David R. Friedmann, MD

As a neurotologist, my work focuses at the interface between the ear and the brain. This includes the medical and surgical management of hearing issues and skull base disorders in both children and adults. I perform ear surgery including cochlear implants, auditory brainstem implants, bone conduction implants, stapes surgery, cholesteatoma surgery, and tympanoplasty among others. NYU Langone’s Cochlear Implant Center is one of the largest cochlear implant centers in the country both in terms of surgical experience with complex cases and in conducting research which aims to move the field forward. We have experience with expanded indications including hearing preservation, single sided deafness, and local anesthesia for cochlear implants. We are also a referral center for children with abnormal inner ear anatomy requiring cochlear implantation. 

As part of a skull base surgical team, I manage skull base tumors including vestibular schwannomas—also known as acoustic neuromas—facial neuromas, and other facial nerve tumors, while prioritizing patient-driven outcomes. Counseling with patients is tailored to their unique situation and preferences, whether treatment involves observation, microsurgery or stereotactic radiatiosurgery, also known as Gamma Knife^® surgery, which I am certified to perform.

I also have a special interest in treating patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 as part of our multidisciplinary Comprehensive Neurofibromatosis Center. I work with neurosurgeons as part of a team using the retrosigmoid, middle fossa, and translabyrinthine surgical approaches. I believe a team model is critical for achieving excellent outcomes in the treatment of complex tumors of the skull base. 

I am a nationally funded clinical investigator on a number of projects. I have been an invited speaker in Europe and Asia to discuss pediatric cochlear implantation, and I have authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles on topics related to cochlear implant outcomes in patients with residual hearing, single-sided deafness and music perception, outcomes in children with complicated anatomy, auditory brainstem implants in children, comparing treatment options for skull base tumors, and a variety of studies focusing on patient outcomes with neurofibromatosis type 2. I have performed surgery and provided training to doctors in underserved regions around the world, including Guatemala and Uganda.