Peter J. Jannetta, American neurosurgeon, Died at 84

  Reseacher

Peter Joseph Jannetta was born on April 5, 1932, and died on April 11, 2016.

He was an American neurosurgeon.

He was known for devising microvascular decompression, a surgical procedure to treat trigeminal neuralgia.

During his time the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, he was the first Walter Dandy Professor of Neurological Surgery.

In his residency at UCLA, Peter was in the laboratory dissecting a set of cranial nerves when he noticed that a blood vessel was unexpectedly pressing on one of the nerves.

He suspected that this unusual impingement of the nerve might be the cause of the painful facial condition known as trigeminal neuralgia.

Peter J. Jannetta devised the microvascular decompression procedure to treat patients with the condition. In addition to helping trigeminal neuralgia patients, the procedure became a treatment option for several related conditions.

Peter J. Jannetta was a faculty member and division chief at the Louisiana State University before moving to a similar role with the University of Pittsburgh in 1971.

Jannetta spent a year as Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in 1995.

He practiced at Allegheny General Hospital for a few years before he retired.

He received a Horatio Alger Award in 1990.

Peter J. Jannetta passed away at 84 yrs old.