Blake A. Parente, PA

I am a neurosurgeon and researcher who focuses on surgical solutions for movement disorders and pain due to cancer, prior nerve injury, stroke, failed back surgery, limb amputation, trigeminal neuralgia and other causes. I have always been fascinated by how the brain and spinal cord works, converting a thought in your mind to a physical action or feeling. As a neurosurgeon, I get to treat people who have problems with this process. Every day, I get to help patients make dramatic improvements in their quality of life, which is greatly rewarding. At Duke, we’re lucky to have access to the latest technologies and world-class research. Our technology allows us to perform surgeries in the least invasive, most precise ways possible. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my wife and three young boys. Dr. Lad is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Neuralgia. His top areas of expertise are Spinal Stenosis, Chronic Pain, Parkinson's Disease, Laminectomy, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Matthew Ewend is a Neurosurgery provider in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Ewend is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Neuralgia. His top areas of expertise are Pituitary Tumor, Congenital Cardiovascular Shunt, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, Awake Craniotomy, and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. Dr. Ewend is currently accepting new patients.

I specialize in skull base tumors, certain vascular tumors that affect the brain, brain aneurysms, and strokes. Skull base tumors usually occur in a hard-to-reach area where there are a lot of sensitive structures. I have devoted many hours to perfecting my technical skills and my surgical approaches. Skull base tumors tend not to be malignant, so if you can remove the tumor cleanly, you can cure the patient. It's thrilling to be able to reassure the patient and family that they don't have to worry about this disease anymore. Having these conditions can be a scary time in patients’ lives, and I have committed myself to helping them through the process. It's also important to be able to perform surgery in a setting where the patient has the best likelihood of a good outcome. That's what makes Duke stand out: We do rare things frequently and, as a result, we're quite good at them. Dr. Zomorodi is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Neuralgia. His top areas of expertise are Brain Aneurysm, Acoustic Neuroma, Schwannoma, Cerebral Artery Bypass Surgery, and Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery.