Zarina S. Ali, M.D., M.S.

Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the Presbyterian Medical Center of Philadelphia
Attending physician, Pennsylvania Hospital
Attending physician, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Attending physician, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania
Co-Director, Penn Nerve Center, Penn Medicine University City
Chief of Neurosurgery, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Vice Chair for Clinical Operations and Quality Improvement, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery
Department: Neurosurgery
Contact information
3737 Market Street, 8th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 215-294-9494
Fax: 215-222-8646
Fax: 215-222-8646
Publications
Education:
BS (Neuroscience )
University of Rochester, 2004.
MS (Neurobiology and Anatomy)
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2007.
MD (Medicine)
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2009.
BS (Neuroscience )
University of Rochester, 2004.
MS (Neurobiology and Anatomy)
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2007.
MD (Medicine)
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2009.
Post-Graduate Training
Intern in Neurological Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2009-2010.
Resident in Neurological Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2010-2015.
Peripheral Nerve in-folded clinical and research fellowship, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2013-2014.
Chief Resident in Neurological Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2015-2016.
Peripheral Nerve Advanced Clinical Education, Mayo Clinic (Robert J. Spinner, MD); University of Michigan (Lynda Yang, MD, PhD); University of Calgary (Rajiv Midha, MD) , 2016-2016.
Intern in Neurological Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2009-2010.
Resident in Neurological Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2010-2015.
Peripheral Nerve in-folded clinical and research fellowship, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2013-2014.
Chief Resident in Neurological Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 2015-2016.
Peripheral Nerve Advanced Clinical Education, Mayo Clinic (Robert J. Spinner, MD); University of Michigan (Lynda Yang, MD, PhD); University of Calgary (Rajiv Midha, MD) , 2016-2016.
Certifications
The American Board of Neurological Surgery, Board certification, 2020.
American College of Surgeons, Fellow, 2021.
Permanent linkThe American Board of Neurological Surgery, Board certification, 2020.
American College of Surgeons, Fellow, 2021.
Description of Clinical Expertise
neurosurgery, peripheral nerve surgery, spine surgery, brachial plexus surgery, nerve sheath tumorsDescription of Research Expertise
enhanced recovery after surgery, opioid stewardship, quality improvement, nerve regeneration, tissue engineered nerve graftingSelected Publications
Smith CJ, Howard SD, Arena JD, Ghenbot YG, Ali ZS, Petrov D, Kumar MA, Schuster JM: A prediction model of adenosine diphosphate inhibition among traumatic brain injury patients. Brain Inj 11: 1-7, May 2025.Burrell JC, Ali ZS, Zager EL, Rosen JM, Tatarchuk MM, Cullen DK: Engineering the Future of Restorative Clinical Peripheral Nerve Surgery. Adv Healthc Mater(1), Apr 2025.
Howard SD, Pessoa R, Costello L, Silpagar M, Gardiner D, Tambe U, Rushanan S, Joshi D, Nguyen J, Macaluso D, Malhotra NR, Welch W, Ali ZS: Accuracy of RAPT Score in Predicting Discharge Disposition in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery Within an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program. Clin Spine Surg Mar 2025.
Wilson TJ, Ali ZS, Davis GA, Dengler NF, Desai K, Garozzo D, Guedes F, Jacques LG, Kretschmer T, Mahan MA, Midha R, Puffer RC, Rasulic L, Ray WZ, Rizk E, Rodriguez-Aceves CA, Shapira Y, Socolovsky M, Spinner RJ, Zager EL: Core outcomes in nerve surgery: development of a core outcome set for sciatic injury and neuropathy evaluation. J Neurosurg 28: 1-10, Mar 2025.
Ghenbot Y, Arena JD, Dagli MM, Macaluso D, Ghenbot S, Wathen C, Khela H, Ahmad HS, Santangelo G, Gobulovsky J, Wright J, Heintz J, Ali ZS, Malhotra NR, Welch WC, Yoon JW, Arlet V, Ozturk AK: The influence of the magnitude of sagittal correction and local junctional factors on proximal junctional kyphosis and failure following correction of adult spinal deformity: an inverse probability weighted analysis. J Neurosurg Spine 42(6): 748-757, Mar 2025.
Hejazi-Garcia C, Howard SD, Quinones A, Malhotra NR, Yoon JW, Ozturk AK, Schuster JM, Petrov D, Hsu JY, Ali ZS: The Social Deprivation Index and lumbar spine surgery outcomes. J Neurosurg Spine 42(5): 579-588, Mar 2025.
Dagli MM, Wathen CA, Golubovsky JL, Ghenbot Y, Arena JD, Heintz J, Macaluso D, Santangelo G, Ali ZS, Malhotra N, Yoon JW, Welch WC, Arlet V, Ozturk AK: Intravenous tranexamic acid and reduction in blood loss and perioperative transfusion requirements in adult spinal deformity: a multicenter propensity-scored observational study. J Neurosurg Spine 42(4): 481-489, Feb 2025.
Arena JD, Ghenbot Y, Tomlinson SB, Wathen CA, Schneider ALC, Chen HI, Ali ZS, Schuster JM, Petrov D: Navigated Osteosynthesis for Unstable Atlas Fractures: Technical Note and Case Series. World Neurosurg 194, Feb 2025.
Shan E, Xiong R, Katzman M, Ali Z, Lee D, Delgado MK, Agarwal A: Effect of providing at-home opioid disposal kits at discharge after an orthopaedic surgery. BMJ Open Qual 14(1), Jan 2025.
Hejazi-Garcia C, Howard SD, Quinones A, Hsu JY, Ali ZS: The association between surgical start time and spine surgery outcomes. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 248, Jan 2025.