NeurologyLive® Clinician of the Month Spotlight: Andrew Russman, DO

Andrew Russman, DO

Neurologists are highly trained medical professionals who play a critical role in the healthcare system in helping patients of all ages to manage their conditions that can affect every aspect of their lives. Each month, NeurologyLive® shines a spotlight on the work of one neurologist, highlighting contributions to their specific field.

Andrew Russman, DO, an attendee at the 2023 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, April 22-27, in Boston, Massachusetts, sat down in an interview with NeurologyLive^® to talk about the positive data from the ENRICH trial (NCT02880878), a superiority study of NICO Corporation’s technologies to treat Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The randomized, adaptive, clinical trial specifically assessed early minimally invasive parafascicular surgery (MIPS) using NICO’s complete technology solution, which includes the NICO BrainPath and NICO Myriad.

In a primary analysis group of 300 patients with spontaneous hemorrhagic stroke, utility-weighted modified Rankin scale (UWmRS) at 180 days was the primary outcome. All told, at the end of the 6-month observation period, the mean UWmRS score was 0.458 in the MIPS group and 0.374 for those who received traditional medical management (MM) based on American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines.

After the AAN Annual Meeting, Russman, head of the Stroke Program and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Cleveland Clinic, recently discussed his role as a neurologist in the field of stroke. Russman's clinical practice focuses on all aspects of stroke including prevention, treatment, and the management of complex cerebrovascular disorders.

NeurologyLive: What are some of the main responsibilities you have in your role as a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic? 

Andrew Russman, DO: As the head of the enterprise stroke program at the Cleveland Clinic, my responsibilities include leading stroke clinical operations at our Main Campus, outpatient stroke clinics, our large Telestroke system, and the mobile stroke program. In addition, as our enterprise stroke medical director, I’m responsible for leading the standardization of stroke clinical care, policies, protocols, order sets, and procedures at Cleveland Clinic hospitals throughout Ohio, and Florida.

Could you describe a typical day in your work as a neurologist? 

For my role, every day looks different. Clinically, I manage outpatients, inpatients, Telestroke patients, mobile stroke patients. Also, I help train neurology residents and vascular neurology fellows. Administratively, my responsibilities include serving as the head of our Cleveland Clinic Enterprise Stroke Program, and serving as the medical director for our Comprehensive Stroke Center at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus.

What motivated you to pursue a career in neurology, and when did you make this decision? 

My mother is a clinical neuropsychologist who is still in clinical practice. As a child, I was always fascinated by the neurological textbooks and anatomy atlases that she maintained in our library.

What do you find most rewarding about your work as a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic? 

I gain personal satisfaction from helping people with complex problems. Stroke is a challenging neurology subspecialty in which many of our patients are quite ill, and we are not always able to prevent the occurrence of severe disease despite our efforts. Our mission is to help them as best we can to recover and prevent future recurrences of the problems that led to their stroke.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your role? 

Leading a large stroke program challenges us to elevate and standardize the level of care at every point of contact for stroke patients regarding of which hospital, emergency department a patient presents to for care. Also, educating patients on the need to recognize stroke signs and symptoms, then call EMS is one of the biggest challenge we face as stroke clinicians.

Is there something that you wish more patients and clinicians understood about the field of neurology?

Cerebrovascular disorders are managed very differently than other cardiovascular disorders, and benefit from the expertise we provide in the Cerebrovascular Center at the Cleveland Clinic.

In addition to your work as a neurologist, what hobbies or interests do you have outside of the clinic? 

I enjoy spending time traveling with family, playing golf with friends or family, and taking walks or hikes with my wife.

Transcript edited for clarity.

Click here for more coverage of AAN 2023.

REFERENCES
1. NICO Corporation announces world’s first positive surgical trial for the deadliest type of stroke. News release. April 22, 2023. Accessed May 23, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nico-corporation-announces-worlds-first-positive-surgical-trial-for-the-deadliest-type-of-stroke-301804756.html