Dr Salvatore Zavarella, DO FACOS

Dr. Salvatore M. Zavarella is a board-certified neurosurgeon with extensive experience and expertise in spine surgery and neurosurgical oncology.12 He currently holds several important positions:

Professional Roles

• Director of Business Development, Neurosurgery Service Line, Eastern Region at Northwell Health3
• Chief of Spine Surgery and Associate Chief of Neurosurgery at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, New York2
• Co-founder and Director of Spine Surgery at SpineCare Long Island (renamed NeuroCare Long Island in 2023)4

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Zavarella specializes in treating:

• Complex spine tumors
• Adult degenerative deformity and scoliosis
• Herniated discs
• Spinal fractures
• Spinal stenosis
• Disc arthroplasty
• Minimally invasive spine surgeries
• Peripheral nerve tumor surgery
• Brain tumor surgery, including awake surgery for metastatic and primary brain tumors2

Education and Training

Dr. Zavarella's educational background includes:

• Biomedical Science at State University of New York at Buffalo
• Medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Fellowship at The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, specializing in neurosurgical oncology2

Research and Contributions

Dr. Zavarella has been involved in significant research initiatives:

• Initiated a clinical trial called "The brain and spinal cord tissue donation program"
• Started a grant-funded Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Program at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
• Published research on brain mapping and intraoperative MRI for brain tumor resection2

Dr. Zavarella's approach focuses on non-operative, conservative, or minimally invasive treatments when possible, offering a wide range of minimally invasive options tailored to each patient's needs.12 He has also participated in missionary surgeries, bringing advanced surgical techniques for complex spinal deformity and scoliosis to underserved communities in the Dominican Republic.2