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.

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 neurosugery training programs in the world.

He is Chairman of the Oklahoma Physician's Advisory Board and Co-Chairman of the National Physician's Advisory Board to the President 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 is now in private practice.

He is nationally involved in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, including Gamma Knife, Cyberknife, epilepsy surgery, and movement disorders surgery (pallidotomy, thalamotomy, and deep brain stimulation). 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. Dr. Francel is one of several national neurosurgical directors for a multi-center study using deep brain stimulation for tremor, Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and other movement disorders.

To learn more about Dr. Francel's treatments for significant spasticity click here.

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.

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 performs endoscopic cranial surgery and  general pediatric and adult neurosurgery.   He has established a pediatric neurosurgery center at Baptist Medical Center.

He has 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 Sterotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Dr. Francel founded the skull base tumor center in Oklahoma.  He has expert training in pituitary surgery.

Dr. Francel excels 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 treats 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 is quite skilled at repairing Chiari I Malformations. He performs this 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 (click here).

Dr. Francel performs general neurosurgery for benign and malignant brain tumors and also repairs/treats aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).  He performs adult and pediatric spinal surgery including spinal instrumentation.  Also, he does craniofacial surgery.

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

Recently, Dr. Francel has been 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.

The ProDisc has been implanted in over 8000 patients in Europe since December 1999. A multicenter FDA study was started in the United States in October 2001. The first ProDisc in the United States was implanted on October 3, 2001. Nineteen study centers participated in the prospective randomized study, comparing the ProDisc to the current standard treatment of a 360° (front and back) fusion using allograft in the intervertebral space and pedicle screws with autograft posteriorly.

Learn about Elizabeth Woodard from Chickasha who received the ProDisc-L, performed by Dr. Francel (includes a video).

Most of his cranial surgery utilizes 3D image/computer guidance and is performed at Edmond Medical Center and Saint Anthony's Medical Center.

Dr. Paul Francel is board certified in neurosurgery.  He has written over 150 articles.

Learn much more about Dr. Francel by clicking on the links below.

Dr. Paul C. Francel 13825 Quail Pointe Drive  Oklahoma City, OK  73134 (405) 752-4592  phone (405) 752-2638  fax Click map symbol to see map.