About Me
David A. Gordon, M.D. is a physician who specializes in Neuro-Urology, Pelvic Medicine & Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery. He is “Board Certified” in both Urology and Pelvic Medicine & Reconstruction. Dr. Gordon’s curricular history and academic training could be deemed diverse in some circles and somewhat circuitous in others. However, in many ways, it defines him and allows him to help make the Maryland Institute for pelvic NeuroScience (MIpNS) uniquely well suited for dealing with these most complicated pelvic medicine cases.
So, to begin, Dr. Gordon graduated from what is now the Drexel Medical College in Philadelphia. During his senior year, he was accepted into the “uro-pharmacology” laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of doctors Robert M. Levin and Alan Wein. There, he published his first papers which focused on sympathetic and parasympathetic receptors in the bladder wall. After graduation, he completed a general surgical internship followed by a second full year of neurosurgical training at the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia under Frederick A. Simeone, M.D. Subsequently, he went on to finish an ACGME residency program in Urology at Northeastern Ohio University, and then came back home to Philadelphia at the behest of Dr. Bob Levin at the University of Pennsylvania. Bob had received some more NIH grant funding and asked Dr. Gordon to come back to help finish some of the work on bladder muscle receptors that he started as a student as well as do much of the micro-surgical harvesting of corporal and bladder smooth muscle for other simultaneous on-going parallel projects.
After he finished his research time with Drs. Levin and Wein, he stayed on as academic staff at the University of Pennsylvania but was based at The Graduate Hospital of Philadelphia. It was during this time period that he and his associate Dr. Kristene Whitmore put together one of the earliest full service Pelvic Floor Centers in the U.S. The center was steeped in clinical research and focused on neuromuscular and neuro-inflammatory disorders within the anterior pelvis. Here it is important to note that within this realm of disorders there was special emphasis on Interstitial Cystitis primarily because of Dr. Whitmore. In retrospect, Dr. Gordon always felt that he and Dr. Whitmore worked well together in a synergistic fashion, albeit having very different roles. However, they found common ground in trying to base the treatment of these refractory neuro-inflammatory and neuromuscular pelvic disorders on clinical and basic research. Moreover, much of it was done using the talents of intelligent, creative, insightful local researchers. Understanding all of this, it is important to appreciate that Dr. Gordon’s focus differed from Dr. Whitmore’s. However, it was truly the Graduate Hospital experience which laid the groundwork for him to continue to develop his “art” in scientific translation, turning basic principles into clinical success.
In the early 2000’s Dr. Gordon came to Baltimore as the Director of the “Continence Center” at Chesapeake Urology before moving to Sinai Hospital in 2009. While at Sinai he was placed in charge of “Neuro-Urology for the Berman Brain & Spine Institute as well as receiving grant funding to lead a pilot project dedicated to the use of “Stem Cells” in the LUT after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. During that same time period, Dr. Gordon founded and directed the training program in Geriatric Pelvic Medicine, which works closely with both geriatric programs and geriatric facilities throughout the state. Now, the Fellowship is jointly sponsored by both Sinai Hospital and the University of Maryland. All of the above, not withstanding, it was not until Dr. Gordon and Dr. Donlin Long met in the early 2007 that he began examining pelvic floor muscle dysfunction that is associated with Tarlov Cysts, Pudendal Neuropathy and Pudendal Neuralgia. Here it is important to note that Dr. Long is the former Chair of Neurosurgery at John’s Hopkins University and one of the world’s leading experts on Tarlov Cysts. As their relationship grew, so did the depth of discussion regarding the neuromuscular and neuro-inflammatory sequelae in the pelvis. Here it is noteworthy to remember that both Dr. Gordon and Dr. Long have too often had to stare into the sad faces of these patients that fall within the cracks of standard medical discipline.
Unfortunately, they are often left being over diagnosed, undertreated, poorly counseled and ultimately alone to fend for themselves. Now, however, there is an area of medical practice which is emerging that encompasses Neurosurgery, Pelvic Medicine and Neuro-Urology. Fortunately, and only through the ardent desire and tireless effort of this unlikely ensemble of physicians, that the The Maryland Institute for pelvic NeuroScience or MIpNS came into existence. Essentially, the best minds, the best hands and the most compassionate souls have been assembled through MIpNS to care for these very difficult patients in the most comprehensive, sophisticated and compassionate fashion. The Institute finally opened its doors in July 2016 although it was essentially operating in a disjointed fashion via Dr. Gordon and Dr. Long for years before that.
In sum, Dr. Gordon has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally, has published many articles in peer review journals as well as being author on 3 paperback books. His latest is entitled………
“Pelvic Floor Dysfunction & Pelvic Surgery in the Elderly, An Integrated Approach”
It is published by Springer and scheduled for release just after Thanksgiving of 2016.
To the patient or a family member of someone who suffers with neuromuscular or neuro-inflammatory pelvic pain The Maryland Institute for pelvic NeuroScience is a special place. Please, don’t be embarrassed, apathetic, or worst of all feel hopeless. We would look forward to seeing you here.
