Brain / Spine Surgery
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As a result of 21st century technology, neurosurgery can be performed more quickly and less invasively than ever - with greater safety, less trauma and shorter recovery times.
Southcoast has invested a great deal in recent years in strengthening its neurosurgery program — both in equipment and technology and the recruitment of top neurosurgeons who bring expertise in the very latest techniques and treatments for disorders involving both the brain and spine.
We currently perform more than 700 neurosurgery procedures at both the Charlton Memorial Hospital and St. Luke's Hospital sites, making us the leading provider of neurosurgical services in the region.
Our Brain/Spine program is a team effort, with neurosurgeons, neurologists and specially trained support staff all working together to create excellent outcomes for patients.
Types of problems treated by neurosurgery
Some common types of problems that brain/spine surgery is used to treat include:
- Acoustic neuromas (a common type of benign brain tumor involving the cranial nerve).
- Other types of brain tumors, such as malignant brain tumors, acoustic neuromas, meningiomas and brain metastases.
- AV malformations (malformations of the arteries and veins covering the brain).
- Head trauma (including hemorrhages).
- Aneurysms (weaknesses or bulges in blood vessels that are at risk of bursting).
- Pituitary tumors.
- Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain).
- Cervical, thoracic and lumbar disc disease (disease affecting the spinal column).
- Surgical treatment of epilepsy, chronic epilepsy and other neurological diseases.
- Treatment of pain disorders.
- Cervical disc problems.
- Degenerative spine disease that may require fusion of spinal vertebrae.
- Serious spinal abnormalities such as scoliosis.
- Pediatric neurosurgery (coming next year).
- Microsurgery of brain and spine.
- Craniotomy for many different tumors and brain malfunctions. A craniotomy involves surgery inside of the skull.
- Endoscopic brain surgery.
- Very difficult spinal fusions with the latest technology including implantable cages, plates, screws and other devices.
- Minimally invasive spinal surgery.
- Laminectomy procedures for herniated discs. Laminectomy is a minimally invasive spinal surgery. A very small portion of bone (called the lamina) is removed to gain access to the disc. Then a disc problem can be repaired. For many patients, the surgery takes less than one hour, and the patient can go home on the same day.
- Lumbar disc replacement (coming next year).
Stereotactic image-guided brain and spine surgery
This is a computerized tracking system that gives neurosurgeons a detailed map of an individual patient's brain structures. It is used in combination with evoked potential monitoring to reduce complications and make neurosurgery safer and more effective.
Information is based on data from a patient's CT and MRI scans, taken prior to surgery. The data is input into a computer and during surgery is combined with live, optical tracking of surgical instruments.
It helps provide accuracy to within 1 millimeter of delicate brain and nerve structures, so the neurosurgeon knows exactly where instruments are positioned every second the surgery is in progress.
Southcoast Hospitals Group owns the most advanced image-guided surgical navigation system available, equal to the latest equipment found in major teaching centers in Boston and Providence.
One other advantage of stereotactic image technology is the neurosurgeon can "see" more detail through a smaller incision, and a smaller incision means less chance of infection and less trauma and quicker recovery for the patient.
Southcoast neurosurgeons also use intraoperative monitoring, such as evoked potential, intraoperative EEG and awake carniotomies.
Specialized spine surgery
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Complex spinal surgery is now being performed at Southcoast using new technology such as plates and cages that can literally rebuild large areas of the spine. This technology has provided dramatic results to patients who suffer from debilitating disc problems or spinal deformities like scoliosis — or "curvature of the spine."
One major difference in spinal surgery is surgeons are now able to fix segments of the spine with individual cages or plates and screws, rather than fuse a long section with one device. This allows surgeons to stabilize the spine in three dimensions instead of one, giving a much better result. With surgery 10 years ago, people were sometimes left with an imbalance that could result in more back pain and disability.
Surgery for epilepsy
Epilepsy is a brain condition that makes people susceptible to seizures. It can often be helped by medication. But for some patients who have frequent and uncontrolled seizures, surgery is an increasingly recommended option.
Epilepsy surgery involves a series of diagnostic tests — to both pinpoint the problem area of the brain and also determine whether surgery might affect language and other brain functions. These tests can now be performed in Southcoast's neurodiagnostics lab and are essential to both selecting patients who may be helped by surgical treatment, and in planning the surgery itself.
The surgery involves removing the area of the brain that is causing the seizures, while leaving all essential brain functions intact. Southcoast neurosurgeons have received special training in this technique and have successfully performed procedures that have helped a number of epilepsy patients.
