Ali R. Zomorodi, MD
Neurosurgeon
My Locations
About Me
I specialize in skull base tumors, certain vascular tumors that affect the brain, brain aneurysms, and strokes. Skull base tumors usually occur in a hard-to-reach area where there are a lot of sensitive structures. I have devoted many hours to perfecting my technical skills and my surgical approaches. Skull base tumors tend not to be malignant, so if you can remove the tumor cleanly, you can cure the patient. It's thrilling to be able to reassure the patient and family that they don't have to worry about this disease anymore. Having these conditions can be a scary time in patients’ lives, and I have committed myself to helping them through the process. It's also important to be able to perform surgery in a setting where the patient has the best likelihood of a good outcome. That's what makes Duke stand out: We do rare things frequently and, as a result, we're quite good at them.
- Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery 2022
- Professor in Head & Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences, Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences 2022
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
- Endovascular Neurosurgery
- Cerebrovascular Disease
- Vascular Tumors
- Arteriovenous Malformations (AVM)
- Brain Aneurysm
- Moyamoya Disease
- Skull Base Tumor
- Acoustic Neuroma
- Stroke
- Pituitary Tumors
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
In the News
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Clinical Focus and Research
- Apollo Onyx Delivery Micro Catheter awarded by Covidien Ltd. 2015 - 2020
- Alomari, A. A., F. Boccacci, C. G. Scavo, G. Cedrone, R. Roperto, A. Zomorodi, and L. Mastronardi. “A case report with a literature review of trigeminal neuralgia secondary to a large posterior communicating artery aneurysm.” Brain and Spine 5 (January 1, 2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bas.2025.104215.
- Patel, Viraj M., Saad M. Alshammari, David W. Jang, Ali R. Zomorodi, and Ralph Abi Hachem. “The lateral based nasopharyngeal flap: A novel vascularized flap for skull base reconstruction.” Head Neck 46, no. 10 (October 2024): 2650–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.27911.
- Ohadi, Mohammad Amin Dabbagh, Seyyed Amir Asef, Raha Zamani, Mohammad Dashtkoohi, Basel Musmar, Ali Zomorodi, and David Hasan. “The Woven EndoBridge device as a good alternative treatment for stent assisted coiling in intracranial bifurcation aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Neurosurgical Review 47, no. 1 (October 2024): 825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-024-03016-5.
- Rahimpour, S., A. R. Zomorodi, P. J. Codd, M. O. Krucoff, A. H. Friedman, and L. F. Gonzalez. “Approaches to the Cerebellopontine Angle.” In Surgery of the Cerebellopontine Angle, Second Edition, 61–70, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12507-2_5.
- Mastronardi, L., A. Campione, A. Zomorodi, R. Roperto, G. Cacciotti, and T. Fukushima. “Usefulness of Laser and Ultrasound Aspirator.” In Advances in Vestibular Schwannoma Microneurosurgery: Improving Results with New Technologies, 105–11, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03167-1_11.
- Mastronardi, L., A. Campione, G. Cacciotti, R. Roperto, C. G. Scavo, A. Zomorodi, and T. Fukushima. “Retrosigmoid Approach.” In Advances in Vestibular Schwannoma Microneurosurgery: Improving Results with New Technologies, 39–52, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03167-1_5.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.