Sean Barber, MD

Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Academic Institute
Assistant Clinical Member, Research Institute
Houston Methodist
Weill Cornell Medical College


Phone:
713.441.3800


sbarber@houstonmethodist.org
Biography

Dr. Barber is a neurosurgeon from Houston, TX, who treats disorders of the spine. He is fellowship-trained in the treatment of spinal tumors and in endoscopic and minimally invasive approaches to the spine. He believes in caring for patients as he would his own family, and tailoring treatment to each patient’s unique situation using both surgical and non-surgical treatment options. 

Dr. Barber is also involved in research into spine tumors and neuroregeneration and is currently enrolling for a clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation in patients with spinal cord injury. For more information please contact the study coordinator or administrative staff.

Description of Research

Dr. Barber Is a spine surgeon with a research interest in spinal neuroregeneration and recovery of function after spinal cord injury. Past research efforts have included animal and human studies examining the role of spinal cord stimulation and stem cell transplantation on motor recovery after spinal cord injury. Early human studies have demonstrated that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in combination with motor rehabilitation can induce reorganization of the spinal circuitry, leading to recovery of function (e.g., standing and gait) as well as improving both autonomic nervous system functionality (e.g., cardiovascular and bladder control) and overall well-being, but the effects of current methods of spinal cord stimulation on motor recovery have been relatively modest. We have developed a novel method for spinal cord stimulation that targets motor neurons on the ventral surface of the spinal cord (ventral epidural stimulation), and our early work has demonstrated that ventral stimulation is safe and feasible. Further work is underway to evaluate the efficacy of ventral epidural stimulation in patients with both acute and chronic spinal cord injury.

Publications

Angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma: primary intracranial lesion with thoracic spine metastasis and a malignant course. Illustrative case
Demand, A, Barber, S, Powell, S & Britz, G 2024, , Journal of Neurosurgery: Case Lessons, vol. 7, no. 1, CASE23535. https://doi.org/10.3171/CASE23535

Pembrolizumab monotherapy for advanced chordoma
Hu, X, Wang, C, Huang, W, Barber, SM & Yan, W 2023, , The Lancet Oncology, vol. 24, no. 10, pp. e399. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00395-9

Implant failure and revision strategies after total spondylectomy for spinal tumors
Hu, X, Barber, SM, Ji, Y, Kou, H, Cai, W, Cheng, M, Liu, H, Huang, W & Yan, W 2023, , Journal of Bone Oncology, vol. 42, 100497. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbo.2023.100497

Full Endoscopic Repair of Spontaneous Ventral Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks in the Spine: Systematic Review of Surgical Treatment Options and Illustrative Case
Barber, SM, Sofoluke, N, Reardon, T, Mongelluzzo, G, Weiner, GM, Hofstetter, C, Telfeian, A & Konakondla, S 2022, , World neurosurgery, vol. 168, pp. e578-e586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.10.039

Awake transforaminal endoscopic lumbar facet cyst resection: technical note and case series
Hagan, MJ, Telfeian, AE, Sastry, R, Ali, R, Lewandrowski, KU, Konakondla, S, Barber, S, Lane, K & Gokaslan, ZL 2022, , Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, vol. 37, no. 6, pp. 843-850. https://doi.org/10.3171/2022.6.SPINE22451

Fractured Lumbar Drain Catheter Retrieval Using an Endoscopic Transforaminal Approach to the Lumbar Spine
Sulhan, S, Sadrameli, SS, Barber, S, Holman, P, Britz, G & Huang, M 2022, , Operative Neurosurgery, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. E331-E334. https://doi.org/10.1227/ons.0000000000000378

Association between isolated abnormal coagulation profile on transfusion following major surgery: A NSQIP analysis of individuals without bleeding disorders
Lim, K, Satkunasivam, R, Nipper, C, Xu, J, Hsu, E, Slawin, JR, Roy, T, Allenson, KC, Kim, MP, Barber, SM, Ellis, T, Akinsola, O, Klaassen, Z, Esnaola, N, Ravi, B, Jerath, A & Wallis, CJD 2022, , Transfusion, vol. 62, no. 11, pp. 2223-2234. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17146

Treatment of Refractory Multilevel Thoracic Spondylodiscitis Using Ultra-Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Approach for Debridement and Drainage: A Technical Note, Intraoperative Video, and Literature Review
Barber, SM, Sofoluke, N, Reardon, T, Telfeian, A & Konakondla, S 2022, , World neurosurgery, vol. 167, pp. e456-e463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.08.034

The Role of the Endoscope in Spinal Oncology: A Systematic Review of Applications and Systematic Analysis of Patient Outcomes
Sofoluke, N, Barber, SM, Telfeian, AE, Hofstetter, CP & Konakondla, S 2022, , World neurosurgery, vol. 164, pp. 33-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.04.072

The Role of Instrumentation in the Surgical Treatment of Spondylodiscitis and Spinal Epidural Abscess: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study
Lee, JJ, Sadrameli, SS, Sulhan, S, Desai, VR, Wong, M & Barber, SM 2022, , International Journal of Spine Surgery, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 61-70. https://doi.org/10.14444/8178

Association of radical vs palliative resection of spinal chordoma with survival: a population-based study
Hu, X, Barber, SM, Huang, W, Sun, Y & Yan, W 2023, , Acta Neurologica Belgica, vol. 123, no. 4, pp. 1619-1623. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13760-022-02136-3

Association between isolated abnormal coagulation profile on transfusion following major surgery: A NSQIP analysis of individuals without bleeding disorders
Lim, K, Satkunasivam, R, Nipper, C, Xu, J, Hsu, E, Slawin, JR, Roy, T, Allenson, KC, Kim, MP, Barber, SM, Ellis, T, Akinsola, O, Klaassen, Z, Esnaola, N, Ravi, B, Jerath, A & Wallis, CJD 2022, , Transfusion, vol. 62, no. 11, pp. 2223-2234. https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.17146

Outpatient endoscopic resection of large calcified thoracic disc herniation with caudal displacement
Konakondla, S, Sofoluke, N, Barber, SM, Rimini, SA & Slotkin, JR 2022, , Neurosurgical Focus: Video, vol. 6, no. 1, V18. https://doi.org/10.3171/2021.10.FOCVID2112

Surgical management of non-dysraphic cervical intramedullary lipoma: A report of two cases
Poggi, J, Barber, S, Guglielmo, M, Bhatt, R, Rogg, J, Donahue, JE, Gokaslan, ZL & Klinge, PM 2021, , Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management, vol. 25, 101210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inat.2021.101210

A wireless spinal stimulation system for ventral activation of the rat cervical spinal cord
Hogan, MK, Barber, SM, Rao, Z, Kondiles, BR, Huang, M, Steele, WJ, Yu, C & Horner, PJ 2021, , Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1, 14900, pp. 14900. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94047-1

Hybrid Anterior Column Realignment—Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy for Severe Rigid Sagittal Deformity
Sadrameli, SS, Davidov, V, Lee, JJ, Huang, M, Kizek, DJ, Mambelli, D, Rajendran, S, Barber, SM & Holman, PJ 2021, , World neurosurgery, vol. 151, pp. e308-e316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.028

The utility of intraoperative neuromonitoring on simple posterior lumbar fusions—analysis of the national inpatient sample
Austerman, RJ, Sulhan, S, Steele, WJ, Sadrameli, SS, Holman, PJ & Barber, SM 2021, , Journal of Spine Surgery, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 132-140. https://doi.org/10.21037/jss-20-679

Chordoma—current understanding and modern treatment paradigms
Barber, SM, Sadrameli, SS, Lee, JJ, Fridley, JS, Teh, BS, Oyelese, AA, Telfeian, AE & Gokaslan, ZL 2021, , Journal of Clinical Medicine, vol. 10, no. 5, 1054, pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10051054

Management, outcomes, and prognostic factors of adult primary spinal cord gliomas
Haque, WM, Verma, V, Barber, S, Tremont, IW, Butler, EB & Teh, BS 2021, , Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, vol. 84, pp. 8-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2020.12.015

A novel endoscopic technique for biopsy and tissue diagnosis for a paraspinal thoracic tumor in a pediatric patient: A case report
Konakondla, S, Nakhla, J, Xia, J, Barber, SM, Fridley, JS, Oyelese, AA, Gokaslan, ZL, Rainov, NG, Haritonov, DG, Wagner, R & Telfeian, AE 2021, , International Journal of Spine Surgery, vol. 14, no. s4, pp. S66-S70. https://doi.org/10.14444/7167