FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAN FRANCISCO (April 24, 2006) - David G. Kline, MD, was presented with the 2006 Cushing Medal, the highest honor granted by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, April 24, at the AANS Annual Meeting, April 24-27, in San Francisco. He was honored for his many years of outstanding leadership, dedication and contributions to the field of neurosurgery.

The Harvey Cushing Medal, the highest honor the AANS can bestow on a member, was established at the recommendation of President Lester Mount, MD, in 1976. Given annually since 1977, the award recognizes an AANS member for distinguished service in the field of neurosurgery.

A native of Philadelphia, David G. Kline, MD, received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After a surgical internship and a year of general surgery at the University of Michigan, he spent two and a half years at Walter Reed General Hospital. While there, he was instrumental in the development of a peripheral nerve research laboratory. Dr. Kline completed his training in neurosurgery at the University of Michigan under Edgar Kahn, MD and Richard C. Schneider, MD.

Dr. Kline has been on the staff of Louisiana State University School of Medicine since 1967. He launched a peripheral nerve laboratory there, as well as two nerve clinics, one for public and one for private patients. Dr. Kline became head of the Division of Neurosurgery in 1971, professor of surgery in 1975, and chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery in 1976. In 1995, he was named one of eight Boyd Professors at LSU Medical Center.

Dr. Kline has served as chair or president of several professional societies, including the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Louisiana State Neurosurgical Society, The Society of Neurological Surgeons, the Southern Neurosurgical Society, and the Sunderland Society. In addition to the AANS, Dr. Kline is a member of more than 20 other organizations including the American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, and Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

His research and clinical interests are focused on nerve injuries, especially the neurophysiology of regeneration and peripheral nerve tumors. A prolific author, Dr. Kline has written nearly 275 articles and book chapters. He has co-authored several books with Alan R. Hudson, MD, on peripheral nerves. Their most recent collaboration is Kline and Hudson’s Nerve Injuries, Second Edition, being published by Elsevier Press in 2006.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 6,800 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to patients. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves.