios accepted a yearlong internship in general surgery at the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. He then went on to complete his residency in neurological surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona in 1998. While pursuing his residency at the Barrow Neurological Institute, Dr. Karahalios also completed a yearlong fellowship in spinal surgery under Dr. Volker Sonntag.

Following his residency, Dr. Karahalios accepted an assistant professorship of neurosurgery at Northwestern University Medical Center, and was appointed to the directorship of the Laboratory for Minimally Invasive and Image-Guided Neurosurgery at Evanston Northwestern Hospital, Evanston, Illinois. In 2002, Dr. Karahalios moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where he accepted the positions of director of the Indiana Neurosciences Institute, and co-director of the Novalis radiosurgery project. As a member of the Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group, he served as chief of spine surgery, and director of the spine fellowship program.

Dr. Karahalios is an active author, lecturer, educator, and researcher. He has written numerous articles and book chapters on the topic of complex spinal surgery. His many research studies and publications have covered many spine-related topics including the evaluation of instrumentation and techniques used for spinal fusions and reconstructions, image-guided spinal surgery, and novel minimal access techniques.

Dr. Karahalios is a member of several professional organizations including the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves of the AANS/CNS, the Illinois Neurosurgical Society and the American College of Surgeons.

Dean G. Karahalios, M.D. can be reached at CINN at the Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago, 773/250-0400, or CINN-North Shore (Highland Park, 847/926-5005, or CINN-Vernon Hills, 847/984-6490.