Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is that specialty branch of medicine which deals with surgical treatment of medical disorders affecting the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. The neurosurgeon is specialized medical professionals diagnosing, treating, and managing conditions or injuries that require surgery.

Some of the conditions neurosurgery can treat include brain tumors, spinal cord tumors, traumatic injuries to the brain or spine, vascular aberrations, epilepsy, degenerative spine issues, and other types of neurological conditions. Neurosurgery professionals will therefore work closely with numerous physicians, including neurologists, radiologists, and oncologists, in an effort to provide the most holistic diagnosis and treatment for all patients dealing with neurological problems.

Neurosurgery is very broad and could involve almost any form of surgery, from traditional open surgery to the newer, more minimally invasive approaches. The central goal of neurosurgery is to help patients overcome the effects of their symptoms, improve their ability to function, and enhance their quality of life.

With state-of-the-art technology and modern surgical facilities, our surgeons are well equipped to deliver the best possible techniques within neurosurgical procedures. Ranging from brain tumors and spinal diseases to vascular abnormalities, Marengo Asia Hospitals offers a wide range of neurosurgical services.

What Conditions Do Neurosurgeons Treat?

A neurosurgeon is an adequately trained medical practitioner who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of several disorders within the nervous system. Such parts consist of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Some of the common medical conditions neurosurgeons treat include the following:

• Brain tumors: Neurosurgeons might conduct surgical operations to remove tumors in the brain. These could either be benign or malignant.
• Spinal disorders: A host of conditions related to the spinal column, such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and deformities such as scoliosis (curvature of the spine sideways) can be dealt with by neurosurgery.
• Essential tremor: Even though neurologists usually are the first set of experts who'll help treat essential tremors, neurosurgeons can also help treat this condition as well as most other conditions involving the brain. Essential tremor is a medical condition that leads to involuntary shaking, which may be rhythmic or involuntary. It can impact almost any part of the body, but the trembling transpires most often in the hands.
• Head trauma: Neurosurgeons play fundamental parts in the management of traumatic brain injuries, which are due to accidents, falls, or other types of head injuries.
• Stroke: In some instances, neurosurgery might even be required in dealing with vascular issues, which more often than not are the underlying causes for the stroke.
• Epilepsy surgery: For some people with epilepsy who do not respond well to medicine, neurosurgeons may perform procedures to remove or detach the specific brain area responsible for seizures.
• Peripheral nerve disorders: Other conditions involving peripheral nerves include carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral nerve tumors, and meralgia paresthetica, and these may also need neurosurgical intervention.
• Degenerative spine conditions: Neurosurgeons can operate to control degenerative spine conditions, including degenerative disc disease and spinal arthritis.
• Movement disorders: Neurosurgeons can potentially be involved in the treatment of movement disorders, for example, Parkinson's disease, through DBS surgery.

What are some neurosurgery subspecialty fields?

Some neurosurgery subspecialty fields include:

• Cerebrovascular surgery.
• Endovascular surgical neuroradiology.
• Epilepsy surgery.
• Functional neurosurgery.
• Neuro-oncology.
• Pediatric neurosurgery.
• Spinal surgery.

What Are The Various Tests Performed By Neurosurgeons To Treat Neurological Conditions?

Whenever a patient is diagnosed with a neurological condition that may necessitate surgery, the neurosurgeon may carry out some diagnostic tests to establish the causes of the disease and come up with effective treatment strategies. Let's understand the different tests and procedures carried out in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions:

• Neurological examination: This is a general examination by a neurosurgeon to evaluate various domains of neurological activity. This includes mental status, cranial nerves (responsible for functions such as vision, hearing, and facial movements), motor function, reflexes, coordination, etc.
• CT (Computed Tomography): CT scans help doctors to pinpoint lesions precisely inside the brain or spinal column. It becomes a great tool if the surgeon suspects internal bleeding inside the brain or any bone destruction of the spine. This test utilizes X-rays to take cross-sectional images of the brain and is sensitive enough to detect internal bleeding, tumors, and some kind of abnormal bone structure, though not as sharp and clear as MRI.
• MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): This modality uses powerful magnets and radio waves to generate highly detailed pictures of the brain and spinal cord. Besides, it is used for the detection of structural abnormalities, tumors and irregularities in the brain tissue.
• Lumbar puncture (Spinal Tap): Cerebrospinal fluid that is found in our brain protects our brain and spinal cord. Therefore, the examination of the fluid can be critical in determining whether an infection or tumor has spread to this body part. The Lumbar puncture test requires a sample of cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal canal. CSF analysis will determine infections, bleeding, and problems associated with diseases like multiple sclerosis.
• Blood tests: Many blood tests are also conducted to diagnose the conditions, which might indirectly affect the nervous system. These include diagnostic tests for infections, autoimmune diseases, metabolic abnormalities, and specific markers related to neurological disorders. Some of the blood tests conducted are a complete blood count, coagulation profile, blood typing and crossmatching, etc.
• Swallow study: Certain neurological disorders could interfere with the person's swallowing act. Thus, the surgeon may conduct a swallow study to find whether or not this person can swallow his food and beverages properly. It is done by taking X-rays while you take food and beverages containing barium. The speech pathologist determines how well you can swallow foodstuffs of various consistencies in front of whom this test is undertaken.

These tests occur simultaneously, and the nature of the test would depend on what the patient is complaining of, their history, and what the doctor suspects the condition to be. The objective of the neurosurgeon is to get a comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition to advise appropriate treatment strategies.

What Are The Various Neuro and Spine Surgeries Performed At Marengo Asia Hospitals?

Some of the neurosurgeries performed at Marengo Asia Hospitals include:

1. Craniotomy: This is a surgical operation where part of the skull is removed to allow easy access to the brain. After performing the surgical procedure, the portion of the skull removed is put back in its original position. This surgical procedure is commonly used for the treatment of most brain tumors, skull fractures, treatment of vascular abnormalities (aneurysms), hematomas, and infections, along with the treatment of various degrees of brain swelling.

2. Brain tumor surgery: The most common treatment utilized in the case of brain tumors is surgery. The goal of brain tumor surgery is to eliminate as much of the tumor as possible with the preservation of functional normal tissue. Both benign and malignant forms of brain tumors are amenable to surgery. Various types of surgery might be required based on factors such as the location of the tumor, size, and type. Surgical methods may include microsurgery, endoscopic surgery, or stereotactic biopsy, depending on the specifics of the tumor.

3. Spinal fusion: Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure where the doctor joins two or more vertebrae to stabilize the spine. This process can be done on the spine through bone grafts or implants. It usually happens in conditions such as spinal deformity (scoliosis), spinal fractures, degenerative disc disease, etc. Spinal fusion also has many different techniques. They include anterior, posterior, and even lateral procedures. Such processes depend on the location of the problem in relation to damaged vertebrae.

4. Discectomy: A discectomy is the removal of part or all of a damaged intervertebral disc in the spine, often to relieve pressure on nerves. Problems like herniated discs, whereby the disc material forces itself onto spinal nerves, usually result in the onset of acute pain and neurological symptoms that prompt surgery.

5. Epilepsy surgery: There are cases of epilepsy that do not respond to drugs. Such cases can be treated with a surgical operation. This can be the removal or detaching of the specific region of the brain that causes seizures. Epilepsy surgery is considered for those patients whose focal seizures begin in a defined region of the brain.

6. Deep brain stimulation (DBS): DBS involves placing electrodes into the targeted areas in the brain, wired to a pulse generator. This procedure modifies abnormal neural activity. DBS is used to treat conditions such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, or other psychiatric disorders.

7. Vertebroplasty/ kyphoplasty: Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are procedures designed to help alleviate the agonizing vertebral compression fractures in the spine due to osteoporosis. In vertebroplasty, your doctor introduces a cement mixture into the broken bone under imaging guidance, whereas in kyphoplasty, he/she will place a balloon inside the broken bone to create space for cement. About 75 percent of the patients that have undergone vertebroplasty regain lost mobility and end up being much more active. Your doctor will most likely evaluate your condition with diagnostic imaging or a physical exam first, and they will inform you of what to expect. Inform your doctor if there's a possibility you might be pregnant and discuss recent illnesses, medical conditions, allergies, and medications you're on.

Why Choose Marengo Asia Hospitals For Neurosurgery?

There are many reasons why patients looking for neurosurgical interventions should choose Marengo Asia Hospitals:

• Patient-centric care: At Marengo Asia Hospitals, patient well-being and satisfaction is our top priority. We focus on transparent communication, compassionate care, and support for patients and their families throughout the entire treatment process.
• Advanced technology: Marengo Asia Hospitals employs the latest advancements in neurosurgical technology for stroke and TIA, brain tumors, seizure and epilepsy, brain and spinal trauma, multiple sclerosis, and neurologic rehabilitation. Our state-of-the-art facility includes the most advanced imaging systems, robotic-assisted surgery tools, the use of dyes, and fluorescence to know the extent of the tumor, and precision-guided navigation systems. This will ensure that the patients receive the most accurate diagnoses as well as optimal surgical results.
• Leading neurosurgeons: Our Hospital takes pride in its experienced neurosurgical teams, which are leaders in the field. Having years of experience and numerous successful surgeries to our credit, our team remains focused on the best quality care. From minimally invasive procedures to a complex surgical intervention of the brain and spine, our surgeons can successfully undertake a wide array of neurosurgical procedures.
• Patient experience: When it comes to measuring the quality of care and service we provide, Marengo Asia Hospitals turns to those who know best: our patients. From courtesy to cleanliness, our neurosurgery care units consistently rate among the highest with our patients.
• Multidisciplinary approach: We adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to neurosurgery where all the neurosurgeons, neurologists and radiologists, among other experts are engaged in a coordinated team effort. This therefore implies that our patients receive not only appropriately tailored medical care but also personalized therapy according to their unique conditions and needs.