Our History
The T.S. Park Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Program was created in 1989 by pediatric neurosurgeon T. S. Park, MD, who was a world leader in developing and refining SDR surgical treatments. Dr. Park performed more than 5,300 surgeries on children and adults from 87 countries in over 30 years and published more than 50 scientific articles on rhizotomy. Families traveled from around the world seeking care from this beloved surgeon. Additionally, Dr. Park helped build the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at St. Louis Children’s Hospital into one of the best in the nation.
When Dr. Park retired in May 2024, he was succeeded by his colleague, Jarod Roland, MD, who trained under Dr. Park during his residency and fellowship at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. When asked about his successor, Dr. Park said: “I have carefully watched Dr. Roland’s progression from neurosurgery resident to pediatric fellow and now my colleague. His judgement and surgical skills are excellent.”