Neurosurgery at UPMC

Neurosurgery physicians at UPMC specialize in treating conditions of the nervous system, brain, spinal cord, and related nerves. Our specialists carry out interventions and propose specific treatments for disorders involving these functions of the body.

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UPMC offers neurosurgery services in the following facilities:

• UPMC Salvator Mundi International Hospital.

What Is Neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery is the surgical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of the brain. It also deals with the spinal cord, spine, and peripheral nerves throughout the body. The nervous system is extremely complex. Its activity is based on the electrical signals transmitted by nerves that control fundamental bodily functions such as digestion, movement, breathing, and memory.

When the nervous system fails to perform properly, problems and pathologies arise, including the risk of brain aneurysms and hemorrhages.

Our Neurosurgical Services

Our neurosurgery specialists take a multidisciplinary approach in diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating patients. We provide personalized care and use state-of-the-art surgical techniques such as brain and spinal mapping, for example. At UPMC, some of our treatments include:

• Peripheral nerve surgery.
• Cerebral and spinal surgery.
• Specific interventions in the case of brain tumors, lesions, aneurysms, and vascular problems.
• Treatment of chronic pain syndromes of the spine and peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes which can also cause chronic pain.
• Surgical interventions for post-traumatic, osteoporotic, or spinal metastasis vertebral fractures.

In addition, it is possible to perform an electromyographic (EMG) examination. This allows the neurosurgeon to assess the need or urgency to undergo any surgery. It is also very useful for the treatment of lumbar disc hernias. It is performed by inserting small needles-electrodes into the muscles that can give us an image of the state of health of the parts of the body under observation.

Neurosurgical Conditions we Treat

At UPMC, you can receive assistance for conditions and diseases that affect the normal functioning of your nervous system. These include:

• Aneurysm: The dilation of an artery that puts pressure on the wall of a blood vessel, causing it to rupture.
• Arteriovenous malformation: Vascular abnormalities that risk causing hemorrhages and venous discharges.
• Brain tumors: Increased number of cells in the brain that can cause the development of benign or malignant tumors.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome: A pathology that affects the median nerve of the arm, causing pain in the hands and fingers.
• Compression fractures: Due to compression of one or more vertebrae, these fractures impair the proper functioning of the back.
• Hemangioblastoma: A benign tumor of the nervous system that originates in the vascular system.
• Herniated disc: The rupture of the fibrous ring of a vertebra that causes a hernia.
• Hydrocephalus: A condition caused by the presence of excess fluid in the cerebral ventricles of the brain.
• Meningioma: A type of cancer that develops in the meninges, the membranes found around the brain and spinal cord.
• Neurofibroma: A benign tumor that affects the peripheral nervous system.
• Pituitary apoplexy: A complication affecting the pituitary gland, a gland located at the base of the skull.
• Spinal stenosis: The narrowing of the spaces within the spine that can put pressure on the nerves. It occurs more frequently in the lower back and neck.

Our neurosurgeons are not exclusively involved in treating conditions affecting the brain. They are able to help you if you suffer from back and neck pain and related diseases. These include trigeminal neuralgia, head trauma and Parkinson's disease.

Who Should Contact Neurosurgery at UPMC?

If you have chronic or repeated pain, you may need to book a visit with a neurosurgeon, for a general check on the state of health of your nervous system.

Our specialists also intervene in case of trauma and tumors and for pain management and are also specialized in pediatric surgery. In addition, they can assist you in cases of painful conditions such as lower back pain, stroke, sciatica, crushed nerves and malformations of the spine.

Our neurosurgery team is available to adults, adolescents and children. We collaborate actively with other specialists at UPMC, including other surgical disciplines, paediatricians, and psychologists to follow you step-by-step on your care journey.