Pacific Neuroscience Institute South Bay

Highlights

• Degenerative & complex spine surgery
• Brain tumor, pituitary & skull base surgery
• Minimally invasive neurosurgery
• Stroke & neurovascular care

For nearly a decade, the South Bay neurosurgery team at Pacific Neuroscience Institute has offered comprehensive, world-class brain and spine care right here in the South Bay. The fellowship-trained, board-certified neurosurgeons, each with a distinct subspecialty focus, provides academic-level care for complex disorders of the brain, head, spine, neck and back.

What’s a belief about health that you’ve changed your mind on over time?

Earlier in our careers, many surgeons believed that recovery after major brain and spine surgery had to be prolonged and difficult. Over time, we’ve learned that with minimally invasive techniques, thoughtful perioperative care, early mobilization and better patient education, many patients can recover far faster and more comfortably than we once thought possible.

What does “wellness” mean to you?

Wellness means preserving a person’s ability to fully participate in life—physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. In neurosurgery, success is not just removing a tumor or fixing a spinal problem. It’s helping patients return to their families, careers, passions and independence with confidence and dignity.

What are the most rewarding and difficult parts of your job?

The most rewarding part of our job is helping patients navigate some of the most frightening moments of their lives and seeing them regain hope and function afterward. The most difficult part is delivering life-changing news to patients and families when the diagnosis or prognosis is devastating. Those conversations never become easy, nor should they.

Tell us about a patient interaction that changed how you practice.

One of the biggest shifts in our practice came from seeing how dramatically patients benefited from enhanced recovery pathways after brain surgery. Patients who historically had stayed in the hospital for nearly a week were recovering faster, needing no opioids and returning home sooner (often the day of surgery or the next). It reinforced that surgical success depends not only on the operation itself but on the entire recovery experience surrounding it.

What’s one small, realistic change we can make that has an outsized impact?

Consistency with sleep, movement, hydration and nutrition often matters more than extreme health trends or “quick fixes.” Small sustainable habits practiced daily typically outperform aggressive short-term efforts. We routinely encourage people to prioritize preventive care and address symptoms early instead of waiting until problems become advanced.

What surprises people about neurosurgery?

People are often surprised by how collaborative modern neurosurgery has become. The best outcomes come from multidisciplinary teamwork involving neurologists, neuro-oncologists, ENT surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, nurses, anesthesiologists and many others. Even highly complex surgical care is rarely accomplished by one person alone.

Tell us about your team.

Walavan Sivakumar, MD is the director of the Stroke and Neurovascular Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute and the director of neurosurgery for PNI–South Bay. His expertise includes the surgical management of brain, skull base and pituitary tumors, as well as cerebrovascular and stroke-related surgical care using minimally invasive and endoscopic approaches.

Jean-Philippe Langevin, MD leads the restorative neurosurgery and deep brain stimulation program and is the co-director of the Pacific Spine Health Center. His work focuses on surgical treatments for movement disorders and advanced spine conditions, with an emphasis on neuro-modulation and functional restoration.

As co-director of the Pacific Spine Health Center, Jian Guan, MD specializes in spine neurosurgery. His expertise includes degenerative spine disease, spinal deformity and minimally invasive spine surgery designed to restore function and reduce downtime.

What is unique about health in the South bay?

The South Bay community is very engaged in health and wellness, which is a tremendous strength. People here value active lifestyles and preventive health. At the same time, many high-performing professionals delay seeking care because they are busy balancing careers, family and responsibilities. Early evaluation can often make treatment simpler and outcomes better.

Photographed by Shane O’Donnell