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Bruno Perocco Braga, MD $$

Pediatric Neurosurgeon

Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center

Languages Spoken:
EnglishPortuguese,Spanish

Locations

UT Southwestern Pediatric Group

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Biography

For Bruno Braga, M.D., commitment goes beyond working as a pediatric neurosurgeon on the day of surgery.

“One of the best things is that I’m able to develop long-term relationships with patients and their parents,” he says. “There’s a connection and a feeling that we’re in it together. There’s a strong sense of teamwork.”

A significant part of Braga’s career has been studying the development and mechanics of the spine. Some of his procedures have included surgery on tumors, fractures, and birth abnormalities. Dr. Braga is skilled at using decompression to remedy narrowing of the spinal canal. He also can perform instrumentation of the spine, which keeps the spine rigid and corrects instability and deformity. And whenever indicated, he can also use minimally invasive techniques. 

A multidisciplinary approach and new technology can make a difference in the quality of life and survival time of the patient.
Dr. Braga

All of this has made Dr. Braga a world-renowned expert at treating spinal diseases. He’s made it his mission to use his skills to successfully treat these conditions, which, at times, can be painful and incapacitating. Sometimes spine conditions are so debilitating that the patient has the potential to lose movement in many functions — including their limbs, bowel movements, and even the ability to breathe.

Dr. Braga also has a special interest in neurological treatment of brain tumors. He uses a combination of micro anatomical, surgical, and navigation techniques to remove tumors and preserve the surrounding brain function. He collaborates with radiologists, oncologists, and radiation oncologists to choose the best treatment — which he combines with the latest technology.

“A multidisciplinary approach and new technology can make a difference in the quality of life and survival time of the patient,” he says. “But equally as important is dedication to sharing as much as I can with families of my patients, so a patient can feel a strong sense of support.”

Dr. Braga, pediatric neurosurgeon - Children's Health

Bruno Braga engages in every aspect of neurological and spinal disorders care for his patients. While neurosurgeons who treat adults generally focus in only one area, Dr. Braga deals with all of them.

“Pediatric neurosurgery is unique in its ability to take care of all types of neurosurgical problems, including venous or arterial diseases, traumatic injuries, spinal problems, movement disorders, seizure disorders, and tumors,” Dr. Braga says. 

Dr. Braga attended medical school at Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He completed his internship at the Hospital das Clínicas da UFMG in Belo Horizonte, Brazil; his residency at the Hospital da Baleia in Belo Horizonte, Brazil; and his fellowship at the Children’s Health℠ at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He’s a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery.

When he’s not working, Dr. Braga enjoys spending time with his family, playing tennis, snowboarding, watching movies, and learning new languages. 

Education and Training

Medical School
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (2000)
Residency
Hospital da Baleia (2004), Neurosurgery
Fellowship
UT Southwestern - Children's Medical Center (2013), Pediatric Neurological Surgery

Departments and Programs

  • Research Interests

    • Pediatric brain tumors

  • Publications

    Publications

    • Melhado C, Russell KW, Acker SN, Padilla BE, Lofberg K, Spurrier R, Robinson B, Chao S, Ignacio RC, Ryan M, Auguste K, Beni C, Braga BP, Buckley RT, Chu J, Durand R, Floan GM, Gonda DD, Iyer RR, Jamshidi R, Koral K, Kruk PG, Linnau K, MD; Liu GSJ, McNevin K, O'Neill B, Pandya S, Polukoff NE, Prendergast C, Prolo LM, Rampton J, Regner M, Ronecker J, Sabapaty A, Sayama C, Selesner L, Smith KM, MD; Stence N, Theissen J, Tong E, Vaughn JA, Jensen AR. Cervical Collar-Associated Pressure Injury in Pediatric Trauma Patients: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Study. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery. September 29, 2023.  
    • Braga BP, Swift D, Fatima N. In reply to the letter of the editor regarding “Tonsillectomy in Chiari malformation type I: is it always the right choice?” Neurosurgical Focus. In press. October 2023. 
    • Batie SF, Coco CT, Braga BP, Chan YY, Stanasel I, Jacobs MA, Baker LA, Peters CA, Schlomer BJ. Clinical Utility and Interrater Reliability of Video Urodynamics in Children with Isolated Fibrolipoma of Filum Terminale. J Ped Urol 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2023.05.002
    • Fatima N, Swift D, Montgomery EY, Weprin BE, Price AV, Whittemore BA, Braga BP. Risk factors for clinical and radiological worsening following Chiari malformation type I surgery in the pediatric population. Neurosurg Focus. 2023 Mar;54(3):E7. doi: 10.3171/2022.12.FOCUS22630
    • Braga BP, Montgomery EY, Weprin BE, Price AV, Whittemore BA, Pernik MN, Sklar F, Sillero RO, Swift DM. Cerebellar tonsil reduction for surgical treatment of Chiari malformation type I in children. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2023 Mar 10;1-10.  doi: 10.3171/2023.1.PEDS22222
    • Alexiades NG, Shao B, Braga B, Bonfield C, Brockmeyer DL, Browd SR, DiLuna M, Groves M, Hankinson TC, Jea A, Leonard JR, Lew S, Limbrick D, Mangano F, Martin J, Pahys J, Powers A, Proctor MR, Rodriguez L, Rozzelle C, Storm J, Anderson RCE. Development of best practices in the utilization and implementation of pediatric cervical spine traction: A modified Delphi study. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2021 Apr 2:1-12. doi: 10.3171/2020.10.PEDS20778. Online ahead of print.PMID: 33799292
    • Braga BP, Sillero R, Pereira RM et al. Dynamic compression in vertebral artery dissection in children: apropos of a new protocol. Childs Nerv Syst. 2020;37:1285-1293. doi: 10.1007/s00381-020-04956-1
    • Mohamad O, Wardak Z, Bowers DC, Le AH, Dan T, Abdulrahman R, Gargan L, Klesse L, Weprin B, Swift D, Price A, Ding C, Stojadinovic S, Sklar F, Braga B, Timmerman R. Margin-Free Fractionated Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Pediatric Brain Tumors. Pract Radiat Oncol. 2020 May 16:S1879-8500(20)30110-7. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2020.03.013. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32428764
    • Herman MJ, Brown KO, Sponseller PD, Phillips JH, Petrucelli PM, Parikh DJ, Mody KS, Leonard JC, Moront M, Brockmeyer DL, Anderson RCE, Alder AC, Anderson JT, Bernstein RM, Booth TN, Braga BP, Cahill PJ, Joglar JM, Martus JE, Nesiama JO, Pahys JM, Rathjen KE, Riccio AI, Schulz JF, Stans AA, Shah MI, Warner WC, Jr., Yaszay B. Pediatric Cervical Spine Clearance: A consensus statement and algorithm from the Pediatric Cervical Spine Clearance Working Group. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2019;101(1):e1.
    • Anton-Martin P, Braga B, Megison S, Journeycake J, Moreland J. Craniectomy and traumatic brain injury in children on ECMO support: Case report and review of the literature. Pediatric Emerg Care. 2018 Nov;34(11):e204-e210.
    • Goldstein HE, Neira JA, Banu M, Aldana PR, Braga BP, Brockmeyer DL, DiLuna ML, Fulkerson DH, Hankinson TC, Jea AH, Lew SM, Limbrick DD, Martin J, Pahys JM, Rodriguez LF, Rozzelle CJ, Tuite GF, Wetjen NM, Anderson RCE. Growth and alignment of the pediatric subaxial cervical spine following rigid instrumentation and fusion: a multicenter study of the Pediatric Craniocervical Society. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2018 Jul;22(1):81-88
    • Vilela MD, Braga BP, Pedrosa HAS. Fluoroscopy only for the placement of long iliac screws: A study on 14 patients. Surgical Neurology Int. 2018 May 25;9:108
    • Vilela MD, Braga BP, Pedrosa HASR. Long iliac screw fixation in a case of isthmic spondyloptosis. Surgical Neurology Int. 2017 Jun 13;8:110
    • Rollins N, Braga B, Hogge A, Beavers S, Dowling M. Dynamic Arterial Compression in Pediatric Vertebral Arterial Dissection. Stroke. 2017 Apr;48(4):1070-1073
    • Flores BC, Patel AR, Braga BP, Weprin BE, Batjer HH. Management of infectious intracranial aneurysms in the pediatric population. Childs Nerv Syst 2016; Jul;32(7):1205-1217
    • Braga BP, Morais JV, Vilela MD. Free-hand placement of high thoracic pedicle screws with the aid of fluoroscopy: evaluation of positioning by CT scans in a four-year consecutive series. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2010;68(3):390-395
    • Braga BP, Cabral-Filho G, Vilela MD. Normal hearing after resection of a large vestibular schwannoma. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2008;66(4):910-912 
    • Vilela MD, Jermani C, Braga BP. Lumbopelvic fixation and sacral decompression for a u-shaped sacral fracture: case report. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2007;65(3-B):865-868 
    • Vilela MD, Jermani C, Braga BP. C1 lateral mass screw for posterior segmental stabilization of the upper cervical spine and a new method of three-point rigid fixation of the C1-C2 complex. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2006; 64(3-B):762-767 
    • Braga BP, Costa Jr LB, Lemos S, Vilela MD. Brainstem cavernous malformations in infants: report of two cases and literature review. J Neurosurg (6 Suppl Pediatrics) 104:429-433, 2006 
    • Braga BP, Lemos S, Vilela MD. Giant posterior fossa cavernous malformation in an infant. Nepal J Neuroscience 2004; 1:128-30 
    • Costa LBC, Morais JV, Andrade A, Vilela MD, Pontes RPC, Braga BP. Surgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms: six-year experience in Belo    Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2004; 62(2-A):245-9 
    • Braga BP, Costa Jr LB, Lambertucci JR. Magnetic resonance imaging of cerebellar schistossomiasis mansoni. Rev Bras Med Trop 2003; 36(5): 635-6 Melhado C, Russell KW, Acker SN, Padilla BE, Lofberg K, Spurrier R, Robinson B, Chao S, Ignacio RC, Ryan M, Auguste K, Beni C, Braga BP, Buckley RT, Chu J, Durand R, Floan GM, Gonda DD, Iyer RR, Jamshidi R, Koral K, Kruk PG, Linnau K, MD; Liu GSJ, McNevin K, O'Neill B, Pandya S, Polukoff NE, Prendergast C, Prolo LM, Rampton J, Regner M, Ronecker J, Sabapaty A, Sayama C, Selesner L, Smith KM, MD; Stence N, Theissen J, Tong E, Vaughn JA, Jensen AR. Cervical Collar-Associated Pressure Injury in Pediatric Trauma Patients: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium Study. Accepted for publication in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery. September 29, 2023.

    Books

    • Spinal Cord Injury. In Fleisher & Ludwig's: The 5 Minute Pediatric Emergency Medicine Consult. Braga BP, Huang C (2019). Philadelphia, Wolters Kluwer
    • Infectious aneurysms. In Pediatric Vascular Neurosurgery: A Comprehensive Guide to Pediatric Neurosurgical Disorders and its Management. Flores Bc, Patel AR, Braga BP, Weprin BD, Batjer HH (2016). New York, Springer

  • Professional Activities

    • Active Member of the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery (2021–present)
    • Affiliate Member of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery (2021-present)
    • Member of AANS/CNS Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care (2018-present)
    • Member of AANS/CNS Section for Pediatric Neurosurgery (2017-present)
    • Affiliate Member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (2016-present)
    • Active Member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (2014-present)
    • Active Member of the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery (2004–present)

  • Awards and Honors

    • D Magazine Best Pediatric Specialists (2016, 2021)
    • International Fellow (2019), American Association of Neurological Surgeons
    • Summa Cum Laude honors, graduated #3 in class of 109, December (1994), Campbell University, NC, USA 
    • Member of President’s List in (1993-1994), Campbell University, NC, USA

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