Barrow Neurosurgical Associates (BNA) in Phoenix, Ariz. has brought on Laura Snyder, MD to its ranks. The group of 28 world-renown neurosurgeons and physiatrists focuses on treating a wide range of complex brain and spine conditions. Dr. Snyder will practice at St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Barrow Neurosurgical Associates Outpatient Surgery Center located in Phoenix, Ariz.
Dr. Snyder is among the small 5 percent of neurosurgeons nationwide that are female, according to the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
“As a former resident of Barrow Neurological Institute, I have had the opportunity to learn from some of the most brilliant neurosurgeons in the world,” said Snyder. “This group is always innovating and expanding what’s possible. I am thrilled to be a part of this respected group of physicians and I look forward to investing with them my passion for helping patients achieve positive outcomes.”
Dr. Snyder specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery, which stabilizes the vertebral bones and spinal joints and/or relieves pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. This type of surgery addresses conditions such as degenerative spinal disease, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spinal instability and spinal tumors.
Minimally invasive surgery is surgery performed through smaller incisions with less muscle destruction and less blood loss, usually with the aid of microscopic visualization. “Utilizing new technologies and surgical techniques allows us to perform more complex surgeries with less soft tissue trauma,” said Snyder. “This reduces pain, expedites post-operative recovery, and ultimately gets my patients back to living the lives they want to live.”
The daughter of a handyman, it comes as no surprise that she chose a career requiring comfort with screws, remodeling, and repair. Dr. Snyder was fascinated by the complexity of spinal disorders and the ability of spinal surgery to improve or at least slow their progression. She started with research in Cervical Spine Trauma while a medical student at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, and she came to Barrow Neurological Institute for Neurosurgery residency training with some of the most well-known spine surgeons in the world, including Volker Sonntag, MD.
Researching ways to improve the process of spine surgery both physically and emotionally, she pursued fellowships in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix and Rush Medical Center in Chicago. A competitive tennis player and former triathlete, Dr. Snyder enjoys treating and recuperating athletes of any age.
As a Chicago native, Dr. Snyder appreciates the warmer climate of Arizona. She enjoys road biking, hiking, tennis and spending time with her husband.
