Medical Qualification: MD (Paediatric), Fellowship Clinical Neurophysiology (London, UK)

Designation: Consultant, Neuro Physiology

Years of experience: 24 years       

Introduction :

• This department is a highly Specialized one and deals with electrodiagnostic tests such as Electromyography and Nerve conduction studies, Electroencephalogram (EEG)  and  Evoked Potential studies . 
• A feather in the cap for this department is the ` Comprehensive Epilepsy Surgery Programme’. 
• Upon returning to India after a  2 ½ year fellowship in Epilepsy Monitoring and Clinical Neurophysiology at the World renowned National Hospital for Neurology, Queen Square, London ;  Dr Margi Desai along with Dr Piroja Wadia established the  ` Long-term Epilepsy Monitoring Unit “ at Jaslok Hospital in the year 2000. This was one of the first Comprehensive Epilepsy Surgery Programmes for adults  in Mumbai and Maharashtra.  
• Since then, Jaslok Hospital has been at the forefront of care of patients with epilepsy.  A dedicated `Epilepsy Clinic’ is run every Thursday. Video EEG monitoring is performed on state-of -art EEG machines. Multimodality therapeutic approach, which includes epilepsy surgery,  is offered to patients depending on the clinical indication.   
• Dr Margi Desai has also conducted a Research project at Jaslok hospital on ` Clinical and neurophysiological evaluation of the role of prophylactic corticosteroids in prevention of lepra reaction and nerve damage in leprosy’. 

Awards & Publications:

• Contribution to Textbook: Care of a child with epilepsy. Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Guidelines for parents 2020- 21; Chapter 77  
• Practical guidance for managing a Neurophysiology laboratory during COVID-19. REVIEWS IN  NEUROLOGY 2021: `Covid 19 and Neurology’- chapter 14. CME proceedings  of the  Indian  Academy of  Neurology (IANCON 2021)

Dr Margi Desai’s Pubmed Indexed publications:

• Giant Axonal neuropathy: Clinical, Radiological and Genetic features. Meenal Garg, Shilpa  D. Kulkarni, Anaita Udwadia Hegde, Margi Desai, Rafat J Sayed. Annals of  Indian Academy of Neurology: Vol 21, Issue 4, Oct- Dec 2018: 304-308. Guidelines For Diagnosis and Management of Childhood Epilepsy. Expert Committee on Pediatric Epilepsy, Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Indian Pediatrics, Volume 46- August 17, 2009: 681-698.  
• Davina Richardson, Geoff Sheean, David Werring, Margi Desai, Susan Edwards, Richard Greenwood, Alan Thompson. Evaluating the role of botulinum toxin in the management of focal hypertonia in adults. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000; 69: 499- 506. 
• Wadia NH, Pang J, Desai J, Mankodi A, Desai M, Chamberlain S -- A clinico-genetic analysis of six Indian spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA2) pedigrees -  the significance of slow saccades in diagnosis. Brain 1998; 121: 2341- 2355.  
• A J Thompson, D Richardson, G Sheean, Margi Desai, D Werring, S Edwards, R Greenwood. Evaluating the role of botulinum toxin type A in adults with focal spasticity. European Journal of Neurology 1999, 6(suppl 4) S75. 

Work presented in conferences:

INVITED FACULTY 2020- 21:  

• INDIAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY Clinical Neurophysiology Conference (IANCNPCON) August 14-15, 2020. Speaker – 2 talks
• INDIAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY : TEACHING PROGRAMME- May 9, 2020: EEG pearls: Interictal EEG in Idiopathic. Generalized Epilepsies, EEG Quiz (Webinar series)- May 2020.    
• Bombay Neurosciences Association (BNA) April 2021:  EEG WORKSHOP  - Topic - `Normal EEG Variants’. 

INVITED FACULTY- 2019  :  

• 1st Congress of  TNS ( THE NEUROMODULATION SOCIETY ) , November 9 & 10, Guwahati 2019. 

              TALK ON : THE ROLE OF NEUROPHYSIOLOGY IN DIAGNOSIS OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN  SYNDROMES. 

•  MUST KNOW NEUROLOGY FOR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS : Joint Meeting of  IndianEpilepsy Society and Bihar Orthopedic Association , Patna, Bihar,          November 17, 2019. 

                 Topic : Nerve  conduction studies for Orthopedic Surgeons &  EMG basics 

•  Pre-conference WORKSHOP  of Annual Meeting of Neurological Society of India ( NSI) on  Intraoperative Neuromonitoring, December  2020 – Topic - ` Perioperative EEG in Adults' 

Memberships:

• Neurological Society of India- Life membership

• Indian Epilepsy Association- Life membership

• Indian Epilepsy Society- Life member

• American Association of Electro diagnostic Medicine

• Life Associate Member- Indian Academy of Neurology including the Clinical Neurophysiology sub-specialty group

• Bombay Neurosciences Association

• Maharashtra Association of Neurology (MAN)