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Yevgenia Shekhtman, MD

Neurosurgery, Brain and Tumor Neurosurgery, Spine Surgery

Accepting new patients

JFK New Jersey Neuroscience Institute

65 James Street Edison, NJ 08820

Phone

732-321-7010

Yevgenia Shekhtman, M.D. is an American Board of Neurological Surgery board certified neurosurgeon and Director of Neurosurgical Education at the Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at JFK University Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. Dr. Shekhtman specializes in the surgical management of brain tumors and degenerative conditions of the spine, with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques. Other conditions treated include spinal stenosis, herniated discs, myelopathy, radiculopathy, spinal instability, neurosurgical trauma, hydrocephalus, and failed back surgery syndrome.

As part of the multidisciplinary team at the Brain and Spine Tumor Program at JFK University Medical Center, Dr. Shekhtman works alongside neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, medical neuro-oncologists, neuro-pathologists, and neuro-radiologists utilizing innovative new treatments to provide comprehensive patient and family-centered care.

Dr. Shekhtman performs surgeries including brain tumor resection, including awake craniotomy with language mapping and craniotomy with cortical and subcortical motor mapping, use of fluorescence to enhance brain tumor resection, and laser interstitial thermal therapy. Her other procedures include cervical and lumbar foraminotomy and microdiscectomy, cervical disc arthroplasty, cervical, thoracic and lumbar fusions, ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement, spinal cord stimulator placement using percutaneous techniques, and carpal and cubital tunnel release.

The Spine Care Program at JFK University Medical Center treats all aspects of spinal cord injury and related complications. Here, Dr. Shekhtman joins a team of spine specialists collaborating with neurosurgeons, pain medicine physicians, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists and radiologists to determine the most appropriate plan of care for patients and their families.

After completing medical school at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, Dr. Shekhtman moved to the tri-state area for her neurological surgery residency at New York University. While at New York University she served as Chief Resident. Dr. Shekhtman then joined JFK University Medical Center in 2016, and has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine since 2020.

Through her roles as Director of Neurosurgical Education at the JFK Neuroscience Institute and Assistant Professor at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Dr. Shekhtman is committed to educating the next generation of neurosurgeons. She previously served as a Clinical Instructor for the NYU Langone Department of Neurological Surgery, and is currently a Pain Medicine Fellowship Faculty Member at Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute. Dr. Shekhtman is also a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Passionate about languages, Dr. Shekhtman speaks English, Russian and Spanish fluently. During medical school she was a Coordinator and Instructor of Medical Spanish, and was a Spanish free clinic volunteer. Being trilingual allows Dr. Shekhtman to establish stronger relationships with patients and provide a higher level of care.

Philosophy of Care

Dr. Shekhtman listens carefully to each patient and utilizes conservative management maximally before recommending surgery. When surgery has to be done, she prefers the most minimal approach, to speed up recovery and cause less discomfort to the patient. She believes in a multidisciplinary approach, and works closely with colleagues in neurology, radiology, and pain management for a holistic approach to patient care.

Publications

Shekhtman E, Geerling JD, Loewy AD: The Connection Between the Nucleus Accumbens and the Salt Sensitive Neurons of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract. Washington University Summer Research Symposium, 2005.

Shekhtman E, Geerling JD, Loewy AD: Salt Appetite and Its Connection to the Brain’s Reward Center. Washington University Summer Research Symposium, 2006.

Shekhtman E, Geerling JD, Loewy AD: Aldosterone-sensitive neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract: multisynaptic pathway to the nucleus accumbens. Journal of Comparative Neurology 2007; 501(2): 274-89.

Shekhtman Y, Kim I, Weiner H: Focal resection of leptomeningeal angioma in a rare case of Sturge-Weber syndrome without facial nevus. Pediatric Neurosurgery 2013; 49(2): 99-104.

Blackburn SN, Kadkhodayan Y, Shekhtman E: Treatment of basilar tip aneurysms with horizontal PCA to PCA stent-assisted coiling: case series. Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery 2013; 5(3): 2012-6.

Kim I, Shekhtman E, Wisoff J, Kondziolka D: Stereotactic radiosurgery as part of multimodality craniopharyngioma management. In: Evans J, Kennings T, editors. Craniopharyngiomas – Comprehensive Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcome. San Diego (CA); Elsevier. Chapter 20, P. 327-334.

Hill TC, Frisoli FA, Shekhtman Y, Zagzag D, Golfinos JG: Oligodendrogliomas. In: Zaninovich R, editor. Gliomas, Aspectos Clinicos y Quirurgicos. Argentina; Ediciones Journal. Chapter 6. 2015.

Anthony D, Louis RG, Shekhtman Y, Steineke T, Frempong-Boadu A, Steinberg GK: Patient-specific virtual reality technology for complex neurosurgical cases: illustrative cases. Journal of Neurosurgery: Case Lessons. 1(23):CASE21114, 2021.

Yanni DS, Ozgur BM, Louis RG, Shekhtman Y, Iyer RR, Boddapati V, Iyer A, Patel PD, Jani R, Cummock M, Herur-Raman A, Dang P, Goldstein IM, Brant-Zadawski M, Steineke T, Lenke LG: Real-time navigation guidance with intraoperative CT imaging for pedicle screw placement using an augmented reality head-mounted display: a proof-of-concept study. Journal of Neurosurgery: Neurosurgical Focus. 2021 Aug; 51(2):E11. Doi: 10.3171/2021.5.FOCUS21209.