Neurosurgery 

The Department provides a comprehensive neurosurgical service covering the full range of neurosurgical pathologies, including all cranial and simple spinal conditions. There is also a complex spine department (see spinal surgery section). In addition to serving the local population it also provides a national and international service for more specialised neurosurgical problems such as epilepsy surgery, surgery for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, transoral and skull base surgery for complex pathologies at these sites, and complex hydrocephalus and transsphenoidal surgery for hormonally active pituitary tumours. Complex interdisciplinary procedures are often performed in conjunction with Consultants from other specialties, including ENT, maxillo-facial and plastic surgery. There is a busy multidisciplinary team looking after complex vascular disease, particularly aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations. The MDT includes neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons, interventional neuroradiologists and vascular neurologists. A new brain tumour unit is planned to open in 2011, providing specialist focused care for this group of patients and their families.

Academic activities benefit from close links to the Department of Neurology, the Institute of Neurology and other University bodies. This multidisciplinary approach to research fosters an atmosphere of academic excellence and ensures that the Department remains at the forefront of clinical research.  We also have a Neural Regeneration Unit and a Neurosurgical Consultant specialising in spinal regeneration focussing on spinal cord transplantation for paraplegia – the DePuy Spinal Regeneration Project.
 
Conditions treated

We care for patients with:

• Acoustic neuromas
• Brain tumours
• Cerebral aneurysms
• Cerebral arterio-venous malformations
• Epilepsy
• Hydrocephalus
• Intracerebral haemorrhage
• Meningiomas
• Movement disorders
• Trigeminal neuralgia 

Service performance

The vast majority of patients are seen in a first outpatient clinic within four weeks of referrals and most patients requiring surgery are admitted within six weeks, unless the urgency dictates otherwise.

Patient aftercare

Outpatient follow-up takes place at six to eight weeks.
Continued follow-up is tailor made to patient needs.