Dr. M. Michael Bercu, MD, MSc

Media Releases

Get to know Pediatric Neurosurgeon Dr. M. Michael Bercu, who serves patients in Michigan.

Dr. Bercu is a dual trained pediatric and functional neurosurgeon on staff at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, seeing patients at the neurosurgery clinics in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Traverse City. 

A part of Spectrum Health, Pediatric neurosurgery at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital focuses on care that emphasizes people, not diseases. It is the only pediatric neurosurgery program in the region. From congenital neurological conditions to traumatic injury or illness, taking care of children and families is the hospital’s mission and priority. 

Before embarking on his medical journey, Dr. Bercu earned an additional master’s degree in Pharmacology, leading novel research in the field of regenerative medicine and umbilical cord-derived stem cells-based therapies for neurological disorders, including engineering 3D scaffolds carrying differentiated neuronal tissue. After the completion of his medical training and neurosurgical residency, Dr. Bercu further specialized in pediatric and functional neurosurgery, completing two additional fellowships at the prestigious New York University Medical Center (NYU Langone).

Dr. Bercu’s expertise is in complex and advanced neurosurgical procedures, with an emphasis on pediatric and functional surgery using novel minimally invasive techniques, including directional brain neuromodulation, laser ablations, and responsive neurostimulation for intractable epilepsy disorders. Dr. Bercu has published milestone and revolutionary publications in the field of epilepsy treatment and minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of tumors, vascular malformations and others in the pediatric population, marking himself as a promising leader in the field, as evidenced by the excellent outcomes and patients’ satisfaction. At present time he continues to promote and develop approaches and interventions for the neuromodulation of severely injured brain, with additional future implementation of stem cells technologies, thus possibly promoting neuronal regeneration and gain of function. 

Holding active membership status, the doctor is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Michigan Association of Neurological Surgeons and the North American Neuromodulation Society. 

Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Neurologists are licensed medical specialists who diagnose and treat disorders that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles of patients. Pediatric neurosurgeons diagnose, treat, and manage children’s nervous system problems and head and spinal deformities including the following: head deformities, spine deformities, as well as problems and injuries of the brain, spine, or nerves.

Recommended Articles

• Reasons Why You Need a Laminectomy

  What is laminectomy?If you have back pain that is severe enough to interfere with your day-to-day activities and other medications fail to work, you might eventually need surgery to get it fixed. Laminectomy is the surgical procedure that will be performed on your back in this case. It involves the...

• Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

  Parkinson’s Disease: It Isn't EasyTony led a normal life just like many of us. He was approaching his fifth to sixth decade, and he was the head of an engineering department--capable of making decisions and recalling those decisions. But suddenly, communication with his wife and children was...

• What is a Transient Ischemic Attack?

  Also considered as a mini stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) has symptoms similar to that of a stroke, but lasting only for a short period of time, without causing any permanent damage. TIA is often caused by the interruption of blood flow to the brain by a blood clot. Once the blood flow is...

• What to Expect After a Laminectomy

  If you experience back pain that grows severe, your doctor may recommend surgery depending on the cause. Over the centuries, back pain has been constantly a growing condition. You may be facing a lumbar laminectomy at any time.During a LaminectomyLaminectomies are done under general anesthesia,...

• Different Types of Physicians Explained

  Doctors or physicians are categorized according to different factors including medical specialties and subspecialties. Most doctors specialize in a specific area of medicine. This article provides a summary of the different types of doctors in the medical field. AllergistsAllergists are also...

• What Is a Transorbital Lobotomy?

  Transorbital LobotomyTransorbital lobotomy was once considered as a form of neurosurgery that was labeled as "insane". A pioneer in this field was a Portuguese doctor named António Egas Moniz. He introduced frontal lobotomy in 1935 for certain cases of psychosis and won a Nobel Prize because of...