Gil Kimchi, MD
Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Surgery
About Dr. Gil Kimchi
Dr. Gil Kimchi is an assistant professor of Neurosurgery who specializes in tumors of the spine and sacrum. His focus is primary bone tumors, including chordoma, sarcoma, giant cell tumor, aneurysmal bone cyst, hemangioma, osteoid osteoma, and osteoblastoma. These rare tumors often require a specialized procedure called en bloc resection, in which the tumor is removed in one intact piece. Dr. Kimchi completed dedicated fellowship training in neurosurgical oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center to manage these complex tumors safely and effectively.
He also treats metastatic tumors of the spine and the full spectrum of intradural tumors, such as ependymoma, hemangioblastoma, cavernoma, meningioma and schwannoma.
Before his fellowship at MD Anderson, he completed a dedicated fellowship in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Using small incisions, specialized instruments, and the operative microscope, these techniques minimize tissue damage and allow for a quicker recovery.
Dr. Kimchi’s research focuses on applying artificial intelligence to develop tools for surgical planning and early detection of spinal emergencies.
Dr. Kimchi believes in clear, honest communication and takes time to ensure patients and families understand their diagnosis and treatment options. He sees the surgeon and patient as one team working toward a shared goal.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery, Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2017 | Tel Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, IL, Doctor of Medicine |
| 2012 | Tel Aviv University, IL, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bachelor of Science |
Postgraduate Training
| 2024-2025 | Postgraduate Fellow, Neurosurgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2023-2024 | Postgraduate Fellow, Complex and Minimally Invasive Spine Neurosurgery, RUSH University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois |
| 2017-2023 | Resident, Sheba Medical Center |
| 2016-2017 | Internship, Sheba Medical Center |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2025 | Texas Medical Board FT License |
| 2023 | Israeli Neurosurgery Board Certification |
| 2023 | Texas Physician in Training Permit |
| 2018 | ECFMG Certificate |
| 2016 | Israeli Physician License |
Experience & Service
Other Professional Positions
Neurosurgery Delegate, Israeli National Forum of Residents, Israeli Medical Association, 2020 - 2023
Extramural Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Institutional Residency Training, Sheba Medical Center, 2022 - 2023
Member, Institutional Internship Committee, Sheba Medical Center, 2022 - 2023
Editorial Activities
Ad Hoc Reviewer, World Neurosurgery, 2025 - Present
Ad Hoc Reviewer, International Journal of surgical pathology, 2025
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Orthopedic Surgery and Research, 2024
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Neurosurgical Review, 2024
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Annals of Medicine, 2024
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Quantitative imaging in medicine and surgery, 2024
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 2023 - Present
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of investigative surgery : the official journal of the Academy of Surgical Research, 2023
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Global Spine Journal, 2021 - Present
Ad Hoc Reviewer, European Spine Journal, 2021 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2023 | Best Clinical Paper Award, Annual Conference of the Israeli Neurosurgical Society |
| 2022 | Award Winning Lectures of European Spine Societies, Eurospine / EuSABB |
| 2022 | Certificate of Outstanding Performance, Israeli Neurosurgery Oral Boards |
| 2021 | Sheba Medical Center Distinguished Employee of the Year, Sheba Medical Center |
| 2021 | Best Clinical Paper Award, Annual Conference of the Israeli Neurosurgical Society |
| 2021 | Honors Certificate for Exemplary Completion of Neurosurgery Residency, Sheba Medical Center |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Regional Presentations
- 2026. Spinal Metastatic Disease: Less Is More. Invited. Spine Rodeo. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2025. Spine Tumor Course: Primary Bone Tumor Case. Panelist. Spine Tumor Society Course. Houston, Texas, US.
National Presentations
- 2026. Hybrid Spine Reconstruction with Vascularized Bone Grafts and Direct Anastomosis Combined with Synthetic Cages After En Bloc Spondylectomy for Primary Bone Tumors. Invited. Global Spine Congress. Istanbul, Istanbul Province, TR.
- 2026. Hybrid Spine Reconstruction with Vascularized Bone Grafts and Direct Anastomosis Combined with Synthetic Cages After En Bloc Spondylectomy for Primary Bone Tumors. Conference. Spine Summit. Phoenix, Arizona, US.
- 2025. Surgical Outcomes of Occipitocervical Fusion for Metastatic Disease at the Craniocervical Junction: 24 Years of Experience at a Tertiary Cancer Referral Center. Conference. CNS Annual Meeting 2025. Los Angeles, CA, US.
- 2025. Total Sacrectomy Operative Video. Invited. CNS Annual Meeting 2025. Los Angeles, CA, US.
- 2023. Post-operative Changes in Cervical Screw Orientation: a Descriptive Analysis of 77 Semi constrained, Rotational Plates. Poster. CNS Annual Meeting.
- 2020. Cervical Radiograph Parameters in 1-, 2- and 3- Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with 12.5° Hyperlordotic Allografts. Conference. CNS Annual Meeting.
- 2016. Brain Metastases from Ovarian Carcinoma: Prognostic Factors and Treatment. Poster. 21st Annual Meeting of the Society of Neuro-Oncology.
International Presentations
- 2025. Occipitocervical Fusion for Metastatic Disease at the Craniocervical Junction: 24 Years of Experience at a Tertiary Cancer Referral Center. Invited. Vumedi Platform, US.
- 2022. The Impact of Neuromonitoring Attenuations in Extent of Resection in Benign Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors. Conference. Asian Australian Congress of Neurological Surgeons, US.
- 2022. OPLL In The Jewish Population. Conference. Eurospine Award Winning Lectures EuSABB Section. Milan, FR.
- 2022. Acute airway obstruction following anterior cervical decompression and fusion: institutional review and refined management algorithm. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Meeting, IL.
- 2022. Anterior Cervical Approach in the Geriatric Population. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Meeting, US.
- 2022. Post-operative Dysphagia following Ventral Cervical Approach: Complication or Side-effect. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Meeting, IL.
- 2021. Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL) in the Jewish Population: An Epidemiological Analysis. Conference. Annual Meeting of the Israeli Neurosurgery Society, IL.
- 2019. Neurologically Intact Patients with Occipitocervical Dislocation. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Meeting, IL.
- 2019. Anterolateral Cervical Cordotomy For Intractable Cancer Pain: A Minimally Invasive Approach. Conference. Annual Meeting of the Israeli Neurosurgery Society, IL.
- 2018. The Effect of Intrathecal Baclofen Infusion on the Progression of Scoliosis in Patients with Cerebral Palsy. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Annual Meeting, IL.
- 2018. Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: The Advantages of Minimally Invasive Approach. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Annual Meeting, IL.
- 2018. Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors: from Diagnosis to Outcome – Experience at a Single Institute. Conference. Annual Meeting of the Israeli Neurosurgery Society, IL.
- 2017. Minimally Invasive Spine surgery: The learning curve of a Single surgeon. Conference. Israeli Spine Society Annual Meeting, IL.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | NREF Clinical Fellowship Grant |
| Funding Source: | NREF- Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation |
| Role: | Key |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Jonathan SV, Chen JW, Wu K, Flores AR, Ghia AJ, Kimchi G, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Spinal laser interstitial thermal therapy for treatment of chordoma: single-center experience and literature review. J Neurooncol 179(2), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42661107.
- Call-Orellana, F, Zuluaga-Garcia, JP, de Almeida, R, Beck, A, Beckham, TH, Ghia, AJ, Li, J, Tom, MC, McAleer, MF, Perni, S, Wang, C, Yeboa, DN, Cross, KA, Alvarez-Breckenridge, C, Kimchi, G, Rhines, LD, Tatsui, CE, North, RY. Applicability of RECIST1.1, MDACC and SPINO Tumor Response Criteria After Adjuvant Stereotactic Spinal Radiosurgery in Surgically Treated Spinal Metastases. Medicina (Lithuania) 62(7), 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 42512796.
- Kimchi G, Call-Orellana FA, de Almeida JPZRAA, Beck A, Beckham TH, Ghia A, Li J, Tom MC, McAleer MF, Perni S, WangORCID C, A Cross DNYK, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. MDACC and SPINO Tumor Response Criteria After Adjuvant Stereotactic Spinal Radiosurgery in Surgically Treated Spinal Metastases, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Kimchi G, Shemesh S, Levin D, Harel R. Artificial intelligence-based detection of acute postoperative airway complications following anterior cervical spine surgery: a retrospective imaging evaluation. Asian Spine J, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41937572.
- Kimchi G, Johnston D, Kolcun JPG, Serbousek J, Fessler RG. Ten-year analysis of 17,639 thoracolumbar instrumentation failures using the manufacturer and user facility device experience (MAUDE) database. N Am Spine Soc J 25:100861, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41810137.
- Ramirez-Ferrer E, McCutcheon IE, Kimchi G, Amini B, Andrade Almeida R, Call-Orellana F, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Weinberg JS, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Intraoperative Ultrasound Imaging Features Guiding Surgical Strategy in Spinal Cord Ependymoma Resection. Neurosurg Pract 7(1):e000199, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41550981.
- Kimchi G, Tatsui CE, Ramirez Ferrer E, Andrade de Almeida RA, Call-Orellana F, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, McCutcheon IE, Rhines LD. Surgical outcomes of occipitocervical fusion for metastatic disease at the craniocervical junction: 24 years of experience at a tertiary cancer referral center. J Neurosurg Spine 44(5):740-747, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41719546.
- Andrade-Almeida RA, Guimaraes AB, de Gouveia GVRMB, Call-Orellana F, Ramirez-Ferrer E, Kimchi G, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Outcomes of percutaneous pedicle screw stabilization for metastatic spine disease: a 10-year experience. J Neurosurg Spine 44(5):731-739, 2026. e-Pub 2026. PMID: 41650459.
- Kimchi G, Tatsui CE, Ferrer ER, de Almeida RAA, Call-Orellana F, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, McCutcheon IE, Rhines LD. Surgical outcomes of occipitocervical fusion for metastatic disease at the craniocervical junction: 24 years of experience at a tertiary cancer referral center. JNS Spine, 2026. e-Pub 2026.
- Kimchi G, Shachar Shemesh, Levine D, Harel R. Artificial Intelligence-Based Detection of Acute Post-Operative Airway Complications Following Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery. Asian Spine J. e-Pub 2025.
- Ramirez-Ferrer E, Kimchi G, Amini B, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, Call-Orellana F, Almeida RA, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Weinberg JS, McCutcheon IE, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE, MD. Intraoperative Ultrasound Imaging Features Guiding Surgical Strategy in Spinal Cord Ependymoma Resection. Neurosurgery Practice. e-Pub 2025.
- Andrade-Almeida RA, Guimaraes AB, de Gouveia GVRMB, Call-Orellana F, Ramirez-Ferrer E, Kimchi G, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Outcomes of percutaneous pedicle screw stabilization for metastatic spine disease: a 10-year experience. JNS Spine. e-Pub 2025.
- Andrade-Almeida R, Call-Orellana F, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, Ramirez-Ferrer E, Kimchi G, Guimaraes AB, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Li J, Ghia AJ, Rhines L, Tom MC, Wang CY, Beckham TH, Amini B, North RY, Tatsui CE. Local Control After Adjuvant Radiosurgery for Spinal Metastasis Treated With Decompression and Posterior Segmental Stabilization: A Comparison Between Carbon Fiber/Polyetheretherketone-Based and Metallic Implants. Advances in Radiation Oncology, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40548160.
- Peled A, Kimchi G, Givon A, Gardner RC, Knoller N, Katorza E, Cohen-Manheim I. The impact of intracranial pressure monitoring in severe traumatic brain injury: results from the National Trauma Registry. J Neurosurg 142(6):1625-1634, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39951697.
- Ramirez Ferrer E, Kimchi G, Tom MC, Chakravarthy VB, Amini B, Andrade de Almeida RA, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, Call-Orellana F, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Intraoperative ultrasound imaging features in high-grade metastatic spinal cord compression treated with separation surgery. Neurosurg Focus 58(5):E8, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40311208.
- Kimchi G, Lamsam L, Gu B, Mendel E, Harel R, Knoller N, Cohen ZR, Ungar L, Zibly Z. Minimally Invasive Anterolateral Cervical Cordotomy for Intractable Cancer Pain Using Microtubular Retractors: A Single Institution Case Series. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 28(3):386-390, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39189765.
- Kimchi G, Yaniv G, Orion D, Orlev A, Harel R. Resection of Cervical Spinal Arteriovenous Fistulas Following Failed Endovascular Treatment: 2-Dimensional Microsurgery: 2-Dimensional Operative Video. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown) 29(6):900, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39933063.
- Harel R, Kimchi G, Perry A, Knoller N. C1 lateral mass screw insertion using cannulated, navigated screws: preliminary results of a novel technique. Br J Neurosurg 37(6):1624-1627, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 35341430.
- Orlev A, Feghali J, Kimchi G, Sun L, Pierre C, Gragnaniello C, Cotrutz C, Loiselle C, Vermeulen S, Litvack Z. TN-RS: a novel scoring system predicts Gamma Knife Radiosurgery outcome for trigeminal neuralgia patients. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 165(12):3895-3903, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37922000.
- Kimchi G, Maimon T, Geva LL, Knoller N, Peled A, Yaniv G, Orlev A, Klug M, Harel R. Prevalence and Characteristics of Cervical Ossified Posterior Longitudinal Ligament in the Jewish Population. World Neurosurg 179:e256-e261, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37619842.
- Harel R, Kimchi G, Perry A, Korn A, Knoller N. Post-laminectomy Dorsal Cord Migration Resulting in Immediate Neurologic Deterioration during Ventral Meningioma Resection: Proposed Mechanism of Injury and Prevention Technique. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 84(5):498-505, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 35453164.
- Shemesh S, Kimchi G, Yaniv G, Harel R. MRI-based detection of cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament using a novel automated machine learning diagnostic tool. Neurosurg Focus 54(6):E11, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37552648.
- Kimchi G, Michaeli N, Nulman M, Knoller N, Maimon T, Harel R. Post-operative dysphagia following ventral cervical approach: complication or side-effect? Retrospective analysis and review of the literature. Br J Neurosurg 37(1):86-89, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 35943396.
- Shiber M, Kimchi G, Knoller N, Harel R. The Evolution of Minimally Invasive Spine Tumor Resection and Stabilization: From K-Wires to Navigated One-Step Screws. J Clin Med 12(2), 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36675466.
- Harel R, Kimchi G, Knoller N. MRI blind zone: A proposed novel index for spinal implants artifacts. Clin Imaging 89:78-83, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35759884.
- Orlev A, Feghali J, Kimchi G, Salomon M, Berkowitz S, Oxman L, Levitan I, Knoller N, Auriel E, Huang J, Tamargo RJ, Harnof S. Neurological event prediction for patients with symptomatic cerebral cavernous malformation: the BLED2 score. J Neurosurg 137(2):344-351, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34920431.
- Harel R, Nulman M, Kimchi G, Knoller N. Short-term post-operative complications in 207 patients with multi-level degenerative cervical myelopathy: the effect of surgical approach. Neurol Neurochir Pol 56(5):404-409, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35801653.
- Harel R, Kimchi G, Knoller N. One-step insertion of navigated pedicle screws in minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MITLIF): preliminary results of a novel technique. Br J Neurosurg 35(6):753-756, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 32522043.
- Orlev A, Kimchi G, Oxman L, Levitan I, Felzensztein D, Ben Shalom N, Berkowitz S, Ben Zvi I, Laviv Y, Rubin G, Ben David U, Harnof S. Minimally Invasive Intracerebral Hematoma Evacuation Using a Novel Cost-Effective Tubular Retractor: Single-Center Experience. World Neurosurg 150:42-53, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33771750.
- Kimchi G. Resident Duty Hour Restrictions in Neurosurgery: What can we learn in Israel from the North American and European Experience?. Harefuah 160(6):367-371, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34160153.
- Kimchi G, Knoller N, Korn A, Eyal-Mazuz Y, Sapir Y, Peled A, Harel R. Delayed variations in the diagnostic accuracy of intraoperative neuromonitoring in the resection of intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Neurosurg Focus 50(5):E21, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33932929.
- Goren O, Hendrix P, Peled A, Kimchi G, Zauberman J, Griessenauer C, Feldman Z. Encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis with Dural Inversion for Moyamoya Disease in a Pediatric and Adult Population-a Single-Center 20-Year Experience. World Neurosurg 149:e16-e21, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33647488.
- Harel R, Kimchi G, Yaniv G, Orion D, Knoller N. Surgical Management of Failed Endovascular Treatment for Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas. World Neurosurg 147:e354-e362, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33346051.
- Kimchi G, Orlev A, Hadanny A, Knoller N, Harel R. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: The Learning Curve of a Single Surgeon. Global Spine J 10(8):1022-1026, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32875823.
- Kimchi G, Greenberg G, Traynelis VC, Witiw CD, Knoller N, Harel R. Integrity of the tectorial membrane is a favorable prognostic factor in atlanto-occipital dislocation. Br J Neurosurg 34(4):470-474, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32368931.
- Wohl A, Kimchi G, Korach J, Perri T, Zach L, Zibly Z, Harel R, Nissim U, Spiegelmann R, Nass D, Cohen ZR. Brain Metastases from Ovarian Carcinoma: An Evaluation of Prognostic Factors and Treatment. Neurol India 67(6):1431-1436, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31857529.
- Kimchi G, Stlylianou P, Wohl A, Hadani M, Cohen ZR, Zauberman J, Feldman Z, Spiegelmann R, Nissim O, Zivly Z, Penn M, Harnof S. Predicting and reducing cranioplasty infections by clinical, radiographic and operative parameters - A historical cohort study. J Clin Neurosci 34:182-186, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27436762.
- Gilo-Nulman M, Gil Kimchi MD, Gal Yaniv MD, David Orion MD, Ran Harel MD. Surgical Treatment of Thoracic Spinal extradural-Intradural AVM: 2D Microsurgery. World Neurosurg. PMID: 42727771.
Invited Articles
- Kimchi G, Varela S, Pablo Zuluaga-Garcia J, Call-Orellana F, Ramirez Ferrer E, de Almeida RAA, Gubbiotti MA, Glitza IC, Bishop AJ, Grant JD, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Primary Intramedullary Spinal Melanocytomas: Case Report and Review of Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management. JCM. e-Pub 2025.
- Kimchi G, Nulman M, Haj S, Bar-Orian I, Haisraely O, Harel R. Increased Dose in Spine Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Metastatic Disease: Are We Underestimating the Risks?. Medicina (Kaunas) 60(9), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39336555.
Review Articles
- Kimchi G, Varela S, Zuluaga-Garcia JP, Call-Orellana F, Ramirez Ferrer E, Andrade de Almeida RA, Gubbiotti MA, Glitza IC, Bishop AJ, Grant JD, North RY, Alvarez-Breckenridge CA, Rhines LD, Tatsui CE. Primary Intramedullary Spinal Melanocytomas: Case Report and Review of Clinical Features, Diagnosis, and Management. J Clin Med 14(22), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 41303082.
- Stylianou P, Kimchi G, Hoffmann C, Blat I, Harnof S. Neuroimaging for patient selection for medial temporal lobe epilepsy surgery: Part 2 functional neuroimaging. J Clin Neurosci 23:23-33, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26453282.
Book Chapters
- Kimchi G, Sellin JE, Rhines LD. Primary Spinal Tumors. In: Neuro-Oncology, 4th Edition.
- Kimchi G, Gillis CC, O'Toole JE. Endoscopic Approaches to Thoracic Tumors and Infections. In: Video Atlas of Endoscopic Spine Surgery and Procedures.
- Kimchi G, Kerolus MG, Molenda JE, Gillis CC, Fessler RG. Posterior Percutaneous and Minimally Invasive Approaches to Decompression and Arthrodesis of the Cervical Spine. In: Benzel’s Spine Surgery, 6th edition. 6.
- Kimchi G, Kerolus MG, Kramer DE, Fessler RG. Posterior Approaches to the Lumbar Spine: Minimally Invasive Decompression. In: Benzel’s Spine Surgery, 6th edition. 6.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified September 14, 2026