Making a Difference

For more than 30 years, the UHS Neurosurgery Center at UHS Wilson Medical Center has pushed the boundaries of neurosurgical care for illnesses and injuries of the brain and spine. And with more than 7,000 brain and spine neurosurgical procedures performed between 2013 and 2016, the center’s neurosurgeons have the experience to support their elite status.

A Collaborative Network

“What sets our program apart from other community hospitals is the fact that our neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, radiation oncologists, neurointensivists, medical oncologists and neuro-support staff are all within the UHS system — working in concert, sharing electronic medical records and providing collaborative, individualized care for each patient,” explains Prakash Ramanathan, director of UHS Clinical Operations and Neuroscience Services.

To encourage this united approach, UHS has the critical infrastructure and services in place to support the best outcomes. This includes a dedicated neurosurgical operating room, a neurological intensive care unit (ICU) and a neurosciences step-down unit to serve patients who no longer need ICU care but still need a staff with specialized neurological training.

“The comprehensive work we perform is unparalleled for a community hospital,” says Saeed Bajwa, MD, UHS director of Neurosurgery. “Our level and depth of care are rarely, if ever, available outside of large academic hospitals located in major metropolitan cities. There’s no need to travel outside of Binghamton to receive the best neurosurgical care.”

Targeting Success

To achieve this level of neurosurgical care, modern providers are relying more and more on the latest technological advancements, such as 3 Tesla (3T) MRI imaging. Specific to benign and malignant brain and spine tumors, 3T imaging provides the highest quality, most accurate image possible — so surgeons and radiologists can “see” what’s going on, deliver a quicker diagnosis and begin treatment faster — which ultimately leads to satisfactory outcomes.

If imaging indicates surgical removal of a tumor is the best course of treatment, UHS neurosurgeons have the right technology to guide them through the most delicate procedures, beginning with the StealthStation^® Treatment Guidance System. This system allows surgeons to focus on the tumor’s exact location and avoid compromising healthy muscle, tissue, nerves or blood vessels. Benefitting the patient, the guidance system requires only a small surgical incision and expedites procedure time.

“It’s similar to GPS for your car,” explains Khalid Sethi, MD, UHS neurosurgeon. “The software guides us to the tumor’s precise location so we can identify the correct treatment technique. That’s key to providing the best patient care.”

Once the tumor is removed, the patient is typically transferred to UHS Radiation Oncology, where stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is performed to ensure that no tumor cells remain. The TrueBeam platform, a system for image-guided radiotherapy and radiosurgery, is a newer technology offered at UHS.

Turning to the Spine

An estimated 65 million Americans experience back and neck pain every year, and the UHS Neurosurgery Center is prepared to meet its patients’ needs. “Our neuro team can provide the complete spectrum of treatment for patients with spinal disorders,” says Dr. Bajwa.

That said, the general consensus among UHS physicians is to investigate non-invasive therapies to relieve back pain before rushing to surgery. “We’ll generally suggest physical therapy, a chiropractor or pain management therapy first,” says Mr. Ramanathan. “Now we also offer HF10 spinal cord stimulation, which involves a surgically-implanted electrical device that sends pain-relieving signals to the spinal cord.” (See Relief at Last for the story of a patient who got her life back after implantation of a spinal stimulation device.)

In matters of the spine, it is particularly crucial that the patient’s team of physicians, physical therapists and chiropractors are all on the same UHS team, Dr. Sethi emphasizes. “So when you see me in my office, I can read your physical therapist’s notes in your medical file; I know what pain management you tried; I see your MRIs. Ultimately, all this combined information and coordinated care helps identify if or when it’s time to consider surgical options.”

Right In Your Own Backyard

In addition to having the most advanced instrumentation and experienced clinical team to diagnose and treat spine and brain disorders, there is yet another attribute that sets the UHS Wilson Medical Center Neurosurgical Center apart, says Dr. Bajwa. “When you’re told you have, for example, a brain tumor, the emotional reaction is dramatic. And you think you have to leave your community and head off to New York City, Boston or Baltimore for the best care possible. When we explain to our patients that we have that same level of sophisticated expertise right here — right where their loved ones live — you can see the relief on their faces. It’s a first step to recovery.”