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Ma Antonia Poca Pastor

Ma Antonia Poca Pastor

I have a degree in Medicine and Surgery and I’m a specialist in Neurosurgery. I finished the Doctoral Thesis in 1996. Since 1990, I work in the Neurosurgery Department of the Vall Hebron University Hospital. I am currently Clinical Head of Neurosurgery and responsible for the Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit. I am also an associate professor of the UAB and coordinator of the Neurotraumatology and Neurosurgery Research Unit (UNINN) of the Vall Hebron Research Institute

Institutions of which they are part

Head of group
Neurotraumatology and Neurosurgery Research Unit (UNINN)
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca
Head of Section
Paediatric Neurosurgery
Children's Hospital and Woman's Hospital
Ma Antonia Poca Pastor

Ma Antonia Poca Pastor

Ma Antonia Poca Pastor

Institutions of which they are part

Head of group
Neurotraumatology and Neurosurgery Research Unit (UNINN)
Vall Hebron Institut de Recerca
Head of Section
Paediatric Neurosurgery
Children's Hospital and Woman's Hospital

I have a degree in Medicine and Surgery and I’m a specialist in Neurosurgery. I finished the Doctoral Thesis in 1996. Since 1990, I work in the Neurosurgery Department of the Vall Hebron University Hospital. I am currently Clinical Head of Neurosurgery and responsible for the Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit. I am also an associate professor of the UAB and coordinator of the Neurotraumatology and Neurosurgery Research Unit (UNINN) of the Vall Hebron Research Institute

Since 2008 I coordinate the Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit (NCP) of the HUVH, considered as a Reference Service (CSUR-NCP Complex) by the Ministry of Health since 2013. My clinical fields of greatest interest are: pediatric neurosurgery, hydrocephalus and other alterations of the CSF dynamics, brain trauma, craniocervical junction and skull base surgery, and neuro-oncology. I am accredited as a Senior University Professor by ANECA and in Advanced Research by AQUCAT. I have participated in advisory committees such as the Advisory Commission for Serious Polytrauma Patient Care (Generalitat de Catalunya) and the Emergency Commission of the Traumatology Area of ​​HUVH. I am a member of the Organizing Committee of the biannual International Symposium on Neuromonitoring and Treatment of Neurocritical Patients since 1994 and of the PICSmartCampus teaching platform (https://smartcampus.neurotrauma.net/), aimed at training in different aspects of neurocritical patients and patients affected by complex alterations of CSF dynamics. I also belong to the European Reference Networks on Rare Neurological Diseases (ERN-RND), ITHACA and CRANIO, in the latter I am responsible in our center and it is directed to craniofacial malformation pathologies. In relation to research, I am part of the multinational European projects CENTER-TBI, KidsBrainIT and BrainI2. My general indicators of the quality of scientific production are as of September 1, 2022: H-Index: 33; Sum of citations: 4998; Articles indexed in PubMed: 140; Book chapters: 55; Direction of doctoral theses: 8; Management of other research projects (master's, degree...): 16; Projects financed through competitive calls: 33 (9 as principal investigator); Health innovation projects: 24; Participation in national and international conferences: 519 (198 as guest speaker).

Research lines

Hydrocephalus and alterations in the dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (Consolidated Line)

General aim: Hydrocephalus is a very frequent pathology in the neurosurgical field, especially in pediatric patients. Its presence can lead to cognitive sequelae and disability that may be preventable with proper treatment. Our group has focused on a better understanding of its pathophysiology, on improving early diagnoses, and on the development of more specific biomarkers aimed at improving the clinical outcomes of these patients.


Specific aims: 1) Acquire new knowledge about the pathophysiology of normal pressure hydrocephalus and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) and optimize diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in these patients. 2) To establish the brain biochemical alterations (neurotransmitters and neuropeptides) that occur in these patients and their involvement in cognitive functions and sleep disorders. 3) To correlate the cognitive deficit with the morphological and functional alterations of different brain structures such as the corpus callosum and the subcortical white matter. 4) Search for less invasive systems that offer reliable information on intracranial pressure (SafeICP research project).

IP: Ma Antonia Poca Pastor, Joan Sahuquillo Barris

Congenital malformations of the cranio-vertebral junction (Consolidated line)

General aims: Chiari malformation is an entity that is diagnosed more and more frequently. The fundamental diagnostic element of this congenital malformation is a descent of the cerebellum towards the cervical canal, which produces local compression phenomena and alterations in the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid. However, there are great discrepancies about how the study and treatment of these patients is carried out in the different centers, which affects their final result. Our main objective in this line of research is to better understand the origin and repercussions of these malformations and contribute to improving treatment and, therefore, its final result.


Specific aims: 1) To deepen the knowledge of the pathophysiology of craniocervical malformations, especially Chiari Type 1 (MC-1) malformation, and to quantify the repercussion of these malformations in the clinical, social, and occupational fields. 2) Study the genetic bases of this malformation and its penetrance at the family level. 3) To study sleep disturbances (particularly the type and frequency of nocturnal apnea) associated with CM-1. 4) Study of the quality of life in patients with a malformation of the craniocervical joint before and after surgical treatment. 5) To deepen the knowledge of the cognitive-affective syndrome that patients affected by CM-1 may present (research project FIS PI22/01082). 6) Contribute to the homogenization in the management of MC-1 from the participation of our group in the consensus conferences aimed at the elaboration of clinical practice guidelines to be applied in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.


IP: Ma Antonia Poca Pastor, Joan Sahuquillo Barris

Projects

(SafeICP) Plataforma fotónica no invasiva para la detección a pie de cama de la hipertensión intracraneal y otras anomalías de la dinámica del líquido cerebroespinal.

IP: Ma Antonia Poca Pastor
Collaborators: Joan Sahuquillo Barris, Maria Sueiras Gil, Diego Fernando Lopez Bermeo
Funding agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-MICINN
Funding: 335384
Reference: PLEC2022-009290
Duration: 01/12/2022 - 30/11/2025

Ministerio de Ciencia

Biomarkers to improve diagnosis and management of mild traumàtic brain injury (BRAINI2)

IP: Ma Antonia Poca Pastor
Collaborators: -
Funding agency: EIT- European Institute of Innovation & Technolog
Funding: 248666
Reference: BRAIN2_EIT-HEALTH-BP21
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 31/12/2024

Impacto del síndrome afectivo-cognitivo cerebeloso (Síndrome de Schmahmann) en los pacientes con una malformación de Chiari tipo 1.

IP: Ma Antonia Poca Pastor
Collaborators: Joan Sahuquillo Barris, Alejandro Ferré Masó, Diego Fernando Lopez Bermeo
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Funding: 99220
Reference: PI22/01082
Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025

Unitat recerca en neurotraumatologia i neurocirurg

IP: Ma Antonia Poca Pastor
Collaborators: Dulce María Moncho Rodríguez, Joan Sahuquillo Barris, Fuat Arikan Abello, Miriam de Nadal Clanchet, Maria Sueiras Gil, Alejandro Ferré Masó, Francisco Ramón Martínez Ricarte
Funding agency: Agència Gestió Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca
Funding: 60000
Reference: 2021 SGR 00810
Duration: 01/01/2022 - 30/06/2025

Related news

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The goal is to test a low-cost, easy-to-use and non-invasive monitor, which will serve to control intracranial pressure (PICO) values, which will help to control and treat different acute brain pathologies.

Servei d'Anestesiologia i Reanimacio

Vall d'Hebron translates the QoR-15 questionnaire to assess the postoperative recovery

The new tool will improve patient care and allow early detection of complications, as the hospital previously did not have a specific form.

Resultats La Marató de TV3 2016

Es presenten els resultats de la recerca en ictus i lesions traumàtiques a la medul·la i al cervell impulsats per La Marató d

Entre els projectes es troben 12 investigacions on participen investigadors i investigadores de Vall d’Hebron.

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