Dr. Gabriel Hunt
Los Angeles Neurosurgeon

Dr. Gabriel Hunt is a board-certified Los Angeles neurosurgeon with a focus on spinal surgery. While some neurosurgeons focus primarily on the brain, Dr. Hunt has chosen to specialize on both, the brain and the spine.

He focuses on the treatment of spinal cord injuries and spinal trauma, the treatment of complex spinal disorders, as well as tumors and vascular abnormalities of the skull base, spine, and spinal cord.

Known by his patients and peers as one of the most skilled spine doctors, Dr. Hunt believes in utilizing a minimally invasive approach to treat all appropriate spinal disorders. In addition to his private practice with Hunt Spine, he is an attending neurosurgeon at the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery and the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center.

Primary areas of research interest for Dr. Hunt include new advances in the treatment of spinal cord injuries and developing new minimally invasive surgical technologies. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Dr. Gabriel Hunt is recognized as a leading Los Angeles neurosurgeon due to the advanced surgical techniques he employs. He uses minimally invasive techniques to perform spinal procedures that to help you achieve a healthier spine or minimize pain. With his extensive knowledge of the nervous system, Dr. Hunt ensures that you receive the correct, most effective treatment for your condition.

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Dr. Hunt has written articles for several peer-reviewed publications, including Neurosurgical Focus, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Neurological Research. He has given numerous presentations in his areas of expertise in the United States and abroad. He was also a recipient of a Howard Hughes Research Fellowship while attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine.

Dr. Hunt began his higher education with a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and his medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine. He completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in neurological surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Philadelphia. Dr. Hunt received specialized training in the treatment of complex spinal disorders, spinal trauma, and spinal cord injuries through participation in the Orthopedic and Neurosurgical fellowship program at the Delaware Valley Regional Spinal Cord injury Center at Thomas Jefferson University.

If you're looking for a skilled spine doctor, schedule a consultation today to discuss your spinal condition with Dr. Gabriel Hunt.

What is Neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery is the special branch of surgery that is applied to the entire nervous system, which is comprised of the central nervous system (CNS)—the brain and the spinal cord—as well as the skull, the spinal column, and all the peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerves are those that connect the nerves of the central nervous system to the rest of your body, i.e., all joints, muscles, organs and tissues, including the skin.

The central nervous system then monitors and coordinates all the information it receives and sends back out the signals that enable every part of the body to function with every other part.

What Conditions Can Be Addressed By Neurosurgery?

Because every part of the body—from teeth to toes and even the hair follicles—is connected to the central nervous system, via the peripheral nerves, an exhaustive list of all the possible conditions would be too long for this article, below are some of the categories of conditions, with representative disorders.

Disc Problems

The disk is the bony part of the spinal column, called a “vertebra,” and the vertebra surround and protect the spinal column. At the center is a small “hole” that contains a gel-like substance that provides a cushion between the vertebrae. There is also cartilage and spiny processes on the outside of the disc that both keep them aligned and separate from each other.

Any type of deformity or injury to a disc can cause the spiny process to break or the gel to leak. This causes the discs to compress and, often, to cut off nerve transmissions to the spinal cord or cause constant pressure that results in the pain often associated with back problems.

Other Types of Back and Neck Problems

While disc problems are frequently due to injuries, there are diseases of the back and neck that can cause deformities that put pressure on the spinal column, any of which can cause pain.

These include:

• Scoliosis – An abnormal curvature of the spine, often diagnosed in childhood or early adolescence
• Spina bifida – A birth defect that typically occurs in the third or fourth week of pregnancy and is caused by the fetal spinal column failing to close
• Spinal tumors
• Osteoarthritis

Brain Conditions

This includes:

• Hydrocephalus – Often referred to as “water (hydro) on the brain (Cephalus),” it is actually a build-up of excess cerebrospinal fluid. It can occur at any age, but is most often seen in infants and those over 60. If “childhood” hydrocephalus, it is frequently diagnosed before birth.
• Cushing’s Syndrome – This is an excess of the hormone cortisol, which is naturally produced by the adrenal glands. It may be the result of the overuse of cortisol medications or a disease of the pituitary gland by which it signals the adrenal glands to produce too much.

Other Conditions That May Be Treated With Neurosurgery in Los Angeles

For many of these conditions, surgery is a last resort, after medications have been found to be ineffective:

• Epilepsy – A disorder in which the patient is subject to periodic seizures
• Parkinson’s Disease – A progressive disorder of nerve degeneration that reduces the patient’s ability to control movement
• Dystonia – A disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions. It can affect any part of the body, from the face and vocal cords to the limbs and is the third most common movement disorder in the US.

How Does One Become a Neurosurgeon?

The road is a long one (in fact, the longest of any medical training) and requires years of commitment The minimal training takes approximately 15 years and requires the following:

• An undergraduate degree with a pre-med core curriculum (typically four years)
• Admission to an accredited medical school (typically four years)
• A residency in neurosurgery. The total residency takes 7 years, with the first year being an internship, as it is with most residencies.

What Neurosurgery Procedures Does Hunt Spine offer?

The medical team at Hunt Spine offers a range of treatments for spinal conditions, surgical, neurosurgical, and non-surgical. The conditions treated at our Los Angeles clinic include:

• Complex spine disorders
• Scoliosis
• Neck pain
• Chronic back pain
• Sciatica
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spinal trauma
• Kyphosis

Our treatments include:

• Alternatives to back surgery
• Minimally-invasive spine surgery
• Spinal fusion
• Spinal decompression
• Artificial disc replacement

Why Choose Hunt Spine for Neurosurgery?

Dr. Gabriel Hunt is a highly respected, board-certified neurosurgeon in Los Angeles who continues to research and pursue information about advanced techniques for the brain and spine, which are his areas of specialty.

• He is known for using minimally invasive techniques and has, in fact developed some of the most advanced procedures in use today.
• A member of the American Medical Association, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Dr. Hunt has been awarded several prestigious fellowships.
• A number of articles containing his research and writings have been appeared in professional journals, and they have uniformly received excellent peer reviews.
• A sought-after speaker, he has also been invited to do numerous presentations on his results and findings both in the United States and abroad.

Call Us For a Consultation.

Injuries, diseases, and disorders of the brain and spine are some of the most disruptive to the overall quality of a person’s life, since they can affect virtually every aspect of it.

Contact Dr. Hunt at Hunt Spine and schedule a consultation today for arguably the best results in neurosurgery Los Angeles has to offer.