Benjamin C. Kennedy, MD
Areas of expertise: Epilepsy, Spasticity management, Dystonia, Movement disorders, StereoEEG, Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), Deep brain stimulation, Functional neurosurgery, Brain tumors, Spine tumors, Complex spine, Endoscopic surgery, Spinal dysraphism, Chiari malformations
Locations: Main Building
About Benjamin C. Kennedy, MD
The highest level of care comes from a multidisciplinary approach to any medical problem, and this is embraced wholeheartedly here at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). In neurosurgery we collaborate closely with experts from every field of pediatric medicine and surgery. I have a broad interest in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery, including epilepsy and functional neurosurgery, brain and spine tumors, congenital and traumatic spine surgery, and craniovertebral junction abnormalities.
It is a great privilege to serve as Director of Epilepsy and Functional Neurosurgery at CHOP. In our Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program, I have the pleasure of working with our epileptologists, neuroradiologists, neuropsychologists, social workers and pathologists to develop a highly personalized approach to each epilepsy patient. When a child’s epilepsy is not able to be controlled with medication, we formulate the most minimally invasive surgical plan to address the problem. We can avoid large operations for many children who require epilepsy surgery with a variety of techniques. These include robotic-assisted stereoEEG, which is percutaneous depth electrodes, for precise monitoring of the epileptic network and identification of the source of seizures. We use laser ablation for corpus callosotomy, hypothalamic hamartoma, mesial temporal sclerosis, or small, deep seizure sources. We employ purely disconnective techniques for hemispherotomy through a small craniotomy, and provide vagal nerve stimulators that do not require brain surgery at all. What inspires me is providing children and their families with the best possible seizure control while minimizing discomfort, and getting them back to their lives as quickly as possible. Our research is focused on understanding the complex interplay among epilepsy genetics, EEG, and clinical information to provide both better medical and surgical therapies.
In our multidisciplinary cerebral palsy and spasticity clinics, I work with our rehabilitation doctors, physical and occupational therapists, neurologists, orthopaedists, social workers, neurophysiologists, nursing and other staff to develop a multi-faceted treatment plan for patients with spasticity, which sometimes involves neurosurgery, including selective dorsal rhizotomy or baclofen pump placement. In our deep brain stimulation program, I collaborate with our movement disorder neurologists to identify children with dystonia who will benefit from deep brain stimulation. When we are able to improve our patients’ control and function or help a child walk with these procedures, it is deeply gratifying.
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Dr. Kennedy really respected our intelligence in the way he talked to us. He didn’t try to convince us to do the surgery or not do it. He just gave us all the information, laid out the pros and cons, and let us decide what was best for our family. I appreciated his transparency. He told us everything, including the things we didn’t want to hear. He was honest about the potential for some deficits, but he also told us that the sooner we did the surgery, the better chance Juna had at reaching her full potential. — Carolyn, Juna's mom
Titles
Director, Epilepsy and Functional Neurosurgery
Awards and Honors
2012, Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism & Excellence in Teaching Award
2009, Donald Palatucci Prize, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
2009, Peterson Scholarship, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons
2007, Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship
2006, Student Success Network Teaching Award, Columbia University College of P & S
2005, NIH Medical Student Summer Research Grant
2002, Northwestern Alumni Association Scholastic Achievement Award
2002, Buntain Family Endowed Football Scholarship, Northwestern University
Editorial and Academic Positions
2016, Reviewer, Pediatric Neurosurgery
2015-present, Journal Oversight Committee, Journal of Graduate Medical Education
Education & training
Medical Degree
MD - Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY
Residency
Neurosurgery - Columbia University - New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
Fellowship
Pediatric Neurosurgery - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Publications
Publications
Highlights
Tomlinson SB, Galligan K, Kessler SK, Kennedy BC. Two-year outcomes following modified transsylvian peri-insular hemispherotomy. Childs Nerv Syst. 2025 Apr 25;41(1):168. doi: 10.1007/s00381-025-06825-1. PMID: 40281261; PMCID: PMC12031986.
Baumgartner ME, Flanders TM, Madsen PJ, Tucker AM, Fung F, Kennedy BC. Burr Hole Hemispherotomy-Modification of Trans-Sylvian Peri-Insular Technique: 2-Dimensional Operative Video. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2024 Jan 30. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000001074. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38289087.
Cameron Brimley, Vivek P Buch, Jared M Pisapia, Benjamin C Kennedy: Aventricular hemispherotomy: technical note. J Neurosurg Pediatr Aug 2020.
Karim Hafazalla, Sonia Ajmera, Adam Kundishora, William Katowitz, Benjamin C Kennedy: Transpalpebral Transorbital Approach for Pediatric Temporal Epilepsy: 2-Dimensional Operative Video. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2024 Jul 2.
Rahman RK, Tomlinson SB, Katz J, Galligan K, Madsen PJ, Tucker AM, Kessler SK, Kennedy BC: Stereoelectroencephalography before 2 years of age. Neurosurg Focus. 2022 Oct;53(4):E3. doi: 10.3171/2022.7.FOCUS22336.
Baumgartner ME, Atallah E, Galligan K, McDonnell P, Kennedy BC. Endoscopic trans-ventricular "inside-out" corpus callosotomy: illustrative case. J Neurosurg Case Lessons, 2024.
Joshua Katz, Caren Armstrong, Svetlana Kvint, Benjamin C. Kennedy: Stereoelectroencephalography in the very young: Case report. Epilepsy Behav Rep May 2022.
2025
Tomlinson SB, Galligan K, Kessler SK, Kennedy BC. Two-year outcomes following modified transsylvian peri-insular hemispherotomy. Childs Nerv Syst. 2025 Apr 25;41(1):168. doi: 10.1007/s00381-025-06825-1. PMID: 40281261; PMCID: PMC12031986.
2024
Karim Hafazalla, Sonia Ajmera, Adam Kundishora, William Katowitz, Benjamin C Kennedy: Transpalpebral Transorbital Approach for Pediatric Temporal Epilepsy: 2-Dimensional Operative Video. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2024 Jul 2.
Baumgartner ME, Flanders TM, Madsen PJ, Tucker AM, Fung F, Kennedy BC. Burr Hole Hemispherotomy-Modification of Trans-Sylvian Peri-Insular Technique: 2-Dimensional Operative Video. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2024 Jan 30. doi: 10.1227/ons.0000000000001074. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38289087.
Baumgartner ME, Atallah E, Galligan K, McDonnell P, Kennedy BC. Endoscopic trans-ventricular "inside-out" corpus callosotomy: illustrative case. J Neurosurg Case Lessons, 2024.
2023
Baumgartner ME, Lang SS, Tucker AM, Madsen PJ, Storm PB, Kennedy BC. Systematic review and cumulative analysis of clinical properties of BRAF V600E mutations in PLNTY histological samples. Childs Nerv Syst. Dec 2023.
Elsa V Arocho-Quinones, Sean M Lew, Michael H Handler, Zulma Tovar-Spinoza, Matthew D Smyth, Robert J Bollo, David Donahue, M Scott Perry, Michael Levy, David Gonda, Francesco T Mangano, Benjamin C Kennedy, Phillip B Storm, Angela V Price, Daniel E Couture, Chima Oluigbo, Ann-Christine Duhaime, Gene H Barnett, Carrie R Muh, Michael D Sather, Aria Fallah, Anthony C Wang, Sanjiv Bhatia, Daniel Eastwood, Sergey Tarima, Sarah Graber, Sean Huckins, Daniel Hafez, Kavelin Rumalla, Laurie Bailey, Sabrina Shandley, Ashton Roach, Erin Alexander, Wendy Jenkins, Deki Tsering, George Price, Antonio Meola, Wendi Evanoff, Eric M Thompson, Nicholas Brandmeir; Pediatric Stereotactic Laser Ablation Workgroup. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided stereotactic laser ablation therapy for the treatment of pediatric epilepsy: a retrospective multiinstitutional study. J Neurosurg Pediatr. Mar 2023.
2022
Rahman RK, Tomlinson SB, Katz J, Galligan K, Madsen PJ, Tucker AM, Kessler SK, Kennedy BC: Stereoelectroencephalography before 2 years of age. Neurosurg Focus. 2022 Oct;53(4):E3. doi: 10.3171/2022.7.FOCUS22336.
Yi Zhou, Yijing Su, Shiying Li, Benjamin C. Kennedy, Daniel Y. Zhang, Allison M. Bond, Yusha Sun, Fadi Jacob, Lu Lu, Peng Hu, Angela N. Viaene, Ingo Helbig, Sudha K. Kessler, Timothy Lucas, Ryan D. Salinas, Xiaosong Gu, H. Isaac Chen, Hao Wu, Joel E. Kleinman, Thomas M. Hyde, David W. Nauen, Daniel R. Weinberger, Guo-li Ming & Hongjun Song: Molecular landscapes of human hippocampal immature neurons across lifespan. Nature Jul 2022.
Joshua Katz, Caren Armstrong, Svetlana Kvint, Benjamin C. Kennedy: Stereoelectroencephalography in the very young: Case report. Epilepsy Behav Rep May 2022.
2021
Kennedy BC, Katz J, Lepard J, Blount J: Variation in Pediatric Stereoelectroencephalography Practice Among Pediatric Neurosurgeons in the United States-Survey Results. J Neurosurg Pediatr Page: 1-9, Jun 2021.
2020
Cameron Brimley, Vivek P Buch, Jared M Pisapia, Benjamin C Kennedy: Aventricular hemispherotomy: technical note. J Neurosurg Pediatr Aug 2020.
Fabian Munoz, Greg Jensen, Benjamin C Kennedy, Yelda Alkan, Herbert S Terrace, Vincent P Ferrera: Learned Representation of Implied Serial Order in Posterior Parietal Cortex. Sci Rep 10(1): 9386, Jun 2020.
2019
Heuer GG, Madsen PJ, Flanders TM, Kennedy BC, Storm PB, Taylor JA. Separation of Craniopagus Twins by a Multidisciplinary Team. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jan 24;380(4):358-364. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1805132.
Tomlinson SB, Wong JN, Conrad EC, Kennedy BC, Marsh ED: Reproducibility of interictal spike propagation in children with refractory epilepsy. Epilepsia 60(5): 898-910, May 2019.
2016
Kennedy BC, Kelly KM, Anderson RCE, Feldstein NA. Isolated thoracic syrinx in children with Chiari I malformation. Childs Nerv Syst, 2016 Mar;32(3):531-4.
Kennedy BC, Brown LT, Komotar RJ, McKhann GM. Stereotactic catheter placement for Ommaya reservoirs: A large single-center series. J Clin Neurosci, 2016, May;27:44-7.
2015
Kennedy BC, D’Amico RS, Youngerman BE, McDowell MM, Hooten KG, Couture D, Jea A, Leonard J, Lew S, Pincus D, Rodriguez L, Tuite GF, DiLuna M, Brockmeyer DL, Anderson RCE. Long-term growth and alignment after occipitocervical and atlantoaxial fusion with rigid internal fixation in young children. J Neurosurg Pediatr, 2015 Oct 9:1-9.
Kennedy BC, Nelp TB, Kelly KM, Phan MQ, Bruce SS, McDowell MM, Feldstein NA, Anderson RCE. Delayed resolution of syrinx after posterior fossa decompression without dural opening in children with Chiari I malformation. J Neurosurg Pediatr, 2015 Aug 28:1-8.
Kennedy BC, Brown LT, Komotar RJ, McKhann GM. Frameless stereotactic Ommaya reservoir placement: efficacy and complication comparison with frame-based technique. Stereot Funct Neuros, 2015, 93(6):418-8.
Goldstein HE, Kennedy BC, Anderson RCE, Feldstein NA. “Bilateral occipital endoscopic choroid plexus cauterization for persistent hydrocephalus following frontal endoscopic third ventriculostomy and choroid plexus cauterization - The "Bowling Ball" technique.” Childs Nerv Syst, 2015 Oct 12.
Kennedy BC, Kelly KM, Phan MQ, Bruce SS, McDowell MM, Anderson RC, Feldstein NA. Outcomes after suboccipital decompression without dural opening in children with Chiari malformation type I. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2015 May 1:1-9.
Kennedy BC, Cloney MB, Anderson RCE, Feldstein NA. Superior parietal lobule approach for choroid plexus papillomas without preoperative embolization in very young children. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2015 Apr 10:1-6.
Surapaneni K, Kennedy BC, Yanagihara TK, DeLaPaz R, Bruce JN. Early cerebral blood volume changes predict progression after convection-enhanced delivery of topotecan for recurrent malignant glioma. World Neurosurg. 2015 Mar 12.
2014
Kennedy BC, McDowell MM, Yang PH, Wilson C, Li S, Hankinson TC, Feldstein NA, Anderson RC. Pial synangiosis for moyamoya syndrome in children with sickle cell anemia: a comprehensive review of reported cases. Neurosurg Focus. 2014 Jan 36(1).
D’Amico R, Kennedy BC, Bruce JN. Neurosurgical Oncology: Advances in operative technologies and adjuncts. J Neurooncol. 2014 Jun 27.
Sonabend A, Basnal M, Guarnieri P, Lei L, Amendolara B, Soderquist C, Leung R, Yun J, Kennedy B, et al. The transcriptional regulatory network of proneural glioma determines the genetic alterations selected during tumor progression. Cancer Res. 2014 Mar 1;74(5).
2013
Kennedy BC, Showers CR, Anderson DE, Anderson L, Canoll PC, Bruce JN, Anderson RC. Tumor-associated macrophages in glioma: Friend or Foe? J Oncol. 2013 May 8.
Anderson R, Kennedy B, Yanes C, Garvin J, Needle M, Canoll P, Feldstein N, Bruce J. Convection-enhanced delivery of topotecan into diffuse intrinsic brainstem tumors in children: Report of two cases. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2013 Mar; 11(3):289-95.
2012
D’Amico R, Lei L, Kennedy BC, Sisti J, Ebiana V, Crisman C, Christensen JG, Gil O, Rosenfeld S, Canoll P, Bruce JN. The addition of Sunitinib to radiation delays tumor growth in a murine model of glioblastoma. Neurol Res. 2012 Apr;34(3):252-61
2011
Kennedy BC, Shimato S, Anderson RCE, Bruce JN. Defining the mechanisms of CD8 T cell tumor tolerance. Immunotherapy. 2011 Jan;3(1):23-6.
Kennedy BC, Bruce JN. Surgical approaches to the pineal region. Neurosurgical Clinics of North America, 2011 Jul.
Yanagihara TK, Kennedy B, Surapaneni K, Bruce JN. Power in quantitative diffusion MRI of tumor response strategies for future studies. Acad Radiol. 2011 Dec 15.
Bruce JN, Fine RL, Canoll P, Yun JP, Kennedy BC, Rosenfeld SS, Sands SA, Lai R, Yanes CL, Bagiella E, DeLaPaz RL. Regression of recurrent malignant gliomas with topotecan by convection-enhanced delivery. Neurosurgery, 2011 May 10.
2009
Kennedy BC, Maier LM, D’Amico R, Mandigo CE, Fontana EJ, Waziri A, Assanah MC, Canoll P, Anderson RC, Anderson DE, Bruce JN. Dynamics of central and peripheral immunomodulation in a murine glioma model. BMC Immunol. 2009 Feb 18; 10:11.
Lectures by Invitation
2017
Kennedy B, et al. “Neurosurgery Resident Well-Being” Invited Oral Presentation, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, 2017, L.A., CA
2016
Kennedy B, et al. “Neurosurgery Resident Well-Being” Invited Oral Presentation, Society of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, 2016, Indianapolis, IN
2015
Kennedy B, et al. “Isolated Thoracic Syrinx in Children with Chiari I Malformation” Poster, CNS/AANS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery Annual Meeting, 2015, Seattle, WA
Kennedy B. “Life in the Next Accreditation System: A Resident’s Perspective.” Invited Oral Presentation, Society of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, 2015, Miami, FL
Kennedy B, et al. “Delayed Resolution of Syrinx After Posterior Fossa Decompression Without Dural Opening in Children with Chiari I Malformation” Oral Presentation, Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting, 2015, New Orleans, LA
Books
Chapters
2022
Sinha, S., Kennedy, B.C., Heuer, G.G., Huh, J.W., Lang, SS. (2022). Pediatric Head Injury. In: Mattei, P. (eds) Fundamentals of Pediatric Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07524-7_18
Two-year outcomes following modified transsylvian peri-insular hemispherotomy
Hemispherotomy is an effective treatment for well-selected patients with drug-resistant hemispheric epilepsy. Successful hemispherotomy leading to seizure cessation has been associated with improved neurodevelopmental outcomes and reduced healthcare utilization. This study reports seizure outcomes and complications in a large, consecutive, single-surgeon series of pediatric hemispherotomy cases using a surgical approach with modifications to previously-reported techniques.
Burr Hole Hemispherotomy-Modification of Trans-Sylvian Peri-Insular Technique: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Trans-sylvian peri-insular hemispherotomy represents a functional hemispherectomy with minimal brain removal used for treatment of refractory hemispheric epilepsy.
Aventricular hemispherotomy
Hemispheric disconnection in the form of hemispherectomy or hemispherotomy is the most effective way of treating intractable hemispheric epilepsy.