Neurological care
Neurology services at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak
Neurological issues can severely impact your cognition and mobility, so we work to help you operate at the highest level possible.
The dedicated neurologists, neurosurgeons, nurses and therapists at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak are committed to improving your quality of life by implementing the latest technological advancements and treatment programs. While we provide care for complex neurological and spine conditions, we are most widely recognized for our expertise in skull base surgery, spinal canal exploration, robot-assisted pedicle screw insertion and spinous process fusions.
Neurological conditions we treat
Methodist Hospital Stone Oak offers a full spectrum of neurological services that diagnose and treat the following conditions:
- Dementia
- Stroke care
- Seizures
- Movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular disorders
- Neuropathy
- Traumatic brain injury
- Brain tumors
- Spine tumors
- Spinal fracture
- Headaches
Neurological services
We are proud to offer innovative and advanced neurological and neurosurgical treatments, including:
- Robotic-assisted spine surgery
- Robotic-assisted pedicle screw insertion
- Skull base surgery
- Spinal canal exploration
- Spinous process fusion
- Neuronavigation tumor resection
- Kyphoplasty
- Minimally invasive laminectomy with decompression
- Neuromodulation implantation
- Alteplase (tPA)
- Electroencephalography (EEG)
- Radiographic imaging (MRI and CT scan)
- Spinal tap
- Therapy: speech, occupational and physical
Neurorehabilitation
We are committed to providing complete neurological care, from diagnosis to treatment and throughout recovery.
Neurological rehabilitation may be indicated for patients who require further support or recovery time following a neurological event, injury or the diagnosis of a neurological disease. Neurological rehabilitation commonly helps individuals recovering from a traumatic brain injury, neurosurgery or stroke treatment.
Through our comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation services at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak Rehabilitation Center, we offer the following neurological therapies:
- Speech therapy
- Modified barium swallow studies
- Bedside swallow evaluations
- Post-stroke speech and swallow evaluation and treatment
- Communication evaluations and treatments
- Cognitive evaluation and treatments
- Passy Muir speaking valves training and evaluation
- Occupational therapy
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Post-craniotomy occupational therapy evaluation and treatment
- Post-ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt evaluation and treatment
- Post-stroke occupational therapy evaluation and treatment
- Balance assessment and activities
- Fine motor coordination activities
- Independent daily living skills assessment and activities
- Cognitive assessment
- Physical therapy
- Lumbar pre- and post-drainage gait assessments
- General physical therapy evaluations
- Balance assessment and activities
- Vestibular (inner ear) evaluation and treatments
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Post-craniotomy physical therapy evaluation and treatment
- Post-stroke physical therapy evaluation and treatment
- Post-neurosurgical spine evaluation and treatment
- Postoperative spinal cord stimulator evaluation and treatment
- Post ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt evaluation and treatment
Neurosurgery
Methodist Hospital Stone Oak’s neurology team includes fellowship-trained neurosurgeons who treat complex neurological conditions with advanced surgery, including:
- Brain tumor neurosurgery
- Cerebrovascular neurosurgery
- Endovascular neurosurgery
- Stereotactic neurosurgery
Benefits of minimally invasive neurosurgery
Robotic surgery, a technology which allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery through small incisions, has many potential benefits. If you are considering minimally invasive or laparoscopic surgery, you may be a candidate for a robot-assisted procedure. Ask your doctor if robotic surgery might be right for you. Benefits of robot-assisted surgery vary, but may include smaller incisions, reduced pain and discomfort, less scarring, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
DBS is a proven treatment for many neurological conditions. This surgical treatment is often prescribed after medications are proven ineffective at controlling a patient's symptoms.
DBS could be described as "a pacemaker for the brain." Electrodes are implanted in the brain to deliver controlled electrical impulses to targeted brain cells for the treatment of movement disorders, such as essential tremors, Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dystonia.
Candidates for DBS
Patients may want to consider DBS when their medications are working but not working as well as they once did. Signs that medication performance has diminished include:
- Movement symptoms, such as tremor and stiffness, are experienced more often
- Medications take longer to work
- Medication effects wear off between doses
- Medications need to be taken more often
- A higher dose is required to get the same effect
- Medication side effects are becoming problematic
What to expect with DBS
DBS will not cure the underlying disease, but it may help lessen symptoms. Some patients may still need medications. Here is what to expect during the DBS process:
EvaluationA neurologist or movement disorder neurologist will examine you to determine whether DBS is a safe and appropriate option.
SurgeryDBS involves two different procedures. During the first procedure, a small wire is placed in your head. This procedure typically lasts a few hours. During the second procedure, your surgeon implants the pulse generator device (similar to a pacemaker) under the skin in your chest near the collarbone.
ProgrammingAfter surgery, your pulse generator will be activated in your neurologist’s office. The settings and amount of stimulation are fine-tuned to achieve the best outcomes for each patient. After implantation, most patients' medications are reduced to optimize the DBS system for each patient’s needs.
Award winning care
For our commitment to excellent care, Methodist Hospital Stone Oak has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke Gold Plus, as well as the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes our dedication to ensuring that if you have experienced a stroke, you receive the most appropriate treatments that correspond with nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.
Additionally, the Joint Commission designated Methodist Hospital Stone Oak as a Primary Stroke Center, and awarded us with the Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification of Stroke Rehabilitation, for the high level of stroke care we provide.
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