Ched Nwagwu, MD
Dr. Ched Nwagwu is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in cerebrovascular disease. An expert in skull-base and cerebrovascular surgery, his specialty interests include surgical treatments of complex intracranial and spinal pathology such as meningiomas, skull base tumors and aneurysms, schwannomas, craniopharyngiomas, pituitary tumors, arteriovenous vascular malformations, acoustic neuromas, neurovascular compression syndromes such as trigeminal neuralgia, and Chiari malformations. Additionally, he has interest in spinal disorders, minimally invasive and open spinal surgical techniques and trauma.
Dr. Nwagwu received his medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He completed an internship in General Surgery and residency in Neurological Surgery at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. He then completed a comprehensive, two-year fellowship in Endovascular Neurosurgery with the Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group/Goodman and Campbell Brain & Spine. While there, he mastered the latest treatments and techniques for management of strokes, brain aneurysms, carotid disease and vascular malformations.
He served as Director of the Stroke and Cerebrovascular Program and Assistant Professor at The University of California, Irvine prior to joining Orange County Neurosurgical Associates where he was in successful clinical practice for 14 years. He served as Co-Director of the Cerebrovascular and Stroke Program at Mission Regional Hospital and Stroke Medical Director at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. He was a travelling speaker for the Adam Williams Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative, which has trained over 50 hospitals in advanced brain injury treatment techniques and protocol institution.
Dr. Nwagwu is the member of numerous professional organizations, including The American Association of Neurological Surgeons, The Congress of Neurological Surgeons, The Joint Cerebrovascular Section, The American Medical Association, and The American Stroke Association.
On a personal note, Dr. Nwagwu was born and raised in New York City and is an accomplished pianist and organist. He is a two-time winner of the Brooklyn Arts Council Piano Competition while in medical school, earning him the Anna Bernstein Memorial Award for Piano Performance. He has also performed with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Credentials
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Education, Magna cum laude
The City College of New York / The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education (Accelerated Program, 7-Yr B.S./M.D.), New York, NY - Doctor of Medicine, Magna cum laude
The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY
Internship
- General Surgery, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College
Residency
- Neurosurgery Resident, New York Medical College
- Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Laboratory at New York Medical College
- Neurosurgery Chief Resident, St. Vincents’ Hospital and Medical Center
- Neurosurgery Resident, New York Medical College
- Neurosurgery Chief Resident, New York Medical College
Fellowship
- Endovascular Neurosurgery, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group
Board Certifications
- National Board of Medical Examiners (USMLE I, II, and III)
- American Board of Neurological Surgeons, Primary Written Examination
- American Board of Neurological Surgeons, Oral Examination
Professional Titles
Past:
- Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California Irvine Medical Center
- Director, Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery
- Co-Director, Cerebrovascular and Stroke Program
- Neurosurgeon, Mission Regional Hospital & Medical Center
- Neurosurgeon, Saddleback Memorial Medical Center
- Director, Stroke Program, Orange County Neurosurgical Associates
Honors & Awards
- Dean’s List (1990-1995)
- New York State Regents’ Scholarship (1990-1995)
- Otto Burgdorf Memorial Award in Biological Science (1990)
- The Brooklyn Arts Council Piano Competition Silver Medal (1993-1994)
- Anna Bernstein Memorial Award for Excellence in Piano Performance (1993-1994)
Society Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons
- AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section Member
- American Heart Association / American Stroke Association
- American Medical Association
- Orange County Medical Association
- National Medical Association
Publications
- Liu JK, Nwagwu CI, Pikus HJ, Couldwell WT. “Laparoscopic Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Precipitating Pituitary Apoplexy.” Acta Neurochir (Wien) 143:303-307, 2001.
- Zhang W, Nwagwu CI, Le DM, Yong VW, Song H, Couldwell WT. “Increased Invasive Properties in Connexin 43 Overexpressing Malignant Glioma Cells.” J Neurosurgery 99:1039-1046, 2003
- Hillard VH, Musunuru K, Nwagwu CI, Das K, Murali R, Zablow B, Hirschfeld A. “Treatment of an anterior communicating artery aneurysm through an anomalous anastomosis from the cavernous internal carotid artery” J Neurosurgery 97:1432-1435, 2003
- Hornyak MH, Hillard VH, Nwagwu CI, Zablow BC, Murali R. “Ruptured Intrasellar Superior Hypophyseal Artery Aneurysm Presenting with Pure Subdural Haematoma.” Interventional Neuroradiology 10:55-59, 2004
- Nwagwu CI, Mathews MS, Scott JA, DeNardo AJ, Horner TG. “Ruptured giant basilar aneurysm in a comatose adolescent: Successful obliteration using intraoperative SSEP, BAER, and MEP monitoring. Case Report” Interventional Neuroradiology 12(3): 237-244, 2006
- Franklin Westhout MD, Anton Hasso MD, Mehrdad Jalili MD, Michelle Chandler MD, William Armstrong MD, Benoosh Afghani MD, Chiedozie Nwagwu MD, Laurie Ackerman MD. Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis, Intraluminal Jugular Vein Thrombosis, Thrombocytopenia and Internal Carotid Artery Narrowing Without Cerebral Infarctions in Lemierre Syndrome. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics 106(1):53-56, 2007
- Franklin D. Westhout M.D. and Chiedozie I. Nwagwu M.D. Intra-Arterial Verapamil Induced Seizures: Case Report and Review of the Literature. Surgical Neurology. 67(5):483-486, 2007
- Franklin Westhout MD, Michael Muhonen MD, Chiedozie Nwagwu MD. Early Propofol Infusion Syndrome following Cerebral Angiographic Embolization for Giant Aneurysm Repair. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics 106(2):139-142, 2007
- Marlon S. Mathews, MD, Christopher M. Owen, MD, Binh V. Nguyen, MD, Varoujan Kostanian, MD, PhD, Chiedozie I. Nwagwu, MD. Angiographic Exclusion of Intracranial Arterio-Venous Malformations using Onyx®. The Neuroradiology Journal. 20(6):711-717, December 2007
Book Chapters
- Das K, Nwagwu CI, Couldwell WT: Historical aspects and surgical management of movement disorders. Cosgrove GR, Couldwell WT (eds): Contemporary Surgical Management of Movement Disorders. St. Louis, Quality Medical Publishing.
- Zhang W, Nwagwu CI, Couldwell WT: Innovative Treatments for Malignant Gliomas. Grossman RG, Loftus CM (eds): Textbook of Neurosurgery. Lippincott-Raven Publishers, 2003.
Posters
- Spencer W, Das K, Nwagwu CI, Schaeffer S, Couldwell WT. “Approaches to the Sella and Parasellar Region: Anatomic Comparison of Microscopic and Endoscopic Approaches.” International Interdisciplinary Congress on Craniofacial and Skull Base Surgery. Cancun, Mexico, January 1998.
- Nwagwu CI, Zhang Z, Couldwell WT, Nedergaard M. “Increased Invasive Properties in Connexin 43 Overexpressing Malignant Glioma Cells.” American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. San Francisco, California, April 2000.
- Murali R, Murali S, Nwagwu CI, Das K.“Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Transsphenoidal Resection of Pituitary Tumors.” Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. September 2001.
- Nwagwu CI, Harter DH, Braun A. “Primary Intraventricular Lymphoma of the Lateral and Fourth Ventricles.” Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. September 2002.
Presentations and Lectures
- “Direct Gap Junction Communication between Malignant Glioma Cells and Astrocytes”, New York Neurosurgical Society Meeting, White Plains, NY, September 1999.
- “GDC Embolization of Surgically Clippable Aneurysms”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, St. Vincents’ Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY, October 2000.
- “Diagnosis and Management of Craniovertebral Junction Disorders”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, St. Vincents’ Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY, February 2001.
- “Dural AV Malformations”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, St. Vincents Hospital and Medical Center, New York, NY, May 2001.
- “Cerebral Arteriography”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group, Indianapolis, IN, October 2003.
- “Management of Aneurysms Associated with AVMs”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, February 2005.
- “Percutaneous Vertebroplasty”, Lecturer and Course Instructor. Methodist Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group, Indianapolis, IN, Sponsored by Cardinal Health, March 2005.
- “Endovascular Management of Arteriovenous Malformations”, 2nd Annual John A Kusske Neurosurgery Symposium. UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, June 2005.
- “Carotid Body Tumors”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, November 2005.
- “Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures” , 3rd Annual John A Kusske Neurosurgery Symposium. UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, June 2006.
- “Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting”, Grand Rounds Presentation, Neurosurgery, UCI Medical Center, Orange, CA, June 2006.
- “Evaluation and Management of the Carotid Artery in Skull Base Surgery” ENT/Otolaryngology Endoscopic Surgery Course, June 2006.
- “Intracranial Angioplasty and Stenting”, National Medical Association Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, August 2006.
- “Endovascular Management of Arteriovenous Malformations”, Western Stroke Symposium (IAME Conference). Newport Beach, CA June 2007.
Abstracts
- Nwagwu CI, Mathews M. “Endovascular Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of Normal Carotid Arteries.”AANS/CNS/ASITN 2007 International Stroke Conference, San Francisco, CA, February 2007.
- Spencer W, Das K, Nwagwu CI, Schaeffer S, Couldwell WT.“Approaches to the Sella and Parasellar Region: Anatomic Comparison of Microscopic and Endoscopic Approaches.” International Interdisciplinary Congress on Craniofacial and Skull Base Surgery. Cancun, Mexico, January 1998.
- Das K, Spencer W, Nwagwu CI, Schaeffer S, Couldwell WT. “Approaches to the Sella and Parasellar Region: Anatomic Comparison of Endonasal-Transsphenoidal, Sublabial Transsphenoidal, and Transethmoidal Approaches.” Oral poster Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. Seattle, WA. October 1998
- Nwagwu CI, Zhang Z, Couldwell WT, Nedergaard M. “Increased Invasive Properties in Connexin 43 Overexpressing Malignant Glioma Cells.” American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting. San Francisco, California, April 2000.
- Das K, Nwagwu CI, Rothberg M.“The History of Thoracoscopic Surgery” accepted as oral presentation, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Meeting, Toronto, Canada, April 2000.
- Nwagwu CI, Mathews M. “Ruptured giant basilar artery aneurysm in a comatose adolescent: Successful obliteration using intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring. 2007 International Stroke Conference.
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