About – Peled Migraine

ZIV M. PELED M.D.

Ziv M. Peled, MD is a Board-Certified plastic surgeon trained to perform the full spectrum of aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgical procedures. He completed his medical school training at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine where he earned honors in multiple surgical disciplines. He subsequently completed four years of rigorous general surgical training at the University of Connecticut during which he also completed an additional two-year, post-doctoral Basic Science Research Fellowship at Stanford University under the tutelage of Dr. Michael T. Longaker, a pioneer in the field of scarless wound healing. During that time, Dr. Peled not only helped establish Dr. Longaker’s laboratory at Stanford, but was also awarded a 5-year NIH grant for his work in keloid biology and scarless wound repair. Ziv then completed a prestigious and highly sought-after plastic surgical residency at Harvard University. While there, he was awarded an “Excellence in Teaching” award from the Harvard medical students. Dr. Peled continued to hone his specialty skills with an additional year of training in peripheral nerve surgery at the Dellon Institute for Peripheral Nerve and Plastic Surgery. He is Board-Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which means that he graduated from an accredited medical school, completed numerous years of residency training, and successfully passed a series of comprehensive written and oral examinations. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is one of only a select few specialty boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and is the only ABMS board which certifies candidates in the specialty of plastic surgery of the entire body. Dr. Peled is also a member of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons.

In addition to his aesthetic and reconstructive work, Dr. Peled helped found a peripheral nerve surgery institute here in San Francisco. In that institute, he served as Director and Chief Plastic & Peripheral Nerve Surgeon. His specific training enables him to perform a unique set of surgical procedures designed specifically to restore sensation and minimize/eliminate pain in patients suffering from chronic headaches such as migraines as well as neuropathy due to diabetes, chemotherapy and thyroid disorders. Along with his wife Anne, (also a renowned oncoplastic surgeon) they have pioneered an operation to restore/preserve sensation to women undergoing mastectomy for cancer treatment or cancer prevention. Ziv Peled has also treated many patients with various forms of nerve trauma as well as many other types of nerve disorders. Dr. Peled has authored and co-authored over 40 manuscripts and book chapters on all aspects of plastic surgery and has presented his work at numerous national and international meetings. He has performed hundreds of peripheral nerve procedures of various kinds. Ziv is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and an active member of the American Society for Peripheral Nerve (ASPN). This latter honor recognizes and highlights Dr. Peled’s breadth of work with peripheral nerve patients suffering from chronic headaches such as migraines and diabetes as well as his published work on peripheral nerve surgery. As a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, he has served numerous times as a lecturer and instructor on headache/migraine surgery, helping to teach other surgeons at the annual, international meeting of the Society. As a member of the ASPN, he has moderated panels on peripheral nerve surgery at several of the annual, international meetings of the Society, served on several committees and is a former associate editor of the ASPN newsletter. Dr. Peled won the Best Paper Award at the annual meeting of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons in 2015 for his work on a novel approach to treating temporal headaches and again in 2019 for his work on sensation-preserving mastectomy with his wife. Dr. Peled also serves as an editor for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, the world’s leading plastic surgical publication and its open access counterpart, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open. He has previously volunteered for the American Diabetes Association and has traveled to South America to provide reconstructive surgery to underprivileged children. In his spare time, he actively competes in both Half-Ironman and Ironman-distance triathlons.

Cary-Anne Castro

As Practice Manager, Cary-Anne coordinates the operative schedule for the numerous patients and guests who visit Peled Migraine Surgery and Peled Plastic Surgery from all over the US and the world. She has been with the practice for over 12 years. This breadth of experience combined with her detail-oriented nature, provides our patients with an effortless and pleasant experience from their initial consult through their post-surgical appointments. Cary-Anne’s quiet and calming demeanor is warm and professional, helping her to skillfully manage a myriad of patient needs as they proceed through treatment.

Cary-Anne was born in San Francisco and grew up in Marin County. She is an avid world traveler and photography enthusiast. She received her medical assisting degree in 2008 and has experience in the field of aesthetic dermatology. She enjoys working with patients to achieve their goals with Dr. Peled.

Nadia A.

As an office coordinator, Nadia helps patients navigate the office by answering patient inquiries, sending the appropriate paperwork and ensuring their comfort when they visit Dr. Peled. She is skilled in coordinating medical records for patients as well as maintaining their charts and the clinical schedule. Her dedication to patients can be seen clearly throughout her interactions with them. She has been commended for her empathy and understanding, too.

Nadia graduated Magna Cum Laude from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Public Health in 2022. She will be returning to school to pursue a Master’s/Doctorate of Science in Nursing Degree in the near future.

Nadia has many hobbies, which include crocheting and painting. She also enjoys traveling, hiking and trying out new restaurants.

Alejandra S.

As an office and co-case coordinator, Alejandra helps patients with appointment and surgery scheduling, insurance questions, and authorizations. She understands the importance of empathy and exhibits compassion as each patient has their own unique story. She is knowledgeable in interpreting insurance policies for patients as this can be an obstacle for them.

Alejandra graduated Cum Laude from the University of California, Berkeley with her Bachelor’s of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology in 2022.

Alejandra has many hobbies, which include trying new coffee shops, going to the beach, hiking and baking.

OUR APPROACH

When traditional methods have failed, we are often able to help. Many chronic headache/migraine patients actually suffer from nerve compression that is similar to that which I have been treating for many years in other parts of the body. Our approach focuses on determining whether there are any peripheral nerves in the head or neck area that could account for chronic headache/migraine symptoms using a combination of a thorough history, comprehensive physical exam and diagnostic nerve blocks.

My results have been very positive and have validated my decision to make helping chronic headache/migraine sufferers a primary career goal. It is estimated that there are more than 39 million people diagnosed with migraines in the United States alone. Furthermore, more than 6.5 million Americans (and many more people globally) are afflicted by chronic migraines, those occurring more than 15 days/month! It has been and continues to be my privilege to make a difference in these patients’ lives.