Izabela Tarasiewicz, MD

Department

Neurosurgery

Izabela Tarasiewicz, MD

Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Medical Director for the Craniofacial Clinic at UHS

Personal Statement:

Dr. Tarasiewicz received her medical degree from the Université de Sherbrooke (Québec, Canada) and completed her residency atUniversité Laval in Québec City. She completed a postgraduate fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at Children’s Memorial Hospital, an affiliate of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. She is certified by both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery. Dr. Tarasiewicz specializes in pediatric neurosurgery with a focus on the management of spinal dysraphism and congenital malformations of the central nervous system. Within the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Team, she diagnoses brain tumors and provides surgical options via tumor resection and biopsy. Dr. Tarasiewicz also discusses patient cases with a multi-disciplinary tumor board in order to create an adjunctive treatment plan that suits the needs of each individual child. One of her foremost research goals is to redefine the standard of care for children afflicted with tethered spinal cord syndrome. She is currently collaborating with pediatric urologists regarding the use of preoperative urodynamic studies in this patient population. She  is currently working to:

  • Further, develop the Academic pediatric neurosurgery program in San Antonio and the South Texas region.
  • Build a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to care for multiple complex pathologies which culminated in starting clinics such as:
  • Craniofacial Clinic
  • Pediatric Pain clinic
  • Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion clinic
  • Spasticity clinic
  • Tethered cord clinic
  • She also established an all-volunteer program to perform neurosurgical procedures for children in underprivileged regions of the world.

Dr. Tarasiewicz enjoys teaching medical students, PA students and residents and mid-level providers. She is a member of the following organizations: The International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, The American Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery, The American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and The Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons. She is board certified by both the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery. Additionally, she is fluent in English, French and Polish.

She is also the Medical Director for the Craniofacial Clinic at UHS


Education

1993 Lycee prive St. Paul Baccalaureat francais/Mention Tres Bien, Lille, France

1999: Medical Doctor Universite de Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec, Canada

1999-2006: Residency Universite Laval, Quebec City, Canada

2006-2007 Clinical Fellowship Northwestern University/ Children‘s Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA

Awards & Accomplishments

Mention Tres Bien: The Highest Honor on final exams in Nord/Pas-de-Calais for Baccalaureat Francais diploma.

Affiliations

Congress of Neurological Surgeons Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons American Association of Neurological Surgeons International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgeons Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeon of Canada

Publications

(‘*’ indicates Peer Reviewed) Abstract * 1. Tarasiewicz I,Fanous AA, Dumont T. Split-thickness decompressive cranioplasty 2010 Jun. (NENS). * 2. Tarasiewicz I, Berthelet F, Bojanowski, M. Pseudoneoplasie calcifiante intracranienne Elsevier-Journal; 2005. (Neurochirurgie; vol. 51, no. 5). Journal Article * 1. Samples, Derek C., Henry JM, Yu, Fang, Bazan C, Tarasiewicz I. A case of astroblastoma: Radiological and histopathological characteristics and a review of current treatment options Surgical Neurology International 2016 Dec:S1008-S1012. * 2. Carr, Kevin, Ghamasaee, Pegah, Singh AK, Tarasiewicz I. Posterior Fossa syndrome with delayed MR evidence of unilateral superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP) damage Childs Nerv Syst 2016 Nov * 3. Samples, Derek C., Henry JM, Yu, Fang, Bazan C, Tarasiewicz I. A case of astroblastoma: Radiological and histopathological characteristics and a review of current treatment options. Journal of Neurosurgery 2016 * 4. White Jeffrey, Samples Derek C, Prieto Juan, Tarasiewicz I. Systematic Review of Urology Outcomes from Tethered Cord Release in Occult Spinal Dysraphism in Children Current Urology Reports 2015 Oct * 5. Tarasiewicz I, Murray RD, Penar PL, Filippi CG. Radiographically distinct variant of pilocytic astrocytoma: a case series J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2011 Jul;35(4):495-497. * 6. Tarasiewicz I, Salmela MB, Cauley KA, Andrews T, Gonyea JV, Filippi CG. Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging of the optic nerves to guide treatment of pediatric suprasellar tumors. Pediatric Neurosurgery 2009;45(6):467-471. * 7. Tarasiewicz I, Berthelet F, Bojanowski M.. Intracranial Calfifying Pseudoneoplasm The Canadian Journal of Neurolgical Science 2006 Jan;33(1):S52 Not Specified 1. Samples, DC, Tarasiewicz I. Review and Classification of occult spinal dysraphism and tethered cord syndrome in children Journal of Spine 2016;5(4) PRESENTATIONS: 06/2017 Update on Hydrocephalus, BHS Pediatric Clinical Council Meeting, Baptist Health System, San Antonio, TX (Sole Presenter) Details: CME Presentation on 6/21/17 at North Central Baptist Hospital. 06/2017 Update on Hydrocephalus, Hospital Medicine/Neurosurgery Quarterly Conference, UT Health, San Antonio, TX (Sole Presenter) Details: Update on gold standard treatment of hydrocephalus and shunt infections. 04/2017 Spinal Dysraphism, AANS Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA (Sole Presenter) 06/2016 Autologous Bone Flap cranioplasty handling process, Clinical Safety & Effectiveness Course, Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Anotonio, TX (Co-Presenter) 02/2016 Management of Non-accidental Trauma Clinical,Ethical & Legal Perspective [ETHICS], Texas Association of Neurologcial Surgeons, Neurosurgery, TANS Annual Meeting, Fort Worth, Dallas, TX (Sole Presenter) 11/2015 Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury, Night Out With San Antonio AirLife, Nursing and EMS, San Antonio AirLife, San Antonio, TX (Invited Speaker) 08/2015 Pediatric tethered cord syndrome, BHS Pediatric Clinical Council CME, Pediatrics, BHS, San Antonio, TX (Sole Presenter) 08/2015 Ventriculostomy and EVD, Essential Skills for the Advanced Practice Provider, AANS advanced practice provider course, AANS, San Antonio, TX (Sole Presenter) Details: Hands-On Practical Clinic From Cranial to Spine: An Overview of Neurosurgical Topics for the Advanced Practice Provider 06/2015 Pediatric tethered cord syndrome, Pediatric Grand Rounds, Department of Pediatric, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX (Sole Presenter) 05/2015 Practical Clinic: EVD insertions, AANS-Annual Scientific Meeting, Mid-level Provider Course, AANS, Washington, DC (Co-Presenter) 05/2015 Myelomeningocele Care, North Central Baptist Nursing/Staff Educational Meeting, Nursing and Staff involved in NICU Care, North Central Baptist, San Antonio, TX (Sole Presenter) Details: Overview on Myelomeningocele Care after birth. 07/2013 Hydrocephalus, TUFTS school of medicine, Boston, MA (Sole Presenter) Details: Lecture- Fist year student PA Program 07/2013 Tethered cord/spinal dysraphism, Tufts University, Boston, MA (Sole Presenter) Details: Lecture- First year PA students 02/2013 Tethered cord: when and why should we untether?, American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery Meeting, HI (Sole Presenter) Details: Role of preop USD 08/2011 Didactic surgery clerkship ” Common Neurosurgical problems” for 3rd year medical students, Burlington, VT (Sole Presenter) 01/2011 Tethered cord syndrome, Grand Rounds, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (Sole Presenter) 06/2010 Didactic surgery clerkship Common Neurosurgical problems for 3rd year medical students, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT (Sole Presenter) 06/2010 Split-thickness decompressive cranioplasty case presentation, New England Neurosurgical Society (NENS) Annual, Annual Meeting, NENS, Chatham, MA (Co-Author) Details: 06/2010 Split-thickness decompressive cranioplasty, case presentation . New England Neurosurgical Society (NENS) Annual Meeting,Chatham MA Fanous AA, Dumont T, Tarasiewicz I ( senior author) 04/2010 Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries-Current managements and newest trends, Children‘s Hospital Of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada (Sole Presenter) Details: Pediatric Critical Care Academic Workshop 03/2010 Traumatic brain injury, Pathophysiology and Management Course for 4th year medical students, Trauma workshop, UVM College of Medicine, Burlington, VT (Sole Presenter) 11/2009 Pediatric Neurosurgery, American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter Annual Meeting, Neurosurgery, University of Vermont, Randolph, VT (Sole Presenter) 06/2008 CNS Infections :Pathophysiology, mandatory course for 2 year medical students, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT (Invited Speaker) Details: Mandatory course for 2 year medical students 200 students attending course. 05/2008 Funny Head shapes/craniosynostosis, Grand Rounds, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT (Sole Presenter) Details: Fletcher Allen Health Care 05/2008 When & What to Refer to Pediatric Neurosurgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Canada (Sole Presenter) Details: Grand Rounds 04/2008 Pediatric Spinal Injuries, Grand Rounds, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Vermont, VT (Sole Presenter) Details: UVM College of Medicine 03/2007 Pediatric Spinal Cord Injuries, Surgical Grand Rounds, Evanston, IL (Sole Presenter) Details: Northwestern University 10/2006 Optic Pathway Gliomas, Academic Day, Evanston, IL (Sole Presenter) Details: Northwestern University 06/2006 Intracranial calcifying pseudoneoplasm, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Montreal, Canada (Sole Presenter) Details: Poster Presentation 11/2005 Pseudoneoplasie calcifiante intracânienne, Société de Neurochirurgie de Langue Francaise Annual Meeting, Paris, France (Co-Author) Details: Poster Presentation-Bojanowski M., Berthelet F: 06/2005 Pediatric Head Trauma, International interdisciplinary Conference, Emergencies/Congrès International Interdisciplinaire sur les urgences, Quebec, Canada (Sole Presenter) 01/2003 Le lymphome primitif du systéme nerveux central., Quebec Neurosurgeon Annual Congress, Québec, Canada (Sole Presenter) 01/2002 La spaticité et les pompes à Lioresal (Baclofen), Quebec Neurosurgeon Annual Congress, Neurosurgery, Québec, Canada (Sole Presenter) 01/1996 B3-Adrenergics Agonists and Obesity, Results, Quebec Diabetes Association Annual Congress, Quebec Diabetes Association, Quebec, Canada (Sole Presenter)