Dr. Estrada Bernard
Neurosurgery
Anchorage, AK
40 years experience male
Locations
Office
Anchorage, AK
My office hours
Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Show moreAnchorage Neurosurgical Associates, Inc.
Anchorage, AK
About
Bio
I have been a practicing neurosurgeon since completing my neurosurgery training in 1990. My practice offers the full range of neurosurgical care for disorders of the spine, brain and peripheral nerves. I am a graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine where I also completed an internship in General Surgery followed by a full residency training in Neurosurgery. As a diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons , I have been board certified since 1994. Prior to moving to Anchorage in 2004, I was a professor at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill as Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery and Director of the Neurosurgery Residency training program. A partial list of the publications from that time reflect some of my professional interests. I am a member of several medical organizations including the American College of Surgeons , American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Medical Association and AOSpine. My current hospital privileges are at Providence Alaska Medical Center, Alaska Regional Hospital Creekside Surgery Center and Alaska Surgery Center.
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Neurosurgery
Doctor Q&A
122 Answers
56 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 48-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Unrelat: The symptoms described are likely not related to the previously reported image findings of cervical disc protrusion. A thorough evaluation should clar... Read More
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5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Pain specialist: Have a pain specialist evaluate you to determine if you meet criteria for complex regional pain syndrome.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 16-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: Prognosis for brain tumors depends on several factors. The most important is the type of tumor. Some benign tumors have an excellent prognosis even wi... Read More
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4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 42-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Could be permanent: Although a foot drop may resolve spontaneously, the problem could be permanent with or without surgical decompression depending on the severity and du... Read More
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5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 26-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Atypical: This is not a typical course after microdiscectomy. I would suggest that you seek the input and follow up with your surgeon.
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4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 57-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Thorough evaluation: Thorough evaluation is essential to determine source of pain. If clearly si joint-related, sijoint injections or ultimately, sijoint fusion. If due to... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Get evaluation : Should be evaluated to rule out pseudomembranous colitis caused by clostridium difficile when normal gut flora has been suppressed.
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4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 37-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Ignore: Anti inflammatory drugs / exercise help to maintain posture and spine mobility .
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 49-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Probably not: Fusion would be indicated if there is instability . This would have to fit certain criteria. Not likely that you would have instability over 25 years.... Read More
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4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: Grade I L5S1 spondylolisthesis and bilateral foraminal stenosis- no intervention needed if no referable symptoms. Otherwise, physical exam including n... Read More
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3.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: If the cauda equine syndrome is due to compression of the nerves of the cauda equine, the most reliable and effective treatment would be surgery to el... Read More
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3.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Potentially: It could be secondary to local contact with a medication, trauma or something putting pressure on on of the nerves to the eye. I would have it evaluat... Read More
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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Post concussion: Those symptoms are consistent with post concussion syndrome. Follow with your health care providorcc to ensure that there is not a lingering structura... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Make: Make sure that there is no structural problem that can remedied, then keep as active as feasible.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Theoretically : Theoretically a severe brain injury affecting the hypothalamus and hormonal regulation could have an effect on growth and other hormone mediated pro... Read More
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5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 61-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
PT: Physical therapy, nsaids, cervical traction, accupuncture and epidural steroids are possible options to consider.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Many prospects: Stenosis may be caused by any structure that occupies space in the spinal canal leading to crowding of the nerve roots. This could include bulging/her... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Not related: The two entities could occur coincidentally but they are not related.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Not direct: There is not a direct correlation between concussions and brain hemorrhages. In people sustaining bruising or hemorrhage into the brain with a signifi... Read More
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5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Not indicative: Palinopsia, a visual disturbance marked by afterimages after the original image is perceived, is not specific for meningioma and does not indicate "st... Read More
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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 49-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Herniated disc: A bilobed herniated disc would be a disc herniation that has two distinct projections , giving the appearance of two separate "lobes". Usually these... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: It is usually best to discuss such issues prior to surgery. At this juncture you could get input from your surgeon regarding your perioperative pain ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: The 140 refers to a threshold opening pressure of 140 mm water for the pressure regulating valve. The volume of CSF drained will depend on the extent... Read More
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5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 25-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: Radiosurgery is designed to minimize the radiation exposure beyond the target. While we cannot quantify the risk for developing meningioma, we do kno... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Syringomyelia : Syringomyelia refers to a cyst in the spinal cord. It sometimes may be associated with a tumor but most often not. Small, incidental syrinxes do not r... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Yes: With sufficient force of impact there can be a diastatic fracture involving a skull suture
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4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: Cerebral edema usually will recede over time provided the initial trigger has been resolved or eliminated.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Either: Can conceivably be done with either regional or general anesthesia. Check with your surgeon.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Seek specialist: A specialist with expertise in diagnosis and management of ocd would be optimal to address the concern.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Not clear: Benign cysts around nerve roots, called tarlov cysts generally do not need treatment. Disc bulges and annular tears are not unusual in people in the 5... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Wear and tear: The description is of some typical degenerative changes of the cervical spine. The significance would be determined by a clinician doing the appropri... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Congenital process: This is a congenital process that involves maldevelopment of structures at the back part of the brain associated with enlargement of fluid spaces in t... Read More
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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
A 54-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Get evaluated: Spinal stenosis associated with pain and motor dysfunction requires evaluation by a health care provider with the proper credentials to consider ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Possibly: An abnormally shaped head in infants can generally be determined by physical examination. In instances of premature closure of the skull bones sutures... Read More
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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Usually not: In general, there is no direct correlation of hydrocephalus and hair growth impairment. However, if the hydrocephalus is associated with hormonal cha... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Increase sensitivity: Contrast gives more information and increases the yield of the MRI scan. It will light up areas where the "blood brain barrier" has been disrupted... Read More
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5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Lumbar: A lumbar spine MRI would cover the bottom of the spinal (i.e. The conus medullaris) the the nerve roots coursing out of the conus( cauda equina).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Sometimes connected: Anxiety and stress can lead to muscle tension with associated headaches and neck aches.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Cord vs root: In general spastic paralysis results from an injury to the spinal cord and flaccid paralysis after an injury downstream from the spinal cord, such as... Read More
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4.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 54-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Nerve irritation: Sometimes nerve irritation may cause such symptoms. There may be medications or nerve blocks that would be helpful. Seek follow up with your surgeon.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 58-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Get evaluated: Get evaluated by a physician who can determine if you are having continual seizures and can make the appropriate intervention if needed.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Meditation: Meditation and mindfulness exercises may be helpful.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Evaluate: I would have it evaluated by a physician who can do a thorough neurologic assessment and order appropriate diagnostic studies.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Disc or vertebra: Corpectomy refers to the removal of the vertebra while discectomy refers to removal of the disc which is located between the vertebra. What structure ... Read More
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1.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
It: It is a myth that chronic back pain can not be successfully treated.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Ask: Ask about strategies you could use to reduce the impact of stress and emotional factors.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 32-year-old male asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
More testing: The bone scan result could be a false positive or additional tests may be needed to find the primary cancer.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Needs evaluation: Consistent and persistent symptoms and signs as you describe require prompt evaluation by a qualified physician.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Yes: The difficulty in understanding speech is called receptive aphasia. This may improve over time depending on the extent and location of the injury. Re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:

Dr. Estrada Bernardanswered
Neurosurgery 40 years experience
Depends: Concussion may or may not be associated with memory loss to various degrees. Oftentimes the degree of amnesia, if any, is limited.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
4
Recommendations
344
Thank you notes
Jul 5, 2013
Dr Bernard has a well established and long career in neurosurgery, well respected and well known to many of the "younger neurosurgery residents"
Mar 2, 2013
Great surgeon, good answers
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Bernard is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you doctor. We are lucky to have a mission hospital which monitors our daughter's condition on a monthly basis.
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thankyou! Your reply is different than my surgeon's & will help me out
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thank you! 1neuro said no surgery needed #2 emergency surgery needed?
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Duke University School of Medicine
Graduated 1983MD
Residency
Duke University Medical Center
Residency
Duke University Medical Center
Awards
Top Doctor, Third Place, Alaska - Winter
2013
Most Influential, First Place, Alaska - Winter
2013
Thought Leader, Second Place, Alaska - Winter
2013
Affiliations
American Medical Association
Society of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
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