Tae Sung (T.S.) Park, MD, a renowned neurosurgeon who pioneered a surgical technique that improved the lives of thousands of children worldwide, died Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, while on vacation with his family in Mexico. He was 77.
After a remarkable career devoted to performing life-changing surgeries for children with cerebral palsy, Park retired from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in June of this year. The beloved surgeon, who treated children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, was the Margery Campbell Fort Professor of Neurological Surgery.
“Dr. Park changed the lives of countless patients,” said Gregory Zipfel, MD, the Ralph G. Dacey Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery and head of the Department of Neurosurgery. “His brilliance in neurosurgery gave children the ability to walk, and he equipped the field with new techniques so other surgeons could do the same. He was beloved by the WashU community, and we have lost a true pioneer.”
Park joined the faculty in 1989. Over 35 years, he helped build the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery into one of the best in the nation. Families traveled from around the world seeking his care for their children.
Park was renowned as a pioneer and, arguably, the foremost practitioner of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR). This surgical procedure reduces the muscle spasticity characteristic of cerebral palsy, a condition that can cause loss of muscle control and coordination. He performed the procedure 5,323 times, the last in May, the month before he retired. SDR surgeries enhance mobility for children who might otherwise require a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.
Park is survived by his wife, Meeaeng; his children, Thomas and Mina Park; two grandchildren; his younger brother; two younger sisters; nieces; nephews; and other extended family. A memorial service in his honor is planned for Jan. 10 in St. Louis.
Read the full obituary on the WashU Medicine website.