Dr. Ketan R. Bulsara is a world-renowned neurosurgeon with an unparalleled range of expertise in treating neurological disorders. He trained with the pioneers in neurosurgery and is an author on many national and international guidelines and standards. Now he brings that expertise to UConn Health as chief of the Division of Neurosurgery.
Bulsara joins UConn Health from Yale University, where he built successful programs in neurovascular and skull base surgery. He is among an elite few neurosurgeons in the world with dedicated dual fellowship training in skull base/cerebrovascular microsurgery and endovascular surgery. Bulsara is directing both of those disciplines in UConn Health’s Department of Surgery in addition to serving as chief of neurosurgery.
“Dr. Bulsara is a world-class neurosurgeon who brings a level of expertise that is almost unheard of in neurosurgery,” says Dr. David McFadden, chair of the UConn Health Department of Surgery. “Whether it’s complex tumors, aneurysms, or any sort of brain- or nerve-related problem, he is well-equipped to offer a full range of treatment options, from maximal to minimally invasive.”
That includes the full spectrum of treatment of both hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke. Bulsara was an early adopter of mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure in which the surgeon removes a clot from a blocked blood vessel going to the brain. Bulsara’s arrival and his collaboration with UConn Health’s stroke program puts UConn Health in a position to handle these more complex cranial cases.
“The addition of Dr. Ketan Bulsara enhances our ability to provide comprehensive care to a greater variety of neurology and neurosurgery patients,” says Dr. L. John Greenfield, chair of the UConn Health Department of Neurology. “His endovascular expertise will allow us to use the latest techniques to remove blood clots in stroke patients, which was recently shown to be beneficial for up to 24 hours after a stroke. He also brings enormous skill in handling brain hemorrhages, aneurysms and complex brain tumors.”
Bulsara also will be involved in UConn Health’s efforts to expand its epilepsy program to include neurosurgical treatments, and will be recruiting additional neurosurgeons with other areas of expertise.
Decorated with numerous awards from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Bulsara is a frequently invited national and international lecturer. He has published three books and more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, and has held numerous leadership positions in academic neurosurgery, both nationally and internationally. Bulsara consistently has been listed as one of the top physicians and surgeons in the United States by the Consumer Research Group of America based in Washington, D.C.
“It’s always been my dream to establish a world-class destination center for neurosurgical care,” Bulsara says. “Neurosurgery, the way I look at it, is a multidisciplinary specialty. The focus of my division is to optimize patient outcome. We’ll build a team that’s tailored and personalized for every single patient. Ultimately as a team we provide the best care for the patients.”
Bulsara completed both medical school and his neurosurgical residency training at Duke University Medical Center. During and after his residency, he completed further training in skull base/cerebrovascular microsurgery and endovascular surgery.
“We are excited at Dr. Ketan Bulsara’s arrival,” says Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, UConn Health’s CEO and executive vice president for health affairs. “Dr. Bulsara trained with pioneers in cutting edge neurosurgery procedures and is proficient in multiple techniques for entire disease processes. He is a critical part of advancing our neurosurgery program, which will benefit our patients and elevate many other programs, including our stroke program.”
