
Bruno Perocco Braga, MD
Pediatric Neurosurgeon
Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Languages Spoken:
- English,

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.
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.”
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
Conditions
- Achondroplasia (Dwarfism)
- Anaplastic Astrocytoma
- Arachnoid Cysts
- Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor
- Brain Abscess
- Cavernous Malformations
- Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke
- Chiari Malformations
- Craniopharyngioma
- Encephalocele
- Ependymoma
- Glioblastoma
- Head Trauma
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Hydrocephalus
- Lipomas (Skin Lesions)
- Medulloblastoma
- Pilocytic Astrocytoma
- Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma
- Spina Bifida (Myelomeningocele)
- Spinal Trauma
- Tethered Cord
- Ventriculomegaly
Departments and Programs
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Research Interests
- Pediatric brain tumors
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Publications
- Braga BP, 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
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Professional Activities
- Active Member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (February 2014 - present)
- Active Member of the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery (September 2004 - present)
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
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Awards and Honors
- D Magazine Best Pediatric Specialists (2016, 2021)
- International Fellow (2019), American Association of Neurological Surgeons