Christian Burnette Kaufman MD

Brain & Spinal Tumor, Epilepsy Surgery, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery

Division Director (Chief), Division of Neurosurgery, Children’s Mercy Kansas City Associate Professor University of Missouri Kansas City

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2401 Gillham RoadKansas City, MO 64108

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Summary

Christian B. Kaufman, MD, FAANS, is Division Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Surgical Director of Epilepsy & Functional Neurosurgery at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. He also serves as Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Dr. Kaufman’s clinical practice encompasses the full breadth of pediatric neurosurgery, with particular interests in pediatric epilepsy and functional neurosurgery, minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery, hydrocephalus, pediatric brain and spinal tumors, vascular neurosurgery, craniofacial disorders, complex spinal pathology, and the surgical management of movement disorders and spasticity. He is committed to providing comprehensive, family-centered care while applying advanced technologies and evidence-based surgical techniques to achieve the best possible outcomes for children.

Beyond his clinical practice, Dr. Kaufman has a longstanding commitment to innovation in pediatric neurosurgery. His academic work focuses on improving surgical outcomes through clinical research, quality improvement, technology adoption, and the thoughtful integration of emerging surgical techniques into everyday practice. He has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications, serves as an educator and mentor to medical students, residents, and fellows, and is actively involved in the continued advancement of pediatric neurosurgical care.

As Division Director, Dr. Kaufman is dedicated to building collaborative multidisciplinary programs that expand access to specialized pediatric neurosurgical care while fostering excellence in research, education, and surgical innovation. His philosophy is grounded in treating every child with the same compassion, technical precision, and commitment to excellence that he would expect for his own family.

Education & Training

Emory University School of MedicineFellowship, Neurosurgical Oncology, 2011 - 2012
University of Rochester Medical CenterResidency, Neurological Surgery, 2006 - 2010
University of Missouri-ColumbiaResidency, Neurological Surgery, 2003 - 2006
St. George's University School of MedicineClass of 2003
University of MissouriB.A., Psychology, 1993 - 1998

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A self-designated specialty, subspecialty, or practice area neither implies nor is equivalent to ABMS board certification or the existence of specialized training by or competence of a physician or medical specialist.

Certifications & Licensure

KS State Medical License 2012 - 2027
MO State Medical License 2012 - 2027
GA State Medical License 2011 - 2012
NY State Medical License 2010 - 2012
OH State Medical License 2010 - 2012
AR State Medical License 2010 - 2011
American Board of Neurological Surgery Neurological Surgery

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

Surgeon in Chief Award for Excellence in Teaching Children's Mercy Kansas City, 2023
Dean's List St. Georges University School of Medicine, 200, 2002
Chancellor's List St. Georges University School of Medicine, 1999-2000

Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Pediatric sinogenic and otogenic intracranial infections requiring neurosurgical intervention: a North American multicenter study in the era of COVID-19.
Megan G Anderson, Jonathan Pindrik, Ian C Michelow, Amirul Anuar, Jared Haught
Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics. 2026-04-03
Response: "The importance of methodological context in pediatric VNS outcome reporting".
Lalit Bansal, Christian Kaufman, Ahmed Abdelmoity
Epilepsia. 2026-03-01
4 citations
Transforming pediatric epilepsy care: Real-world insights from a leading single-center study on vagus nerve treatment outcomes.
Lalit Bansal, Fatima Jaafar, Anshika Kapoor, Leena Abdelmoity, Ahmed Madkoor
Epilepsia. 2026-02-01

Journal Articles

Impact of epilepsy surgery on seizure control and quality of life: A 26-year follow-up study
Mohammed HS, Kaufman CB, Limbrick DD, Steger-May K, Grubb RL Jr, Rothman SM, Weisenberg JL, Munro R, Smyth MD, Epilepsia, 1/1/2012
Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment of Medically Refractory Paroxysmal Nonkinesigenic Dyskinesia: A Case Report
Kaufman CB, Mink JW, Schwalb JM, J Neurosurg, 1/1/2010
Accuracy of the freehand pass technique for ventriculostomy catheter placement: retrospective assessment using computed tomography scans
Huyette DR, Turnbow BJ, Kaufman C, Vaslow DF, Whiting BB, Oh MY, J Neurosurg, 1/1/2008

Books/Book Chapters

Youmans Neurological Surgery
Chapter: Epilepsy Surgery: Outcome and Complications.
Petraglia AL, Kaufman CB, Pilcher WPEditors: HR Winn and JR Youmans.W.B. Saunders, PhiladelphiaEdition 6th,2011
The Treatment of Epilepsy
Chapter: Awake Surgery for Epilepsy.
Page 959 - 966Kaufman CB, and Pilcher WHEditors: SD Shorvon.Wiley-BlackwellEdition 3rd,2009
Advances in Anesthesia
Chapter: Anesthesia Recommendations for Deep Brain Stimulation.
Page 51 - 60Oh MY, Kaufman C, Whiting DM, Bhatia S, Whiting AMosby2004

Abstracts/Posters

Is Lumbar Puncture a Reliable Measure of Intracranial Pressure?
Usiakimi Igbaseimokumo MD, Gregory W Hornig MD, Cathy Cartwright PCNS, Christian Kaufman MD, 37th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 1/1/2014
Case Series for a Minimally Invasive Technique for Distal Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Revision.
Kaufman CB, Sklar F, Wrubel DM, AANS/CNS Section on Pediatric Neurological Surgery Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, 1/1/2011
Delayed Sub-Aponeurotic CSF Collections In Infancy: Three Cases And A Review Of The Literature.
Petraglia AL, Kaufman CB, Marky A, Silberstein HJ, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, New Orleans, LA, 1/1/2009

Lectures

"Past, Current, (and Future) Treatments for Hydrocephalus."
Topeka, KS - 1/18/2013
"The Surgical Treatment of Epilepsy."
Kansas City, MO - 1/13/2012
"Chaos modeling and the Brain."
Augusta, GA - 1/18/2011