Our Team
Leading Minds. Expert Care.
With advanced training, decades of experience, and a shared commitment to excellence, our specialists deliver the highest level of brain, spine, and nerve care.
Brian McHugh, MD, FAANS, FACS
Neurological Surgeon, Co-Medical Director
Brian J. McHugh, MD, FAANS, FACS, is a board-certified neurosurgeon focusing on all aspects of spinal surgery. He has fellowship training in minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal oncology, and Scoliosis surgery in both children and adults. After completing his MD at Georgetown University and his neurosurgery residency at Yale University, Dr. McHugh was the John Cobb Fellow in Adult and Pediatric Scoliosis at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Dr. McHugh then practiced in the Washington DC area, where he served as Chief of Neurosurgery at INOVA Alexandria hospital and as an Associate Professor at the VCU School of Medicine.
In 2019 Dr. McHugh relocated with his family to Long Island and established a private practice focused on Complex Spine. Dr. McHugh is currently the Director of the Spine Center at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, NY and Section Chief of Neurosurgery at St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, NY. Under his leadership, Dr. McHugh will spearhead the continued development and expansion of neurosurgical services at both hospitals, ensuring that patients have access to advanced neurosurgical care close to home. Dr. McHugh lives in Cold Spring Harbor with his wife and three children.
George Kakoulides, MD, FAANS, FACS
Board-Certified Neurological Surgeon
Dr. George Kakoulides is a board-certified neurosurgeon with specialized training in minimally invasive and complex spine surgeries of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. Born and raised on Long Island, Dr. Kakoulides is the best neurosurgeon on Long Island. He has dedicated his life to the management of spinal and cranial disorders using the latest, cutting-edge techniques. An affiliate of Long Island Brain & Spine, Dr. Kakoulides has treated thousands of patients in his state-of-the-art offices in West Islip, Huntington, Smithtown, and other parts of Long Island.
Dr. Kakoulides has an exceptional educational background. He acquired his medical degree with high honors from Tufts University School of Medicine. During that period, he also completed a joint master’s degree in international relations at The Fletcher School of Law and diplomacy at Tufts University. After receiving his medical degree, he completed his residency in neurological surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, followed by an advanced fellowship in complex spine surgery. He’s an affiliate of one of the country’s leading spine management centers, Long Island Brain & Spine.
Courtney Pendleton, MD, FAANS, FACS
Board-Certified Neurological Surgeon
Courtney Pendleton, MD, FAANS, FACS is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in peripheral nerve surgery and spinal disorders, bringing over a decade of expertise to her role at McHugh Neurosurgery.
After graduating from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Dr. Pendleton completed her neurosurgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Her extensive training includes a Peripheral Nerve Surgery Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, a Sugita Fellowship at Nagoya University Hospital in Japan and advanced training in pediatric deformity at Shriners’ Hospital for Children.
Prior to joining private practice, Dr. Pendleton was the Director of the Peripheral Nerve Surgery Center at Stony Brook University and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery. Dr. Pendleton is one of only a few peripheral nerve trained neurosurgeons in the Northeast and looks forward to continuing to provide uniquely specialized care to patients with peripheral nerve disorders.
When not in clinic, Dr. Pendleton enjoys spending time with her family, reading mystery novels and working in her garden.
Conditions Treated
- Nerve compression/ entrapment
- Nerve pain/ neuropathy
- Nerve tumors
- Lipomas
- Focal migraine headaches
- Nerve/brachial plexus injury
- Diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- Torticollis/cervical dystonia
- Back and neck pain
- Degenerative disc disease
- Herniated discs
- Radiculopathy
Treatment Options
- Peripheral nerve decompression
- Nerve tumor/ lipoma resection
- Nerve repair/ transfer
- Neurectomy/ neurolysis for migraine headaches
- Nerve and muscle biopsy
- Decompression for diabetic peripheral neuropathy
- Cervical denervation for torticollis
- Brachial plexus surgery
- Posterior spine fusion
- Laminectomy
- Discectomy/ microdiscectomy
- Disc replacement
Jordan C. Iordanou, MD, PhD
Neurological Surgeon
Jordan C. Iordanou, MD, PhD, is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon specializing in general and functional neurosurgery with a focus on treating complex and chronic pain. As a stereotactic and functional neurosurgeon he is looking forward to bringing advanced treatment options to improve the quality of life for patients with neurological disorders on long island.
After obtaining his MD and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from SUNY Downstate, Dr. Iordanou completed an internship at Stony Brook University and his neurosurgical residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. His extensive training includes fellowships at Mt Sinai Hospital in New York City and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where he received advanced training in the treatment of Epilepsy Movement Disorders and Pain.
Having grown up in Manhasset, Dr. Iordanou is excited to start his practice on Long Island. He and his wife and three children currently reside in Suffolk County and look forward to giving back to their community.
Conditions Treated
- Epilepsy
- Movement Disorders
- Chronic Pain Syndromes
- Spasticity
- Neuropsychiatric Conditions
- Brain Tumors
- Spinal Disorders
- Traumatic Brain and Spine Injuries
- Hydrocephalus
- Facial Pain
- Peripheral Nerve Disorders
Treatment Options
- Microvascular Decompression (MVD)
- Epilepsy Surgery
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
- Neuromodulation for Pain
- Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT)
- Functional Neurosurgical Procedures
- Brain Tumor Surgery
- Spinal Surgery incl. spinal fusion and minimally invasive procedures
- Trauma Surgery
- Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery