Diagnosis First.
The right procedure depends on the right diagnosis. Dr. Bari works closely with neurologists, epileptologists, and pain specialists so that surgery is considered only when it is the appropriate next step.
Meet Dr. BariA Career Dedicated To
A Career Dedicated To
Restoring Brain Function.
Ausaf Bari, MD, PhD, FAANS, FACS is a board-certified neurosurgeon, Vice Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at UCLA, and Director of its Functional and Epilepsy Neurosurgery Program. He combines a high-volume functional neurosurgery practice with research in human neuroscience.
Clinical Expertise
Focused On Restoring Function.
Dr. Bari’s practice centers on conditions that medication alone does not adequately control: essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, epilepsy, chronic and neuropathic pain, trigeminal neuralgia, and peripheral nerve disorders. He also offers surgery for severe depression and OCD in partnership with psychiatry, and vagus nerve stimulation for rheumatoid arthritis.
His procedures include deep brain stimulation, MRI-guided focused ultrasound, stereo-EEG and epilepsy surgery, laser ablation, responsive neurostimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation, microvascular decompression, and stereotactic radiosurgery. He has performed MRI-guided focused ultrasound since 2014, longer than any other surgeon in Southern California, and is one of the most experienced neurosurgeons on the West Coast. His program has performed more than 500 DBS implants, one of the largest experiences in the region, performs about a hundred DBS operations a year, and treats two to three patients a week with focused ultrasound.
Dr. Bari does the evaluation, the procedure, and the follow-up himself. Initial consultations can be done by video, imaging is consolidated into a single visit wherever possible, and follow-up can be done remotely for patients who travel.
He serves as Director of Functional and Epilepsy Neurosurgery at UCLA, co-directs the Functional and Epilepsy Neurosurgery Fellowship, and leads the Surgical Neuromodulation and Brain Mapping Lab. His research explores the connections between brain activity, behavior, and potential new treatments.
Explore Conditions And Treatments
- Board certification
- American Board of Neurological Surgery
- Academic rank
- Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
- Leadership
- Vice Chair of Neurosurgery (Faculty Affairs); Director of Functional and Epilepsy Neurosurgery
- Joint appointments
- Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, and Bioengineering
- Fellowship
- William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship for advanced training in functional neurosurgery
- Laboratory
- Surgical Neuromodulation and Brain Mapping Lab
Training & Appointments
A Foundation In Surgery And Science.
- UCLA
- Associate Professor and Vice Chair of NeurosurgeryVice Chair for Faculty Affairs · Director of Functional and Epilepsy Neurosurgery
- 2015
- Functional neurosurgery fellowshipToronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto
- 2014
- Neurosurgery residencyUCLA
- 2008
- MD and PhDBoston University School of Medicine; PhD in molecular neuropharmacology
- Training
- Undergraduate study in neurobiologyUniversity of California, Berkeley
Dr. Bari received the William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship for advanced training in functional neurosurgery. He is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
In The Operating RoomExperience.
Experience.
Focus.
Individual Care.
How Dr. Bari WorksThree Principles
Three Principles
Behind Every Decision.
Functional neurosurgery is elective. The decision to proceed, and the choice between approaches, should be yours, made with a clear understanding of the tradeoffs.
Precision In Planning.
Advanced imaging, tractography, and intraoperative recordings inform where and how stimulation is delivered. Dr. Bari’s research on targeting is part of everyday practice.
Care That Continues.
Neuromodulation is adjustable. Programming, follow-up, and coordination with your care team continue long after the operation.
Professional AffiliationsMember Of The Field’s
Member Of The Field’s
Leading Societies.
Dr. Bari is a member of the national and regional societies for neurosurgery, stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, neuromodulation, and epilepsy.
Patient Reviews
What Patients Say.
In their own words: patients and families on their care with Dr. Bari.
“You have all greatly changed my life for the better, and I appreciate your painstaking work on my behalf.”
“Dr Bari did focused ultrasound on me yesterday. The results are astounding! He & his team couldn't have been nicer & more helpful. I'm looking forward to doing the other side.”
“I had essential or familial tremor for about 30 years. It got worse and worse over the last 6 years to where it pretty much made it impossible for me to paint, sew, put on eye makeup, cut up stuff or stir and cook. I basically felt like I was in a blender all day long. Since my focused ultrasound procedure with Dr. Bari my tremor on the right side is completely gone. As an added bonus my head tremor is gone as well. Even my neighbors, who did not know I had the procedure ask me where my tremor went. I am able to do all the stuff I could not do anymore. Needless to say, I highly recommend it.”
Five-star reviews posted on Yelp and patient stories shared with Dr. Bari’s practice, reproduced as written. Individual experiences and outcomes vary.
Read All 11 Patient ReviewsConsultations In Los Angeles
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