Baltimore
Spine and Neurosurgery
OFFICE HOURS
Monday – Friday | 8:30- 4:30 |
Saturday | closed |
Sunday | closed |
+1 410-337-8201
Welcome to Baltimore Spine and Neurosurgery
Dr. Zünkeler is a board-certified neurosurgeon who focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the brain and spine. Dr. Zünkeler also provides second-opinion services for patients who are interested in confirmation of or alternatives to proposed neurosurgical treatment.
MEET DOCTOR ZÜNKELER
Bernhard Zünkeler attended medical school in Münster, Germany, and graduated summa cum laude with a doctorate degree in medicine in 1988. From 1989 to 1991, Dr. Zünkeler worked as a Fogarty Fellow and Medical Staff Fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. From 1991 to 1997, he completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. From 1997 to the present, Dr. Zünkeler has maintained a private neurosurgical practice in Baltimore. He has been a member of the clinical staff of several area hospitals, including St. Joseph Medical Center (where he served as Chief of Neurosurgery from 1997 to 2004), Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and the DC Veterans Administration Medical Center. Over the years, Dr. Zunkeler has worked with surgery, neurology, and neurosurgery residents and physician assistants and has served as a teaching physician in neurosurgical residency programs. Dr. Zünkeler maintains continuous certification by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
OUR HEALTH SERVICES
Dr. Zünkeler has clinical interests and experience in the following areas:
TELEHEALTH VISITS AVAILABLE
Patients in Maryland who would like to make an appointment for a remote consultation visit with Dr. Zünkeler are encouraged to contact our office (410-337-8201) for an appointment. Telehealth appointments may be preferable for patients who have mobility issues or health risks that make travel inadvisable. Patients who live in the more remote areas of Maryland (e.g. The Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland, or Western Maryland) and who would like to avoid a lengthy car trip may also be interested in the telehealth option. Please note, however, that there are some parts of the physical examination that cannot easily be performed remotely, and in some instances, an in-person visit may additionally be helpful at a later time to improve diagnostic accuracy.
In
Diagnosis
The diagnosis may not be obvious in every case. Some conditions may be masked by other conditions. Imaging studies are helpful, but a careful history and physical examination are essential.
Second opinion
Most spine surgeons encourage second opinions. Dr. Zünkeler will gladly review the medical records and imaging studies and provide an opinion regarding operative and nonoperative care options.
Treatment alternatives
Surgery is an aggressive form of treatment. Even a technically well done surgery often results in pain and the need for prolonged rehabilitation. In some cases, nonsurgical treatment may lead to good or excellent results.