Shih-Shan Lang Chen, MD

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Shih-Shan Lang Chen, MD, is an attending neurosurgeon in the Division of Neurosurgery and an Associate Director with the Trauma Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Areas of Expertise: Aneurysms, Chiari malformations, Vascular malformations, Moyamoya disease, Complex spine, Brain/spine tumors, Tumors of the peripheral nerves, Brachial plexus and peripheral nerve lesions, Hydrocephalus, Spinal dysraphism
Locations: Main Campus

Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Background

Shih-Shan Lang Chen, MD, is an attending physician in the Division of Neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Chen has a broad interest in all areas of pediatric neurosurgery with a particular focus in brain and spine tumors, brain and spine vascular disorders, hydrocephalus and congenital and traumatic spine disorders. She also focuses her clinical efforts on functional neurosurgery, such as deep brain stimulation and baclofen pump placements.

Originally from Florida, Dr. Chen received her bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Florida. She then completed her neurosurgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and her fellowship training in pediatric neurosurgery at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

During her neurosurgery training, Dr. Chen became interested in academic pediatric neurosurgery and developed a strong research foundation in pediatric tumor biology and vascular disorders. Her research efforts focus on combining her clinical neurosurgery practice with the advancements of molecular biology and tissue engineering that ultimately lead to new discoveries and treatments in the pediatric tumor and vascular specialties. 

Education and Training

Internship

General Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Residency

Neurosurgery (Chief Resident), Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Fellowship

Pediatric Neurosurgery, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

Titles and Academic Titles

Attending Neurosurgeon

Associate Director, Trauma Center

Conditions Treated

Departments and Services

Publications

Posters and Presentations

Lang SS, Sanborn S, Ju C, Premjee A, Stein S, Smith M. Hydrocephalus after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Meta-Analytic Comparison of Aneurysm Treatments World Journal of Meta-Analysis. World Journal of Meta-Analysis WJMA. 2014 Nov;2(4):171-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Lang SS, Chen HI, Koch MJ, Kurash L, McGill-Armento KR, Palella JM, Stein SC, Malhotra NR. Development of an outpatient protocol for lumbar discectomy: Our institutional experience. World Neurosurg. 2014 Nov;82(5):897-901. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2014.05.035. Epub 2014 Jun 5.

Lang SS, Malhotra NR. Interviewing for pediatric fellowship: Finding the right work-work balance. AANS Neurosurgeon. 2014;23(1).

Ali ZS, Lang SS, Bakar D, Storm PB, Stein SC. Pediatric intracranial arachnoid cysts: comparative effectiveness of surgical treatment options. Childs Nerv Syst. 2014 Mar;30(3):461-9. doi: 10.1007/s00381-013-2306-2. Epub 2013 Oct 27.

Lang SS, Goldberg E, Zarnow D, Storm PB, Heuer GG. Case Report: Prenatal diagnosis of hemimegalencephaly. World Neurosurgery. 2013 Sep 19 pii: S1878-8750(13)01210-2.

Ali ZS, Lang SS, Adappa N, Barkley A, Palmer JN, Lee JY. Expanded endoscopic endonasal treatment of primary intracranial tumors within the paranasal sinuses. ISRN Minimally Invasive Surgery. 2013;2013, Article ID 129780, 5 pages

Halpern C, Lang SS, Lee JY. Fully Endoscopic microvascular decompression: our early experience Minimally Invasive Surgery. Minim Invasive Surg. 2013;2013:739432. doi: 10.1155/2013/739432. Epub 2013 Sep 3.

Lang SS. The role of BRAF-targeted therapy in astrocytomas: a review. Neurosurgery. 2013 Aug;60 Suppl 1:110-2. doi: 10.1227/01.neu.0000430768.25844.4d.

Madsen PJ, Lang SS, Pisapia JM, Storm PB, Hurst RW, Heuer GG. An Institutional Series and Literature Review of Pial Arteriovenous Fistulas in the Pediatric Population: clinical article. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2013 Oct;12(4):344-50. doi: 10.3171/2013.6.PEDS13110. Epub 2013 Aug 2.

Ali ZS, Lang SS, Kamat AR, Adappa ND, Palmer JN, Storm PB, Lee JY. Suprasellar pediatric craniopharyngioma resection via endonasal endoscopic approach. Childs Nerv Syst. 2013 Nov;29(11):2065-70. doi: 10.1007/s00381-013-2153-1. Epub 2013 May 24.

Sievert AJ, Lang SS, Boucher KL, Madsen PJ, Slaunwhite E, Choudhari N, Kellet M, Storm PB, Resnick AC. A Resnick Paradoxical activation and RAF inhibitor resistance of BRAF fusions characterizing pediatric astrocytomas. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Apr 9;110(15):5957-62. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1219232110. Epub 2013 Mar 26.

Frisoli FA, Lang SS, Vossough A, Cahill AM, Heuer GG, Dahmoush HM, Storm PB, Beslow LA. Intra and Interrater Reliability of the Pediatric AVM Compactness Score in children. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2013 May;11(5):547-51. doi: 10.3171/2013.2.PEDS12465. Epub 2013 Mar 15.

Ali ZS, Lang SS, Sutton LN. Conservative management of presumed low-grade gliomas in the asymptomatic pediatric population. World Neurosurg. 2014 Feb;81(2):368-73. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2013.01.038. Epub 2013 Jan 12.

Lang SS, Schuster JM, Smith LJ, Dwyer-Joyce L, Welch W, Marcotte P, Winkelstein B, Malhotra NR. Hemorrhage into Synovial Cysts as a Cause of Acute Radicular Symptoms: Report of Seven Cases and Review of the Literature. J Spine Neurosurg. 2013;2:1. doi:10.4172/2325-9701.1000106

Awards and Honors

2013-2014 Chief Resident in Neurological Surgery – University of Pennsylvania

2013 Fellowship grant CP Angle Endoscopic - Microvascular Decompression – Karl Storz

2012 Enfolded Fellowship in endoscopic skull base neurosurgery – University of Pennsylvania

2012  Society for Neuro-Oncology Award for Excellence in Pediatric Translational Research

2012 Congress of Neurological Surgeons Preuss Award for Basic Science Tumor Research

2011 Pan Philadelphia Basic Science Research Award

2007 Medical Student Surgery Ambrose Pace Scholarship 

2006 Junior Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA)

2006 College of Medicine Alumni Scholarship for Academic Excellence

2006 Academic Perfection Award – College of Medicine

2005 Academic Perfection Award – College of Medicine

2004 Academic Perfection Award – College of Medicine

2002 University of Florida Neurobiological Sciences - Summa Cum Laude

2002 American Heart Association Fellowship for Undergraduate Research

2002 National Society of Collegiate Scholars

2001 Golden Key Scholar

2001 The National Dean’s List

Leadership and Memberships

Memberships in Professional Organizations

2008–present, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) – Resident Member

2008–present, Congress of Neurological Surgeons - Resident Member