Meet Our Neurosurgeons

Robert Hirschl, M.D., completed his medical school training and neurosurgery residency at The Ohio State University. He also completed a neuro-interventional endovascular fellowship at The Ohio State University Medical Center.

Dr. Hirschl’s distinctions include receiving one of the highest scores on the neurosurgery written board exam at The Ohio State University. He also has the distinct honor of receiving attending privileges during his training. Dr. Hirschl was the director of endovascular neurosurgery at The Ohio State University during this time. In May of 2010 he was recognized by the Ohio State University Medical Center for his clinical skills in Neurosurgery and received the prestigious Clinical Excellence award.

Dr. Hirschl has an interest in complex spinal surgery, minimally invasive spinal surgery, spinal oncology, brain tumors, cerebral aneurysms and neuro trauma to the brain and spine. He is the only neurosurgeon in Des Moines and only one of two in the state of Iowa that is trained to both clip and coil aneurysms.

Dr. Hirschl has many research interests and is well published in highly respected peer reviewed journals. He has published in the Journal of Neurosurgery, Skull Base, Journal of Pediatric Neurology, and Journal of Robotic Surgery. He was the author of the brain tumor embolization chapter in Youman’s Neurological Surgery textbook that was published in June 2011. Youman’s Neurological Surgery is the most respected and highly used textbook in the field of Neurosurgery.

Dr. Hirschl has also invented several spinal instrumentation devices.  He serves as a consultant and is a member of an expert surgeon panel for development of biological agents. He has been an invited guest lecturer for his expertise in cerebral vascular disorders and spinal surgery throughout the country.

In October 2012, Dr. Hirschl was named to Becker’s Spine Review “60 Spine Surgeon Inventors to Know” for his work. The list was created as a result of extensive research. Surgeons included on the list were trained at top medical schools and have worked with some of the biggest device companies to bring their ideas to the market. In many cases, their contributions have made a difference in the quality and cost-effectiveness of spinal procedures. Many of them are also leaders within their practices, hospital departments or professional organizations.

 

Peter M. Klara M.D., Ph.D., obtained his Ph.D. degree in neuroanatomy at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, as a National Institute of Health fellow.  He was a National Institute of Health post-doctoral fellow and instructor at Tulane.  After completing his medical degree as a U.S. Health Professions Scholar, he completed a general surgery internship and neurological surgery residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Klara served as a staff neurological surgeon at Army Medical Center at Landstuhl, Germany, and later served as chief of service and consultant to the Surgeon General of the 7th Medical Command. Dr. Klara was activated from the Reserves to serve in Desert Storm.

Dr. Klara developed a special interest in complicated spine surgery while working with Dr. W. Caspar in Germany and helped introduce cervical plating to the U.S. as the program director of The International Spine Workshop held at the Military Medical School in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Klara helped practicing surgeons learn the latest spinal techniques over a 20 year period. Dr. Klara was awarded the Commanding Generals Award for these efforts. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons honored Dr. Klara by appointing him director of the Lumbar Fusion program at their annual meeting on numerous occasions.  Dr. Klara has participated in many FDA research trials and has published numerous peer review research articles and book chapters as well as serving as invited lecturer both nationally and internationally.  He holds patents of spinal instrumentation and continues to serve as a consultant.

 

John Gachiani, M.D., pediatric and adult neurosurgeon, is the only fellowship-trained pediatric neurosurgeon in Iowa and the only pediatric neurosurgeon serving central Iowa. He received his medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H. He completed a neurosurgery residency at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Dr. Gachiani completed his pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas.