The Neurosurgery Department of St. Luke's Hospital offers in-depth neurosurgical treatments in a state-of-the-art environment, staffed with specialised medical and nursing staff. The experienced neurosurgeons of the department perform thousands of operations annually, covering the entire range of neurosurgical diseases. 

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The Department of Neurosurgery specialises in three different fields, depending on the subgroups of neurosurgical diseases, their pathophysiology and topography. Thus, the following directions arise with the corresponding diseases of the nervous system:

Brain Neurosurgery

• Brain tumours
• Hydrocephalus
• Vascular diseases of the brain
• Chronic subdural haematoma
• Traumatic brain injuries

Spinal Surgery

• Spinal tumours
• Lumbar disc herniation
• Cervical disc herniation
• Spondylosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Spinal fracture

Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Neurosurgery

• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Ulnar neuritis

Neurosurgery techniques and technology

Each field of Neurosurgery specialises in different techniques. Below are some of the ones we carry out, depending on the problem:

Brain Surgery

• Craniotomy
• Stereotactic brain biopsy
• Valve placement for drainage of CSF
• Trepanation in cases of chronic subdural haematoma

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Spine Surgery

• Kyphoplasty
• Percutaneous Spinal fusion
• Lumbar microdiscectomy
• Anterior cervical microdiscectomy
• Posterior approach neck surgery
  

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Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Surgery

• Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia
• Median nerve decompression
  
• Ulnar nerve decompression

Use of a surgical microscope

The specialty of neurosurgery has shown rapid growth in recent decades. The improvement of quality and effectiveness was faster compared to other surgical specialties and this is because it is inextricably linked to technological progress. 

The greatest achievement that gave a great boost to further development was the generalization of the application of the surgical microscope. Over the years, there has been an evolution and improvement of microscopes, in which optics was perfected, their mechanical movement evolved with electromagnetic control, and elements of digital technology were added.

With the help of the surgical microscope, we perform minimally invasive techniques and ensure three-dimensional vision and magnification of the surgical field. The use of the surgical microscope requires specialised knowledge and skills.

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Neuronavigation system

Another touchstone in the improvement of surgical conditions in the brain is the introduction and gradual improvement of neuronavigation. Neurosurgeons have now the ability to use an aid for their orientation and better identification of the damage they have to access, with principles similar to those of the GPS. 

With the state-of-the-art surgical navigation system, we achieve maximum accuracy in approaches of the skull and spine. The integrated camera allows careful and maximum quality navigation that elevates the skills of the neurosurgeon and gives the patient a better postoperative course.

Continuous intraoperative neurophysiological examinations

The application of continuous intraoperative neurophysiological examinations enables us to record data monitoring the function of the nuclei of the brain stem and the motor and sensory pathways or the visual pathway. 

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Intraoperative corticography

In addition to the above-mentioned neuromonitoring techniques, intraoperative corticography (mainly in epilepsy surgeries) or brain surgeries with the patient on alert have enabled operations to be performed near noble areas of the brain, such as the centre of speech, the motor areas, the base of the skull, and even the brainstem. Areas that until recently constituted - and possibly even today for a large number of neurosurgeons are - the "inaccessible" of the brain. Localizations of tumours or other lesions in these areas were characterized as inoperable cases. 

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Manpower

Our neurosurgeons have extensive experience, thanks to their attendance, training and work in recognized centres abroad. Also, the nursing and technical staff of the department are an integral part of patient care, necessary for both patients and doctors.