Vassilios G. Dimopoulos, MD, FAANS Minimally Invasive Spine Neurosurgery
Publications

Selected & complete publications

Dr. Dimopoulos has contributed to the peer-reviewed neurosurgical literature across spine surgery, surgical outcomes, intraoperative monitoring, and the history of neurosurgery. A curated selection appears first, followed by the complete list.

Selected publications

  1. Does intraoperative EMG monitoring in lumbar microdiscectomy correlate with postoperative pain?
    Dimopoulos VG, Feltes CH, Fountas KN, Kapsalakis IZ, Vogel RL, Fuhrmann B, Johnston KW, Smisson HF, Robinson JS.
    South Med J. 2004 Aug;97(8):724-728.
  2. Immediate and early post-operative pain relief after kyphoplasty without significant restoration of vertebral body height in acute osteoporotic fractures.
    Feltes C, Fountas K, Machinis T, Nikolakakos L, Dimopoulos V, Davidov R, Kassam M, Johnston K, Robinson JS.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2005 Mar;18(3).
  3. Effect of advanced age in subjective surgical outcome of patients undergoing spine surgery.
    Dimopoulos V, Fountas K, Kassam M, Feltes C, Vogel R, Robinson JS, Grigorian A.
    South Med J. 2005 May;98(5):579-80.
  4. Post-operative cauda equina syndrome in patients undergoing single-level lumbar microdiscectomy.
    Dimopoulos V, Fountas K, Machinis T, Feltes C, Chung I, Johnston K, Robinson JS, Grigorian A.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2005 Aug 15;19(2):E11.
  5. Quantitative estimation of recurrent laryngeal nerve irritation by spontaneous intraoperative EMG during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
    Dimopoulos VG, Chung I, Lee GP, Johnston KW, Kapsalakis IZ, Smisson HF 3rd, Grigorian AA, Robinson JS Jr, Fountas KN.
    J Spinal Disord Tech. 2009 Feb;22(1):1-7.
  6. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome resolving within 48 hours in a normotensive patient after thoracic spine surgery.
    Vakharia K, Siasios I, Dimopoulos VG, Pollina J.
    J Clin Med Res. 2016 Mar;8(3):263-6.
  7. Local steroids and dysphagia in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion — does rhBMP-2 make their use a necessity?
    Siasios ID, Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN.
    J Spine Surg. 2016 Sep;2(3):234-236.
  8. Large spontaneous spinal subdural-epidural hematoma after epidural anesthesia for caesarean section: conservative management with excellent outcome.
    Siasios ID, Vakharia K, Gibbons KJ, Dimopoulos VG.
    Surg Neurol Int. 2016 Sep 22;7(Suppl 25):S664-S667.

Peer-reviewed articles — complete list

  1. New non-invasive sonographic modality for intracranial pressure/volume monitoring.
    Fountas KN, Sitkauskas A, Troup EC, Feltes CH, Dimopoulos VG, Deltuva V, Daubaris G, Ragauskas A, Robinson JS Jr.
    Childs Nerv Syst. 2002 May;18(5):211-4.
  2. Effects of nerve root retraction in lumbar discectomy.
    Feltes C, Fountas K, Davydov R, Dimopoulos V, Robinson JS Jr.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2002;13(2):Article 6.
  3. Correlation of recurrent laryngeal nerve intraoperative EMG findings with postoperative findings in patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy.
    Dimopoulos VG, Feltes CH, Fountas KN, Kassam M, Davydov R, Vogel R, Johnston K, Smisson H, Grigorian A, Robinson JS.
    Proc. 12th European Congress of Neurosurgery, 2003:899-903.
  4. Retrospective analysis of long-term surgical outcome of elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery.
    Dimopoulos V, Kassam M, Feltes C, Fountas K, Robinson JS, Grigorian A.
    Proc. 12th European Congress of Neurosurgery, 2003:807-812.
  5. Comparison of a new non-invasive ultrasonic technology and standard invasive ICP monitoring in cerebrovascular auto-regulation after severe closed head injury.
    Fountas KN, Dimopoulos VG, Feltes CH, Kassam M, Davydov R, Grigorian AA, Johnston KW, Smisson HF, Troup EC, Robinson JS, Ragauskas A.
    Proc. 12th European Congress of Neurosurgery, 2003:465-476.
  6. Cervical meningocele in association with spinal abnormalities.
    Feltes CH, Fountas KN, Dimopoulos VG, Escurra AI, Boev A, Kapsalaki EZ, Robinson JS Jr, Troup EC.
    Childs Nerv Syst. 2004 May;20(5):357-61.
  7. Epidural intracranial abscess as a complication of frontal sinusitis: case report and review.
    Fountas KN, Duwayri Y, Kapsalaki EZ, Dimopoulos VG, Johnston KW, Peppard SB, Robinson JS.
    South Med J. 2004 Mar;97(3).
  8. Does intraoperative EMG monitoring in lumbar microdiscectomy correlate with postoperative pain?
    Dimopoulos VG, Feltes CH, Fountas KN, Kapsalakis IZ, Vogel RL, Fuhrmann B, Johnston KW, Smisson HF, Robinson JS.
    South Med J. 2004 Aug;97(8):724-728.
  9. Immediate and early post-operative pain relief after kyphoplasty without significant restoration of vertebral body height in acute osteoporotic fractures.
    Feltes C, Fountas K, Machinis T, Nikolakakos L, Dimopoulos V, Davidov R, Kassam M, Johnston K, Robinson JS.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2005 Mar;18(3).
  10. Effect of advanced age in subjective surgical outcome of patients undergoing spine surgery.
    Dimopoulos V, Fountas K, Kassam M, Feltes C, Vogel R, Robinson JS, Grigorian A.
    South Med J. 2005 May;98(5):579-80.
  11. Literature review regarding the methodology of assessing third nerve paresis associated with non-ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms.
    Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN, Feltes CH, Robinson JS, Grigorian AA.
    Neurosurg Rev. 2005.
  12. History of acoustic neurinoma surgery.
    Machinis TG, Fountas KN, Dimopoulos V, Robinson JS.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2005 Apr 15;18(4):e9.
  13. Intraoperative monitoring (correspondence).
    Fountas KN, Dimopoulos VG, Chung I.
    J Neurosurg Spine. 2005 Mar;2(3):399-401.
  14. Results of long-term follow-up in patients undergoing anterior screw fixation for type II and rostral type III odontoid fractures.
    Fountas KN, Kapsalaki EZ, Karampelas I, Feltes CH, Dimopoulos VG, Machinis TG, Nikolakakos LG, Boev AN 3rd, Choudhri H, Smisson HF, Robinson JS.
    Spine. 2005 Mar 15;30(6):661-9.
  15. Non-invasive intracranial pressure waveform analysis vs. invasive monitoring in traumatic brain injury.
    Fountas KN, Sitkauskas A, Feltes CH, Kapsalaki EZ, Dimopoulos VG, Kassam M, Grigorian AA, Robinson JS, Ragauskas A.
    Med Sci Monit. 2005 Feb;11(2):CR58-63.
  16. C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation for atlantoaxial instability.
    Fountas KN, Kapsalaki EZ, Karampelas I, Dimopoulos VG, Feltes CH, Kassam MA, Boev AN, Johnston KW, Smisson HF, Troup EC, Robinson JS Jr.
    South Med J. 2004 Nov;97(11):1042-8.
  17. Post-operative cauda equina syndrome in patients undergoing single-level lumbar microdiscectomy.
    Dimopoulos V, Fountas K, Machinis T, Feltes C, Chung I, Johnston K, Robinson JS, Grigorian A.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2005 Aug 15;19(2):E11.
  18. Surgical treatment of acute type II and rostral type III odontoid fractures by anterior screw fixation.
    Fountas K, Machinis T, Kapsalaki E, Dimopoulos VG, Feltes C, Liipfert R, Johnston KW, Smisson HF, Robinson JS.
    South Med J. 2005 Sep;98(9).
  19. Head injury management algorithm as described in Hippocrates’ ‘Peri ton en cephali traumaton’.
    Dimopoulos V, Machinis T, Fountas KN, Robinson JS.
    Neurosurgery. 2005;57:1303-1305.
  20. Quantitative pupillometry: normative data in healthy pediatric volunteers.
    Boev A, Fountas K, Karampelas I, Boev C, Machinis T, Feltes C, Okosun I, Dimopoulos V, Troup C.
    J Neurosurg (Pediatrics). 2005;103:496-500.
  21. Familial ependymomas: a family with three members diagnosed with intracranial ependymomas and review of the literature.
    Dimopoulos V, Fountas KN, Robinson JS.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2006 Jan 15;20(1):E8.
  22. Management of intracranial meningeal hemangiopericytomas: outcome and experience.
    Fountas KN, Kapsalaki E, Kassam M, Feltes CH, Dimopoulos VG, Robinson JS, Smith JR.
    Neurosurg Rev. 2006 Apr;29(2):145-53.
  23. Spontaneous posterior fossa hemorrhage associated with low-molecular-weight heparin in an adolescent with PRES.
    Machinis TG, Fountas KN, Dimopoulos VG, Troup EC.
    Childs Nerv Syst. 2006 Nov;22(11):1487-91.
  24. Skull morphology and its neurosurgical implications in the Hippocratic era.
    Dimopoulos VG, Kapsalakis IZ, Fountas KN.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2007;23(1):E10.
  25. The pearls and pitfalls of skull trephination as described in the Hippocratic treatise ‘On Head Wounds’.
    Dimopoulos VG, Robinson JS 3rd, Fountas KN.
    J Hist Neurosci. 2008;17(2):131-40.
  26. 56-year-old male with left-sided weakness (clinical pathology case).
    Germin B, Ajay M, Dimopoulos V, Felgar R.
    Brain Pathol. 2008 Apr;18(2):300-2.
  27. Comparative use of vasopressors during lumbar microdiscectomy on Andrews table vs. Wilson frame.
    Dimopoulos V, Feltes C, Davydov R, Fountas KN, Vogel R, Grigorian A, Robinson JS.
    Hellenic Neurosurgery. 2003;10(3):142-147.
  28. Upper-limb somatosensory evoked potential monitoring in lumbosacral spine surgery: a prognostic marker for position-related ulnar nerve injury.
    Chung I, Glow JA, Dimopoulos V, Walid MS, Smisson HF, Johnston KW, Robinson JS, Grigorian AA.
    Spine J. 2008.
  29. Quantitative estimation of recurrent laryngeal nerve irritation by spontaneous intraoperative EMG during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
    Dimopoulos VG, Chung I, Lee GP, Johnston KW, Kapsalakis IZ, Smisson HF 3rd, Grigorian AA, Robinson JS Jr, Fountas KN.
    J Spinal Disord Tech. 2009 Feb;22(1):1-7.
  30. Ventriculosubgaleal shunting — a strategy to reduce shunt revisions and slit ventricles: institutional experience and review.
    Petraglia AL, Moravan MJ, Dimopoulos VG, Silberstein HJ.
    Pediatr Neurosurg. 2011;47(2):99-107.
  31. The role of NgR1 function in vivo after spinal cord injury.
    Dimopoulos VG, Kesler HN, Huang JH.
    Neurosurgery. 2013 Aug;60(Suppl 1):175.
  32. Assessment of Nogo-66 receptor 1 function in vivo after spinal cord injury.
    Tong J, Ren Y, Wang X, Dimopoulos VG, Kesler HN, Liu W, He X, Nedergaard M, Huang JH.
    Neurosurgery. 2014 Jul;75(1):51-60.
  33. Patient variables and referral paradigms associated with osteoporosis screening and treatment in neurosurgical patients undergoing kyphoplasty.
    Morr S, Shakir HJ, Lipinski LJ, Dimopoulos VG, Leonardo J, Pollina J.
    Neurosurg Focus. 2015 Dec;39(6):E15.
  34. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome resolving within 48 hours in a normotensive patient after thoracic spine surgery.
    Vakharia K, Siasios I, Dimopoulos VG, Pollina J.
    J Clin Med Res. 2016 Mar;8(3):263-6.
  35. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: practice patterns among Greek spinal surgeons.
    Spanos SL, Siasios ID, Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN.
    J Clin Med Res. 2016 Jul;8(7):506-12.
  36. Hemoptysis as the presenting clinical sign of a T8-T9 spine fracture with DISH changes.
    Siasios I, Pollina J, Dimopoulos VG.
    Case Rep Emerg Med. 2016;2016:7657652.
  37. Local steroids and dysphagia in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion — does rhBMP-2 make their use a necessity?
    Siasios ID, Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN.
    J Spine Surg. 2016 Sep;2(3):234-236.
  38. Large spontaneous spinal subdural-epidural hematoma after epidural anesthesia for caesarean section: conservative management with excellent outcome.
    Siasios ID, Vakharia K, Gibbons KJ, Dimopoulos VG.
    Surg Neurol Int. 2016 Sep 22;7(Suppl 25):S664-S667.

Book chapters

  1. C-reactive protein might predict outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.
    Fountas KN, Kassam M, Machinis TG, Dimopoulos VG, Robinson JS, Ajjan M, Grigorian AA, Kapsalaki EZ.
    in Cerebral Vasospasm: New Strategies in Research and Treatment, Springer-Wien, 2008. ISBN 978-3-211-75717-8.
  2. Treatment of subaxial cervical spinal injuries.
    Dimopoulos VG, Fountas KN.
    in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine: Guidelines (Baltopoulos G, ed.), Paschalidis Medical Publications, Athens, 2010. ISBN 978-960-489-109-2.
  3. Clinical examination of the nervous system.
    Dimopoulos VG et al.
    in Principles of Neurosurgery, University of Thessaly Medical School Textbook (in press).

This list reflects peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Dr. Dimopoulos has additionally delivered numerous oral presentations and scientific posters at national and international meetings, including the AANS, CNS, EANS, and the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves.