Faculty Focus - Fred Gentili


Fred Gentili, MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Gentili graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1972. After a surgical internship, he entered the laboratory and worked towards a Masters degree in the Institute of Medical Science which he received in 1975. Dr. Gentili entered the Neurosurgical Training Program at the University of Toronto in 1975, and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1980. He did clinical fellowships in neurosurgery at St. Michael’s Hospital, the University of Zurich (under Professor Yasagil), and at the National Hospital in London (under Lyndsay Symon) from 1979-1981. Dr. Gentili joined the Neurosurgery Staff at the Toronto General Hospital in 1982. He is currently Professor in the Department of Surgery and Director of the Skull Base Centre at the University of Toronto. His main interests are in skull base, vascular, and pituitary neurosurgery, and he is regarded among his peers as being highly meticulous in the OR.  He is also an exceptional teacher and has trained numerous international fellows.  He is married to Gina and they have two sons, Michael and David.

Current Appointments

  • Professor of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Professor of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
  • Director of Surgical Education, University Health Network
  • Associate Staff, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON

Selected Awards and Distinctions

  • Council Award of Excellence, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, 2012
  • Honorary Member, Italian Neurological Society, 2005 
  • Ross Fleming Surgical Education Award, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 2003
  • Teaching Excellence Award, Wightman-Berris Academy, University of Toronto, 2002
  • Alan R. Hudson Faculty Teaching Award, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, 1997

Selected Professional Activities

  • Skull Base Surgery Committee, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, 2003 - present
  • Education and Training Committee, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, 2006 - present
  • CNSS Representative, Advisory Committee, American College of Surgeons, 2003 - present
  • Chair, Section on Neurosurgery, Ontario Medical Association, 2004 - present
  • Past Chair, Neurosurgery Examination Board, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC), 2001-2004
  • Founding Member, North American Skull Base Society, 1989

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

  • Singh N, Eskander A, Huang SH, Curtin H, Bartlett E, Vescan A, Kraus D, O'Sullivan B, Gentili F, Gullane P, Yu E. Hemispheric Imaging and resectability issues of sinonasal tumors. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2013 Mar;13(3):297-312.
  • Krischek B, Godoy BL, Zadeh G, Gentili F. From Craniofacial Resection to the Endonasal Endoscopic Approach in Skull Base Surgery. World Neurosurg. 2013 Feb 1.
  • Salehi F, Jalali S, Alkins R, Lee JI, Lwu S, Burrell K, Gentili F, Croul S, Zadeh G. Proteins involved in regulating bone invasion in skull base meningiomas. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2013 Mar;155(3):421-7.
  • Haerle SK, Gullane PJ, Witterick IJ, Zweifel C, Gentili F. Sinonasal carcinomas: epidemiology, pathology, and management. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2013 Jan;24(1):39-49.
  • de Almeida JR, Witterick IJ, Gullane PJ, Gentili F, Lohfeld L, Ringash J, Thoma A, Vescan AD. Quality of life instruments for skull base pathology: Systematic review and methodologic appraisal. Head Neck. 2012 Sep 18.
  • Yu E, Gentili F, Bartlett E, Gullane P, Kiehl TR. Nasopharygeal carcinoma presenting predominantly as an intracranial mass. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012 Aug;41(4):E16-9.
  • Lwu S, Edem I, Banton B, Bernstein M, Vescan A, Gentili F, Zadeh G. Quality of life after transsphenoidal pituitary surgery: a qualitative study. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2012 Oct;154(10):1917-22.
  • de Almeida JR, Vescan AD, Gullane PJ, Gentili F, Lee JM, Lohfeld L, Ringash J, Thoma A, Witterick IJ. Development of a disease-specific quality-of-life questionnaire for anterior and central skull base pathology--the skull base inventory. Laryngoscope. 2012 Sep;122(9):1933-42.
  • Alahmadi H, Lee D, Wilson JR, Hayhurst C, Mete O, Gentili F, Asa SL, Zadeh G. Clinical features of silent corticotroph adenomas. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2012 Aug;154(8):1493-8.
  • de Almeida JR, Witterick IJ, Gullane PJ, Gentili F, Lohfeld L, Ringash J, Thoma A, Vescan AD. Physical morbidity by surgical approach and tumor location in skull base surgery. Head Neck. 2013 Apr;35(4):493-9.
  • Bacigaluppi S, Fontanella M, Manninen P, Ducati A, Tredici G, Gentili F. Monitoring techniques for prevention of procedure-related ischemic damage in aneurysm surgery. World Neurosurg. 2012 Sep-Oct;78(3-4):276-88.
  • Alahmadi H, Dehdashti AR, Gentili F. Endoscopic endonasal surgery in recurrent and residual pituitary adenomas after microscopic resection. World Neurosurg. 2012 Mar-Apr;77(3-4):540-7.