Pittsburgh, January 29, 2024 -- University of Pittsburgh neurosurgeon Peter Sheptak, MD—one of the most well-liked neurosurgeons to serve at the university and the city of Pittsburgh—passed away January 26 after a prolonged battle with leukemia. He leaves behind his wife, son, daughter, and seven grandchildren in addition to many patients, colleagues, and prior trainees all of whom benefitted from his consummate surgical skills and his mentorship.
[Read Dr. Sheptak's obituary in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
L. Dade Lunsford, MD, former chair of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery, and longtime colleague of Dr. Sheptak had the following comments on Dr. Sheptak's passing:
"Pete was a vital component of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh for the 49 years that I have known him. He graduated from high school in Butler, Pa. and attended the University of Notre Dame, where he was footballer, and to which he was most generous. He attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, receiving his MD degree and then entered neurosurgery residency training under the direction of Anthony Susen, MD, who was the chief of neurosurgery in the Department of Surgery. Peter soon entered the practice of neurosurgery of Tony Susen, MD, and eventually led that practice after Tony’s death.
"After thousands of operations performed at Presbyterian, Children’s, St. Francis, Shadyside, St. Margarets and West Penn, Peter retired from clinical neurosurgery in 2006. He transitioned to a role in our department as a senior mentor and advisor, to help build outreach efforts in surrounding communities. At the time of that transition, Peter honored the department with the creation of the Peter E. Sheptak endowed chair. This professorship is indeed special since it represents one of the first chairs created between our two cultures: one third rests at the University of Pittsburgh and two-thirds rests at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The Peter Sheptak Endowed Chair honors a truly outstanding clinical neurosurgeon who devoted his energies between both the academic and clinical worlds. The current recipient of the Peter Sheptak Chair is Peter Gerszten, MD, who has pioneered minimally invasive spine surgical procedures at UPMC.
"What makes the measure of the man? Peter was a busy clinical neurosurgeon for more than 40 years. His efforts were focused on spine disorders in his preretirement years, but I know him best for his skill as an intracranial microsurgeon. In the 1970’s he pioneered the early application of what is now called endovascular surgery, injecting glue into aneurysms and vascular malformations. In the early 1980’s Peter was a co-author with me on two papers looking at the long-term outcomes of surgery for cervical disc disease in the pre-heavy metal spine fusion era. I am still waiting to see whether the results in the heavy metal era will equal those achieved by the participating surgeons in that study. Along with Peter Jannetta, MD, he pioneered the concept of staged operations for complex skull base brain tumors.
"There are many traits that compose the personality of a successful neurosurgeon. But one vignette I will provide is based on my experience as his resident in the late 1970’s. As I was exposing the dome of an aneurysm, all was going well until Dr. Sheptak emerged from the scrub room, hands elevated and still dripping. It was at that precise moment that the dome burst, causing a staggering eruption of jetted blood three feet off the table, onto my mask among other places. “What’s going on sport? Everything ok?” he deadpanned. So, what was that trait we would all like to emulate? Equanimity. He never lost it. A genuinely great teacher is one who, at the darkest moment, inspires confidence that the student—with his help—can manage any disaster.
"Peter taught many residents how to do safe, effective, and efficient lumbar and cervical disc operations. He gave us confidence when he let us begin the case under his direction. He always scrubbed in to check on our progress, and just before he got there we secretly put a piece of the spinal disc back into the interspace. He always looked a bit bemused when he put in the pituitary forceps, grinned, and removed the “last piece” of the disc. Usually he coupled that maneuver with a remark such as “You’re getting better sport!.” This maneuver always insured that we could scrub with him again!
"One day in OR lounge I found Peter limping and barely able to walk. I asked him what happened? It was then he told the story of how he and several other prior trainees of Tony Susen had boated out into the Chesapeake Bay at dusk to enjoy the sunset the prior weekend. I suspect they were well lubricated. When their boat got tangled in crab pots and sank rapidly, it led to a dark night for the trainees standing on thin cables that connected the pots in the bay. It must have been quite a scene early the next morning when the crabber came to check his pots and found five hungover neurosurgeons clinging for life.
"Peter was also a skilled and dedicated golfer. Each year at graduation time of the chief neurosurgical residents, Peter would host the Sheptak Open for the graduating chiefs, regardless of whether they played golf or not. I recall going to the first tee of the Pittsburgh Field Club in June 1980 and teeing off in front of Jackie Sherrill, then the Pitt football coach, and two other jocks who had just been taken off the tee by the starter as their fourth player was late. Fortunately, the first hole was on a steep hill and even a whiff might get the ball to roll as far as the fairway. Pete shot his age for many years. When I told him I was much more efficient because I could shoot my age in nine holes, he just smiled.
"Even as the realization of his leukemia took hold, he never lost it. He faced and fought the challenge with courage, grace, and equanimity. At one of our last meetings, we hugged each other as I readied to leave. I am afraid that I was the one who lost it then.
"Peter was a great surgeon, a great doctor, an inspiring teacher, a great family man, and wonderful friend. I am sure he will rest in the full knowledge of his contributions to his many patients, his trainees, and the field of neurosurgery in Western Pennysylvania."
Watch the below video recorded in October of 2021 as Dr. Sheptak takes a look back at the history of neurosurgery at Pitt, his career achievements, training perspectives and life accomplishments in this ‘fireside chat’ with Dr. Lunsford.