Our Center
Pacific Pituitary Disorders Center of Excellence
Pituitary tumors and related hormonal disorders are complex in their diagnosis and treatment & warrant a team approach of experienced specialists to achieve optimal outcomes.
Our multidisciplinary team is here to help you and your loved ones understand your condition and determine an optimal treatment plan. Because of our expertise, we treat many patients with the most challenging of pituitary and skull base tumors, including many with prior treatments (recurrent or residual tumors) and patients who have been deemed “non-operative”.
Our expertise includes treating the full spectrum of pituitary related disorders:
In an article published in the journal Neurosurgery in 2012, by Dr. Daniel Kelly et al, we define a Pituitary Center of Excellence as a cohesive team of specialists who:
- Promote collaboration and best practices to improve pituitary patient outcomes and quality of life.
- Advance novel and more effective pituitary treatments through research and clinical trials.
- Support pituitary medicine education and training for healthcare providers and for patients.
Facts about Pacific Pituitary Disorders Center of Excellence
Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery
For patients who need surgical removal of a pituitary adenoma, craniopharyngioma, Rathke’s cleft cyst or related tumor or cyst, our neurosurgeons and ENT surgeons are at the forefront of endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. Our Center Director, Dr. Daniel Kelly is among the most experienced pituitary surgeons in the world with over 2,000 patients treated. Together with Dr. Chester Griffiths, Chief of Endoscopic Sinonasal & Skullbase Surgery, they have over 25 years of experience in endonasal skull base and pituitary surgery.
Leading-Edge Personalized Pituitary Care
Our endocrinologists, Drs. Sarah Rettinger and Pejman Cohan have extensive experience diagnosing and treating pituitary hormonal deficiencies and providing medical therapies for hormonally active pituitary adenomas. For patients with aggressive or recurrent pituitary adenomas, as well as related tumors such as clival chordomas and craniopharyngiomas, our neuro-oncology team led by Dr. Santosh Kesari is on the leading edge of targeted tumor therapies, clinical trials and tumor genomic profiling.
Our radiation oncologists, Drs. Robert Wollman and Lisa Chaiken have extensive experience treating residual or recurrent pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas and parasellar meningiomas with radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy, using an advanced EDGE machine. We also offer real-time psycho-social support with an on-site social worker and hold a quarterly Pituitary Patient Support Group.
Leadership & Training in Pituitary Medicine
Many of our team members are leaders in the field of pituitary tumor care. They are actively involved in teaching other doctors the latest treatments and techniques in pituitary tumor management at national and international conferences, and direct our fellowship training program.
Publications
Our physicians have an extensive publication track record related to pituitary tumors, craniopharyngiomas, Rathke’s cleft cysts, clival chordomas and parasellar meningiomas, as well as pituitary hormonal disorders, demonstrating their long-term commitment to improving outcomes with these challenging problems.
Our Award Winning Hospitals
Pacific Neuroscience Institute physicians practice at award-winning hospitals: Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica and Providence Little Company of Mary in Torrance.