Todd Stiles Shanks, MD

Dr. Todd Shanks is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in cranial procedures and spine care, including spinal and cranial oncology treatments for neoplastic lesions of the spine, brain and spinal cord. He is also focused on providing functional and reparative neurosurgery for degenerative spine disorders and spine deformity in adults, along with brain and spine trauma surgery, peripheral nerve surgery and spinal cord neuromodulation therapies.  

Since 2010, Dr. Shanks has helped move the field of neurosurgical care forward through his leadership in helping develop the Cressman Parkinson’s program for movement disorders, craniofacial surgical headache program and epilepsy program at the esteemed Norton Neuroscience Institute. He also was previously involved with the Norton Cancer Institute’s neuro-oncology/spinal oncology program and continues to focus his work in this area today.

Dr. Shanks’ clinical research contributions are significant in the areas of novel spinal implants and surface technologies, microneurography as a tool for testing limb prosthetics, and stereotactic radiosurgery and neuromodulation for the treatment of craniofacial pain disorders. In the area of craniofacial pain disorders, Dr. Shanks is focused on treatments for trigeminal neuralgia, atypical face pain, cervicogenic headache, occipital neuralgia and Chiari malformations. Previously, he served on the staff at the Baptist Health Neurological Surgery and Spine Center in Louisville, Ky.

Dr. Shanks earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville and began his neurological surgery residency at Louisiana State University in New Orleans. When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, his studies were interrupted. He went on to complete the residency at the University of Louisville Department of Neurological Surgery/Leatherman Spine Program and his fellowship training in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, with an emphasis on deep brain stimulation, epilepsy and craniofacial pain, through the Vanderbilt University Department of Neurological Surgery in Nashville, Tenn. 

Dr. Shanks is a member of American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Association of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, North American Neuromodulation Society and North American Spine Society.