Clinical Services
Neurovascular Surgery / Neuroendovascular
The Neurovascular Section at UIC integrates both cerebrovascular surgery and neuroendovascular procedures in a multi-modality approach to treatment of cerebrovascular disease. The service manages the full range of neurovascular diseases including aneurysms, arterio-venous malformations, cavernous malformations, carotid stenosis, and intracranial occlusive disease requiring endovascular stenting or extracranial-intracranial bypass.
Neuro-Oncology
Our neurosurgeons work alongside UI Hospital physician specialists in medicine, surgery, radiation oncology, psychiatry and neurology to provide a multidisciplinary neuro-oncology clinic for patients with cancer of the central nervous system. Patients receive the most-advanced therapies available. State-of-the-art, computer-guided surgery allows precise tumor removal to minimize complications and reduce hospital stays to only a few days. We are the leader in the field of brain tumor research and are committed to providing our patients access to the most innovative treatments and clinical trials.
Spine and Spinal Cord
Our neurosurgeons have extensive experience in treating spine and spinal cord disorders and are internationally recognized in the field. In addition, our surgeons assist in the management of complex and problem cases. Minimally invasive and other innovative approaches are offered to patients based on their individual needs. Our multi-disciplinary team has expertise in providing all spine care including pain procedures, treatment for chronic pain syndromes, minimally invasive spine procedures, non-fusion technologies, and artificial disc replacement, as well as complex deformity correction and revision surgery.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
SRS is a treatment method that focuses high doses of radiation targeted directly at a tumor while limiting how much of the healthy tissue is exposed. Though it is called surgery, no knife or scalpel is used. The treatment may be useful for tumors that are in places where regular surgery would harm essential tissue, for example, in the brain or spinal cord, or when the patient’s condition does not permit regular surgery.
Peripheral Nerve Disorders
Working together with other specialties, our neurosurgeons participate in a specialized clinic to diagnose and treat disorders of the peripheral nerves. From patients who need medication to manage their disease to trauma that requires surgery, our doctors provide comprehensive diagnosis and treatment. We also have a unique expertise in the treatment of peripheral nerve tumors.
Pain
Our neurosurgeons perform the full range of neurosurgical procedures for the treatment of chronic pain, including sophisticated neuromodulation techniques and individually tailored treatment plans. The comprehensive approach and unique surgical procedures provide hope to many patients with pain syndromes that were not helped with traditional approaches.
Areas of expertise include:
treatment of chronic trigeminal pain
cancer pain
stroke pain
complex pain syndromes
Movement, Functional Disorders and Epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, and spasticity are among the disorders treated by our neurosurgeons using advanced computer-guided surgical technology. Patients with epilepsy who have been resistant to traditional treatments are evaluated for surgical options in cooperation with UI Health neurologists. One of the first centers in the Midwest to treat Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor with deep brain stimulation, we now have approval to use this modality for treatment of severe dystonia and, most recently, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Pediatric Neurosurgery
Because of our expertise in critical care, we regularly receive referrals of complex pediatric neurosurgical problem cases- specifically brain AVMs and vein of Galen aneurysms. We have more experience in the treatment of craniofacial disorders than any other medical center in the world.