Neurosurgery center-Head and brain surgeries and treatment of skull Base Tumors
Prof. Sergey Spector, a world-renowned expert in skull base tumors, endoscopic and vascular surgeries,
is the head of the Neurosurgery Center, which is an integral part of the Brain Institute of Assuta.
Neurosurgery –overview
Assuta provide comprehensive neurosurgery solutions ,covering a wide range of specializations :
- Spine
- Skull base
- Pituitary gland (including endoscopy procedures)
- Pediatrics
- Oncology
- Functional neurosurgery
- Pain
- Movement disorders
- Interventionay neuroradiology (including endovascular catheterizations)
- Radiosurgery
- Epilepsy care
Neurosurgery: One of medicine’s most complex disciplines
Covering two vital organs – the brain and the spinal cord – neurosurgery addresses conditions affecting of the nervous system and their function.
At the Assuta Neurosurgery Center, patients are treated by a team of leading multidisciplinary experts using state-of-the-art equipment.
To maximize patient care, Assuta brings the following specialties together:
- Intensive care
- Neurophysiology
- Brain catheterization
- Neuroradiology
- Radiosurgery
- Rehabilitation (Assuta partners with the esteemed Loewenstein Hospital for patients requiring rehabilitation services)
The Neurosurgical Center for Head, Brain, and Skull Base Surgery
The Neurosurgery Center for Head, Brain, and Skull Base Surgery, is the center of excellence founded and directed by
prof Sergey Spector the world-renowned neurosurgeon who specializes in skull base surgeries, cerebrovascular surgeries,
and endoscopic endonasal surgeries (minimally invasive surgeries performed through the nose).
Professor Spector has almost 40 years of experience in the field, with thousands of complex surgeries under his belt.
The center is co-managed by Dr. Nurit, Bedussa a neurosurgery specialist who began her career more than a decade ago
as a resident in neurosurgery under the guidance of prof Spector.
After completing her residency, Dr. Bedussa continued to specialize in skull base and endoscopic surgeries,
and now joins Professor Spector in leading the center.
Interview with Prof. Spector
Our Treatments:
- Optic nerve and erase socket tumors ( spheno orbital ): multidisciplinary procedures performed with ophthalmologists,
when necessary - Skull base tumors
- Brain stem tumors
- cerebrovascular disease and vascular malformation (diseases of the cerebral blood vessels)
- Hemifacial spasms involontary contraction of the facial muscles)
- Meningioma (tumors originating from the meninges: membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord)
- Acoustic neuroma (benign tumor of the auditory nerve
- Trigeminal neuralgia (severe chronic facial pain)
- Pituitary gland tumors: endoscopic surgery performed through the nose, conducted jointly with the ear, nose,
and throat team - Chordomas and chondrosarcomas (rare skull base
tumors. - Removal of spinal tumors
Treatment- overview
Acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma
An acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that originates in the Schwann cells –
that line the nerves responsible for hearing (auditory) and balance.
At times, its initial onset in patients is one-sided hearing loss. The auditory nerve is running in proximity to the
endangering with facial paralysis nerve, this surgeries are performed under continuos facial
nerve monitoring and in some case hering monitoring to preserve their function.
In rare cases (such as with neurofibromatosis) patients experience bilateral (two-sided) symptoms.
Pituitary adenomas
The pituitary gland is responsible for releasing hormones for growth, stress, sex, milk production,
salt and fluid balance, and metabolism regulation. This pea-sized gland is located located behind
the nasal cavity in relation to the optic nerve and the carotid arteries.
Most pituitary adenomas (tumors) are benign.
This tumors can either interrup and cause excess section of hormons leading to a variety of symptoms.
When large they can press on the optic nerves and chiasm causing different patterns of visual disturbance.
This tumors can either interrupt or cause excess secretion of hormons leading to a variety of symptoms.
In rare cases, adenomas can bleed, leading to sudden blindness, and life-threatening hormonal deficiencies.
The location of this tumors permits to access them endoscopically through the nasal passage
and otolaryngologists collaborate to help preserve nasalfunction and optimize access to the sinus cavity.
Patients undergoing this minimally invasive procedure heal quicker and easier than those undergoing invasive surgery,
and do not have visible scars.
Other cranial nerve schwannomas
schwann cells that line the nerve sheath are tumors that originate in the cells of the cranial nerves.
Therefore, they can appear in any of the nerves in the head, such as facial nerves,
the trigeminal nerve responsible for facial sensation, and the vagal nerves that control the vocal cords.
Meningiomas
Meningiomas are slow-growing benign tumors that originate in the meninges (membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord).
At times, meningiomas wrap around or involve important blood vessels and nerves in the brain,
requiring delicate microsurgical separation performed under a microscope.
Blood vessel disorders
The complex system of branched blood vessels in the brain is critical to proper functioning of the brain.
Damage to blood vessels can result in life interupationtion to the blood death or brain cells known as stroke.
Blood vessel disorders such moyamoya disease occur when blood vessels on one or both sides of the
patient’s brain are damaged and repeatedly occlude causing reccurent vascular events leading to severe neurological disability.
This unique surgery can give patients a change to return to a normal life.
Arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
AVMs are congenital (from birth) malformations of the blood vessels in which the arteries are connected
directly to the veins, bypassing the capillaries that are supposed to lower the pressure between the arteries and veins.
patient are at risk of bleeding from these malformations, which can lead to c severe neurological damage.
Seizures can be another manifestation of AVM.
Treatment options include endovascular catheterization (including embolization to occlude feeding vessels ),
surgery, radiation, or the combination of them.
Chordomas and chondrosarcomas
Chordomas and chondrosarcomas are tumors on the skull base. Chondrosarcomas originate from cartilage tissue;
they grow slowly, but can be aggressive.
Chordomas are rare slow-growing tumors whose sources are cells of the notochord (part of the backbone).
These tumors appear in the clivus bone (part of the base of the skull).
To remove these tumors, neurosurgeons and ENT team together to perform an endoscopic removal via the nose.
Sometimes these tumors also invade the vertebrae in the neck, which requires multidisciplinary surgeries with spine surgeons.
On occasion, a follow-up surgical procedure is required to fix the spine in place.
After tumor resection, the patient may need radiation to supplement treatment.
Trigeminal neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia causes sharp, electric-shock-like pain in one-half of the face.
The pain can strike at any time, and can be triggered by minimal stimuli like wind blower light touch or by everyday actions
such as tooth-brushing, speaking, shaving, or eating.
Pressure either by a blood vessel or a tumor can be the cause for Pain syndrome
Pressure-relief surgery can usually improve the pain immediately, and in some cases no further treatments are required.
Hydrocephalus
The brain has a system of fluid-filled cavities. The fluid is continuously produced and absorbed into the brain,
flowing between and around the brain and spinal cord cavities and protecting the brain.
Hydrocephalus occurs when the body overproduces the fluid, the fluid is not properly absorbed,
and it builds up in the brain’s cavities, putting pressure on the brain.
To treat hydrocephalus the surgeon implants a shunt system that drains fluid from the brain cavities into the abdominal,
heart, or lung (pleural) cavities.
The Multidisciplinary Center for Functional Neurosurgery
The Multidisciplinary Center for Functional Neurosurgery specializes in diagnosing and treating adults and children suffering from a wide range of functional disorders, including:
- Epilepsy
- Parkinson's disease
- Dystonia
- Movement disorders
- Hydrocephalus
- Spasticity
- Pain, including facial pain
- Treatment-resistant headaches
The center, directed by distinguished neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Levy, features a collaborative multidisciplinary team of specialists, including:
- Neurosurgeons
- Neurologists
- Neuropsychologists
- Neurophysiologists
- Psychologists
- Pain experts
- Medical imaging professionals (radiologists)
- The program is supported by a staff of experienced, compassionate nurses.
A Mission of Personalized Treatment
The center’s professional mission is to provide timely, comprehensive, cutting-edge medicine to patients
with complex brain conditions across the continuum of care.