Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and surgical treatment (and rehabilitation) of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. 

The nervous system is extremely complex and is responsible for controlling most of the functions of the body. Our personality, mood, movement, and sensations are all controlled by the brain and messages pass to the body through the spinal cord.  Disturbances in any part of this biological system can cause a diverse array of symptoms which may, at first glance not be obvious.  

Our specialist neurosurgeon provides regular out-patient consultations within the clinic.  He also provides second opinion consultations. Diagnostic tests are arranged in the clinic or in conjunction with our associated hospitals in Spain or the UK.  Treatment options are discussed, and a treatment plan agreed with each patient. 

Brain lesions

The brain is the control centre of the whole body. Diseases of the brain can manifest in many ways including headache, blurred vision, balance problems, deafness, tinnitus change in personality, decreased conscious levels and focal neurological symptoms such as weakness or epilepsy. 

Often patients presenting with these symptoms require a variety of investigations including physical examination, CT, and MRI scans and sometimes specialist nerve conduction studies. 

Some of the more common brain conditions treated by our team include

Tumour removal 

• MSurgical treatment of meningiomas – benign tumours of the membranes around the brain  
• Glioma – Malignant brain tumours (with functional cortical mapping for lesions in eloquent areas)
• Acoustic Neuroma – a benign tumour of Schwann cells growing on the nerve to the hearing and balance organs
• Pituitary Adenoma – benign tumours which develop in the pituitary gland which controls many of the hormone functions of the body.  The pituitary gland sits between the optic nerves and can present with visual problems 
• Posterior Fossa tumours – a variety of lesions which can occur in the cerebellum at the lower posterior part of the skull
• Metastatic tumours – often other cancers can spread to the brain and develop anywhere within the organ.  Sometimes these are amenable to surgical removal. 
• Intracerebral Bleed / Stroke – sometimes when a blood vessel ruptures within the brain, the resulting blood clot needs to be removed or drained. 
• Movement disorders  such as advanced Parkinson’s disease and chorea are sometimes amenable to surgical treatment.
• Intractable pain from cancer,  post trauma and cranial / peripheral nerve pain can sometimes be treated by specialist neurosurgical procedures. 
• Vascular malformations – (arteriovenous malformations, venous angiomas, cavernous angiomas, berry aneurysms) can all be found in the brain.  Our neurosurgical team work closely with expert interventional radiologists to treat these conditions.
• Post head injury epilepsy – may be amenable to neurosurgical interventions

Spinal Disorders

The spinal cord connects every part of the body to the brain and passes through the spinal canal in the vertebral bones. Benign and malignant tumours as well as vascular problems can develop in the spinal cord. Whilst the cord is protected from injury by the spinal bones, degenerative disease or trauma of the vertebra can also damage the spinal nerves.   

• Non-surgical treatment of lower back pain .
• Surgical treatment of spinal disc disease
• Minimally invasive techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar, thoracic, and cervical disc disease.
• Micro-surgical treatment of spinal disc disease.
• Acute management of spinal cord trauma.
• Repair following traumatic injuries to of peripheral nerves.
• Surgical treatment of infections and tumours of the spine, spinal cord and peripheral nerves.

Facial Pain

Facial pain can be excruciating and debilitating. Appropriate investigation ensures that an accurate diagnosis is reached such that the correct treatment plan is agreed and the right intervention is offered. Treatments for common types of facial pain include :-

• Comprehensive management of trigeminal neuralgia.
• Minimally invasive, percutaneous Retrogasserian radiofrequency thermocoagulation.
• Microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve.
• Microvascular decompression of the facial nerve (for hemifacial spasm)