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Neurological Surgery
Innovations in Care
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital's neurosurgical program employs the latest technologies, including:
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
Gamma knife radiosurgery is a bloodless and minimally invasive treatment method that can offer a safe and effective alternative approach to open brain surgery. The gamma knife focuses high doses of cobalt radiation to the brain to treat certain brain tumors and vascular conditions, such as arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The device targets and isolates specific lesions, thereby sparing adjacent normal tissue, and eliminates the risks associated with open surgery. The advanced program involves a pediatric team of neurosurgeons, oncologists, interventional radiologists, and radiation oncologists.
Endoscopic Neurosurgery
Our neurosurgical team has particular expertise in endoscopic neurosurgery, a minimally invasive approach utilizing small telescopes and high resolution video cameras to see into the brain, and more recently, the spinal canal. Working through a small incision site, it is possible to perform many microsurgical operations for hydrocephalus, congenital cysts, and brain tumors, with minimal trauma to the brain or spinal cord. This surgical approach results in a shorter hospital stay for patients and a quicker return to their normal activities.
Spinal Instrumentation for Cervical Fusion
Using advanced techniques of spinal instrumentation with screws custom designed and sized for children, our neurosurgeons can stabilize the spine during surgery for traumatic injury or vertebral anomalies.
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is one of only a few centers in the country to perform fusion of the occipital-cervical junction (where the back of the skull meets the top of the spine) using internal fixation instrumentation, including specially designed surgical screws and other hardware to lock the joint in place until the bones fuse. The procedure provides immediate stability and facilitates the fusion, as well as reduces the need for postoperative external immobilization and rehabilitation time.
With careful and precise preoperative planning, including thin-cut CT scans to delineate the bony anatomy for safe placement of screws, our neurosurgeons adapt adult instrumentation to accommodate the smaller anatomical structure of children, as well as the particular congenital anomaly of the patient.
This procedure eliminates the need for a postoperative halo vest previously used for stabilization. The halo is a cumbersome orthopedic bracing device with a ring that is affixed to the skull with pins and attached to the vest with rods. To date, data confirms that the use of spinal instrumentation is superior biomechanically to previous surgical approaches because it provides more rigid support and corrects the problem right at the site. Recovery is much quicker and easier, and the quality of life for these children is greatly improved.
