Biography of Neurosurgeon
Paul Christopher Francel, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr.  Francel graduated Magna cum Laude from Harvard University  in three years (1982) majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D.  from the Department of Pharmacological/Physiological Sciences at the University of Chicago (1987) with his research being in neurobiochemistry and neuropharmacology, and his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of  Medicine (1989). This was part of an NIH funded scholarship for his education. The Toledo, Ohio native did his internship and residency training at the University of Virginia and included a year of study in Plymouth, England, and a year of pediatric neurosurgery at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.  

He is married with four children.  Three are presently in college.  He has six siblings.  Their parent's escaped communism in Czechoslovakia and came to the U.S.  He is working with his sister to bring their story to print or screen.

As a resident Dr. Francel trained with the “father of cavernous sinus surgery” Dr. Vinko Dolenc and Dr. John A. Jane-- both world famous neurosurgeons at the University of Virginia which is a center known for being one of the premier neurosurgery training programs in the world.

Dr.  Dolenc (left) and Dr. Jane (right)

He was Chairman of the Oklahoma Physician's Advisory Board and Co-Chairman of the National Physician's Advisory Board to President Bush and U.S. Congress.

Dr. Francel was formerly a tenured Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center (OUHSC), Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Chief of Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Medical Director of the Gamma Knife Center, Director of The Multidisciplinary Craniofacial Clinic, Co-Director of the Center for Cranial Base Surgery, and a member of the University-Presbyterian Neurological Institute.  He has been until recently in private practice.

He has been nationally involved in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, including Gamma Knife and Cyberknife.  Dr. Francel has research  interests in epilepsy, vagus nerve stimulators, invasive monitoring with cerebral blood flow probes,  motor, sensory, and speech mapping for tumors in eloquent brain; and computer directed 3-D surgery for epileptic focus resection and electrode placement. He has done spinal cord stimulation to control pain in the neck, back and arms and legs and implants morphine pumps.  See this story about how Dr. Francel treated epilepsy with surgery.  Also, the homepage has a story about that.

He was trained for use of the Gamma Knife by Dr. Ladislau Steiner of the University of Virginia, one of the developers and refiners of the device.  Dr. Francel is one of the top physicians in the state that utilizes the Gamma Knife.  See this story about a patient treated by the Gamma Knife for an acoustic neuroma.

Dr. Ladislau Steiner

Dr. Francel was formerly Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Oklahoma. He is a member of the American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery and a member of numerous pediatric neurosurgical societies, including, pediatric brain study groups.   He directed the Craniofacial Program at OUHSC and and a multidisciplinary spasticity program.  He performed endoscopic cranial surgery and  general pediatric and adult neurosurgery.  

He developed a multi-disciplinary skull-based program combining specialists in numerous surgical fields as a team for the removal of cranial or skull base tumors, such as cavernous sinus tumors. He is a member of the North American Skull Base Society and the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Dr. Francel founded the skull base tumor center in Oklahoma.  He had expert training in pituitary surgery.

Dr. Francel excelled in the treatment of  infants with plagiocephaly, a flat or misshapen head often caused by the "back to sleep campaign" to prevent SIDS.  It affects  approximately 1 out of 60 infants.  He also successfully treated craniosynostosis in infants. Craniosynostosis is a congenital anomaly characterized by the premature closure of one or more cranial sutures (the fibrous joints between the bones of the skull). The disorder results in an abnormal skull and head shape.  It affects about 1 out of 1000 infants. 

He has been quite skilled at repairing Chiari I Malformations. He performed that surgery very often, probably more frequently than any other surgeon in this part of the country.   See how Jennifer Hendricks was cured of her Chiari I Malformation by Dr. Francel.

Dr. Francel performed general neurosurgery for benign and malignant brain tumors and also repaired/treated aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).  He performed adult and pediatric spinal surgery including spinal instrumentation.   See the homepage and this page for a story about successful brain tumor removal.  Also, see this page for another brain tumor removal.  See this page for his surgical treatment of spinal stenosis.

He treated NPH (Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus) a cause of dementia with the Codman Programmable Shunt.

Dr. Francel was chosen as one of only 100 surgeons in the United States to implant motion-preserving artificial discs (ProDisc). These artificial discs are used to replace damaged or diseased natural discs in a human's vertebrae and function as well as the original disc.

Learn about Elizabeth Woodard from Chickasha who received the ProDisc-L, performed by Dr. Francel.

Dr. Francel has done a number of Deep Brain Stimulation surgeries helping persons with movement disorders.  See this story about a lady treated for Dystonia with  DBS.  After 10 years she was able to get out of her wheel chair and walk.

Most of Dr. Francel's cranial surgery utilized 3D image/computer guidance.   He is board certified in neurosurgery.  He has written over 150 articles.

Presently, he serves at church on the parish council, as lay liturgist, and teacher for adult classes on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights.  He and his wife enjoy performing at the Yukon Czech Festival in their native costumes.  He has taken an indefinite medical leave of absence from his neurosurgery practice.

This biography was written with information I collected.  It was not provided by

Dr. Francel.  I tried my best to get everything correct. 

If there are any errors, it is my mistake not his.

Nancy Allen