Dr. Matthew D. Smyth

Dr. Akbari specializes in pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. He joined the medical staff in 2022. He also is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He also is director of Clinical Research in the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery in the Institute for Brain Protection Sciences. Previously, Dr. Akbari was an attending physician at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Dr. Akbari earned his medical degree and a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He also completed a residency in neurosurgery and served as chief resident at Washington University. He completed a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham. Dr. Akbari is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metopic Ridge. His top areas of expertise are Chiari Malformation Type 1, Chiari Malformation, Chiari Malformation Type 2, Posterior Fossa Decompression, and Laminectomy.

Dr. S. Alex Rottgers is a pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgeon at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is also an assistant professor in the Johns Hopkins Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Rottgers received his undergraduate degree in biology and philosophy from Rice University in Houston and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, graduating with highest honors. He completed his residency in plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and performed a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Rottgers joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 2015. He currently serves as the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Chief of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Director of the Cleft/Craniofacial Team, and Co-director of the Vascular Anomalies Clinic in St. Petersburg. Dr. Rottgers's research interests include outcomes research of patients with cleft lip and cleft palate, craniosynostosis, and vascular anomalies. He is interested in 3-D surgical planning and modeling of the craniofacial skeleton for treating patients with deformities. Dr. Rottgers is a member of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Society of Craniofacial Surgery, and American Academy of Pediatrics. He is now serving as the Vice President of the Florida Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association. Dr. Rottgers serves as a journal reviewer for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, and PLOS ONE. He has received numerous awards for his exceptional performance, including the 2018 Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Best Consulting Physician, the American Cleft Palate/Craniofacial Association Paul Black Junior Investigator Award, and the Baylor College of Medicine L. Leighton Hill Excellence in Pediatrics Award and the S. Carl Harvey Memorial Award for excellence in gross anatomy. Dr. Rottgers is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metopic Ridge. His top areas of expertise are Micrognathia, Baller-Gerold Syndrome, Lambdoid Synostosis, and Craniosynostosis.

Dr. Ruas specializes in plastic surgery and cleft and craniofacial surgery at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and is the director of plastic surgery resident education. He joined the hospital staff in 1990. He is a clinical professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Dr. Ruas earned his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed general and plastic surgery residencies at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He completed a fellowship in maxillofacial trauma and microsurgical lower extremity reconstruction at The Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Systems Services (MIEMSS) and a craniomaxillofacial surgery fellowship under Dr. Fernando Ortiz-Monasterio in Mexico City. Dr. Ruas is fluent in Spanish. Dr. Ruas is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Metopic Ridge. His top areas of expertise are Metopic Ridge, Plagiocephaly, and Craniosynostosis.