<p>My addenda edit exceeded the time limit- I scanned the rest of the posts. The best neurosurgeon is the one available when you need him/her. The top one is of no use unless they are where you are when you need them. All neurosurgeons are trained to handle the majority of problems in their field. Too much awe of Harvard/Johns Hopkins medical schools- there are many others all over the country that give excellent training. The top “expert” may not have done the common procedures in a long time, whereas the local physician may be more up to date on the problem needing solving. Don’t get hung up on prestige- follow the advice of posters who suggest asking medical professionals about the physicians they work with. Do not consider celebrities as a source of knowing the best. Remember when then President Reagan was shot he was taken to the nearest, not the most prestigious, hospital to get good medical care.</p>