Elias Dagnew, MD, FAANS, FACS
Dr. Elias Dagnew is a board-certified neurosurgeon and the founder of Georgia Brain & Spine Center, with over 15 year experience in the diagnosis and neurosurgical treatment of patients with complex brain and spine disorders. Dr. Dagnew has earned a reputation amongst patients and his physician peers for his unsurpassed clinical and surgical skills, conservative approach to surgical decisions, compassionate care, and excellent outcomes. He has expertise and vast experience in the diagnosis and treatment of all aspects of neurosurgery and spine surgery. His specialized expertise in complex brain and spine tumor surgery sets him apart as one of only a few neurosurgeons in the Southeastern United States with fellowship training in surgical neuro-oncology. Dr. Dagnew is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Dagnew earned a bachelor’s degree at Dallas Baptist University, graduating summa cum laude. He then attended Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis on a full scholarship, graduating with honors. During this time, he also earned a Master of Art degree in neuroscience as a three-year recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Student Fellowship.
Dr. Dagnew went on to complete his internship and residency in neurosurgery at the University of Cincinnati and the renowned Mayfield Clinic & Spine Institute, gaining extensive experience in a wide variety of brain and spine surgeries. Later, Dr. Dagnew completed a fellowship in cranial, skull base, and complex spinal surgical oncology at the top-ranked cancer hospital, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
After his training, Dr. Dagnew joined a neurosurgery practice in Atlanta where he treated hundreds of patients with diverse brain and spine diseases quickly earning the respect of his patients and his peers for his clinical skills and his compassionate care. Dr. Dagnew then joined the Memorial Neuroscience and Cyberknife Center in Jacksonville, Florida. There he gained extensive experience in brain surgery, complex and minimally invasive spine surgery, brain and spine tumor surgery, kyphoplasty, and Cyberknife radiosurgery, distinguishing himself with his remarkable knowledge, decision-making ability, surgical skill, compassionate care, and patient outcomes. In 2009, Dr. Dagnew returned to Atlanta and founded Georgia Brain & Spine Center with the dedicated mission of providing an unmatched level of skillful, comprehensive, and compassionate neurosurgical care to patients with spine and brain conditions in the Atlanta metro area, throughout north Georgia, and beyond.
Dr. Dagnew has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and has presented several research topics at scientific meetings regarding the spine, brain and spine tumors, vasospasm, and hydrocephalus.
Dr. Dagnew is a member of numerous professional medical organizations, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the AANS/CNS Section on Tumors, the Society of Neuro-Oncology (SNO), the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and the Spine Intervention Society (SIS). In his spare time, Dr Dagnew enjoys reading, traveling, photography, physical fitness, and golfing.
My patients are the focus of my career. I truly consider it my honor, privilege, and great responsibility to take care of them. I take the time to become acquainted with my patients beyond just their medical concerns. Furthermore, I believe in educating my patients regarding their diagnosis, treatment options, and expected outcome, helping them to make the best informed decision regarding their care. It is my mission to deliver unmatched neurosurgery services, to do this with utmost compassion, and to pursue excellence in all that I do. I believe the true measure of success is the outcome of treatment, and my patients are the best judges of this.
Elias Dagnew, MD, FACS
Education
-Undergraduate: Dallas Baptist University
-Master’s Degree (Neuroscience): Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis
-Medical School: Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis
-Neurosurgery Residency: University of Cincinnati, Mayfield Clinic & Spine Institute
-Fellowship: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Selected Publications
1. Sherman JD, Dagnew E, van Loveren HR, and Tew JM: Facial Neuromas: A report of ten cases. Neurosurgery 50(3):450-6, 2002
2. Dagnew E, van Loveren HR, and Tew JM: Acute Foramen Magnum Syndrome caused by Acquired Chiari Malformation Following Lumbar Drainage of Cerebrovascular Fluid: A report of 3 Cases. Neurosurgery 51(3):823-8, 2002
3. McPherson CM, Bohinski RJ, Dagnew E, Warnick RE, Tew JM: Clinical experience with a shared-resonance, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging center for resection of intracranial neoplasms. Techniques in Neurosurgery 7(4):274-284, 2002
4. McPherson CM, Bohinski RJ, Dagnew E, Warnick RE, and Tew JM: Tumor resection in a shared-resource magnetic resonance operating room: experience at the University of Cincinnati. Acta Neurochir suppl 85:39-44, 2003
5. Dagnew E, Latchemsetty K, Erinjeri J, Miller B, Fox K, Woolsey TA: Glutamate receptor blockade alters the development of intracortical connections in rat barrel cortex Somatosensory and Motor Research 20(1):77-84, 2003
6. Aziz KMA, Froelich SC, Dagnew E, Jean W, Zuccarello M, Tew JM, van Loveren HR: Resectability of meningiomas involving the cavernous sinus: conservative surgical strategies toward better functional outcomes. Neurosurgery 54(6):1375-1384, 2004
7. Dagnew E, Kanski, J, McDermott M, Sneed PK, Warnick RE, and Breneman C: Management of newly diagnosed single brain metastasis using resection and permanent iodine-125 seeds without initial whole-brain radiotherapy: a two institution experience. Neurosurg Focus 22(3):E3,1-7, 2007
8. Dagnew E, Langford LA, Lang, FF, Demonte F: Papillary Tumors of the Pineal Region: Case Report. Neurosurgery 60(5):E953-E955, May 2007
9. Dagnew E, Mendel E, Rhines L, Lang F, Gokaslan Z, McCutheon I: Single-Stage Transpedicular Vertebrectomy (TPV) with Circumferential Decompression and Fixation for the Management of Spinal Metastasis: 10-years Experience. (in preparation)
10. Barami K, Grow A, Brem S, Dagnew E, Sloan AE: Vascular complications after radiosurgery for meningiomas. Neurosurg Focus 22(3):E9,1-5, 2007
11. Barami K, Dagnew E: Endoscope-assisted posterior approach for the resection of ventral intradural spinal cord tumors: report of 2 cases. Minim Invas Neurosurg 50:370-373, 2007
12. Dagnew, E, Lanford LA, Lang FF, Demonte, F: Papillary tumors of the pineal region: case report. Neurosurgery 60(5):E953-5, 2007