If you are dealing with neurological disorders severe enough to cause you to seek treatment, then you understand how important it is to trust the neurosurgeon charged with your care.
At Longstreet Clinic, we strive to be doctors that our patients can not only trust to their spinal or brain care but also their entire well-being. Experts in medical and surgical care, our neurosurgeons will give you the complete picture in order to help you make the decisions that are best for you and your family.
Physicians at Longstreet Clinic may recommend a surgical or non-surgical treatment options for certain conditions. But you can rest assured that their recommendations are always based on your best treatment path.
Whether you need help for a spinal or brain condition, our cutting-edge surgeons will work to provide you with the information you need to make a decision without hesitation.
How our neurosurgeons determine your level of care
First of all, you will play the biggest role in your care. Our neurosurgeons are highly skilled and attuned to the latest developments in minimally invasive and cutting-edge surgical techniques. However, every suggestion and care path that we choose is based around you – not only what is best for your health, but what you feel the most comfortable with.
To that end, our neurosurgeons take the time to get to know you. You are not just an x-ray or MRI result, and we recognize that you must be fully informed and play an active role in determining what is best for your health.
Beyond in-depth discussions, our neurosurgeons also rely on industry-leading imaging, including X-ray, MRI, CT scan and beyond to determine the source of your discomfort. We then incorporate those results into our discussions and advise you of all the possible outcomes, helping you to choose the treatment that will create optimum results. Occasionally, that may include surgical options. That is why we offer cutting-edge surgical techniques and practices.
Common spinal treatment techniques
Longstreet Clinic neurosurgeons are adept at a number of techniques, including minimally invasive surgery, which allows them to provide you with lasting relief and a quicker recovery time.
The spinal system is a complex mix of nerves, vertebrae (bones) and discs (like shock absorbers for the spine). And since they are located deep inside the body, it requires neurosurgeons to move layers of muscle and other parts of the body to reach the spine (many spinal surgeries enter through the front or side of the body, rather than the back). And minimally invasive surgery allows surgeons to utilizing small incision in order to guiding instruments and/or microscopic video cameras through these incisions. Thanks to smaller incisions, the recovery time is greatly increased.
That said, not all cases are best served by minimally invasive procedures, and our surgeons will discuss with you whether you are a candidate for this pathway – or if a more traditional “open” surgery will work better.
Our neurosurgeons often recommend these surgical techniques for spinal treatments:
- Laminectomy: When the spinal cord is compressed, it can lead to a host of symptoms, including pain, weakness, numbness and tingling, especially in the arms and legs, and more severe cases even affect bladder and bowel control. To reduce pressure on the cord, our providers may recommend Laminectomy, in which the physician creates space for the spine by removing a piece of the bone, thereby relieving the pressure on the spinal cord.
- Fusion: This procedure involves removing a damaged spinal disc and replacing it with a bone graft or substitute, which allows the vertebrae to fuse in place. This removes some of the flexibility of the joint but provides great stability. And some spinal conditions – and patients’ life considerations – recommend this procedure as the best for the situation.
- Arthroplasty: During this procedure, surgeons remove a damaged disc and replace it with an artificial disc. This synthetic replacement provides for mobility of the joint and allows the patient to retain an active lifestyle – assuming their situation allows for this option.
- Sacroiliac joint fusion – During this procedure, the joints in the pelvis are fused in order to provide more stability in the pelvis. Unstable pelvic joints can produce excruciating pain that sometimes may not be cured by physical therapy and a change in lifestyle.
Regardless of where in the spine you face severe issues, we will determine your fastest and most complete route to relief. And the same goes for any type of neurosurgery.
Brain surgery options
Our highly skilled neurosurgeons understand the latest and most advanced surgical techniques, and also understand how nerve-wracking it can be to hear the words “brain surgery.”
Our physicians not only bring their vast procedural knowledge to each patient but also a calm and assured manner in order to provide the best atmosphere for healthcare. Longstreet neurosurgeons are familiar with all manner of brain surgery, including:
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunt
This procedure relieves pressure on the brain from fluid buildup. This procedure primarily treats hydrocephalus (excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain’s ventricles), which can lead to a number of conditions, including headaches, impaired vision and seizures amongst others. The shunt involves placing a small catheter into your skull to relieve pressure and drain fluid.
- Trigeminal neuralgia
A chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain, trigeminal neuralgia may make life extraordinarily painful. Our neurosurgeons can diagnose and treat trigeminal neuralgia through a number of methods, including surgery, including through decompression, to allow the nerve room (often through moving blood vessels that may be impinging the nerve).
- Brain aneurysm
A bulge or ballooning of a blood vessel in the brain, a ruptured aneurysm is a life-threatening event. Our surgeons will act quickly, utilizing diagnostic tests to determine the source of the problem before resolving it in the safest manner possible.
- Pituitary surgery
A gland located at the bottom of your brain that regulates hormones in your body, occasionally the pituitary must be surgically addressed because of the presence of tumors. In that case, our skilled surgeons utilize an endoscope to safely and effectively remove the tumor.
- Tumor
Surgery to remove brain tumors is obviously extremely delicate, but our neurosurgeons are trained and experienced at providing patients with the best care available. We understand the gravity of these situations and provide a steady, meticulous hand when needed.
For more information or to request a consultation with one of our trusted neurosurgeons, call 678-207-4100.
