Tests & Treatments

Neurology is a vast field of medicine, and interconnected to many health conditions. Bryan provides a variety of treatments for neurology patients, including:

Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation is used to treat several movement disorders including Parkinson’s and Essential Tremor. This may be an option for those who do not gain satisfactory control of their tremors with medication. During the surgical procedure, electrodes are placed in the brain and a deep brain stimulator (DBS) is implanted in a shoulder area, similar to a heart pacemaker. The patient is required to return to the office in several weeks after the surgery area has healed. At this time, the DBS will be turned on. Optimal settings for tremor control may require several office visits. A fast track clinic for patient evaluation currently is available.

See how deep brain stimulation eliminates tremors:

Continuous Video EEG

Continuous Video EEG monitoring is important for diagnosing and managing seizure disorders. There are three types of conditions where patients are admitted: classification of seizure or epilepsy type, differential diagnosis of conditions that mimic seizures, and the pre-surgical evaluation of patients with medically refractory epilepsy. Many patients are wrongly diagnosed with epilepsy. These include movement disorders, psychogenic seizures, sleep disorders, neurocardiogenic syncope and sometimes heart disorders. Often these patients are treated with anti-epileptic drugs for years before they are finally referred to an epilepsy center for definitive diagnosis. Inpatient epilepsy monitoring units correctly diagnose conditions, some of which may be potentially serious if not properly treated. Our program includes hospitalization for three to seven days, stopping the anti-seizure medication and then simultaneously and continuously monitoring with video and EEG for seizure activity. The goal of the hospitalization usually is to capture five to seven seizure episodes. This program is offered at Bryan West Campus, on our neuroscience unit. 

Vagal Nerve Stimulation

Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy. VNS uses a stimulator that sends electric impulses to the left vagus nerve in the neck via a lead implanted under the skin. 

Dynavision

Dynavision is used to improve visuomotor skills for those whose vision or physical abilities have been affected by disease or injury. Care providers use specialized equipment that helps patients improve their vision skills such as localization, fixation, gaze shift and tracking, peripheral visual awareness, visual attention and anticipation, and improved eye-hand coordination. For those with motor impairment the equipment can be used to increase active upper body range of motion and coordination, and muscular and physical endurance.

NeuroCom – Balance Manager System

NeuroCom identifies and isolates specific balance problems. The system provides accurate information that helps pinpoint a patient’s problem by assessing sensory and motor functions and their impact on daily functions. The customizable programs help assess, treat and document patient progress.

Bioness

Bioness’ devices are externally-worn neurostimulation systems that help restore function and provide recovery to those who suffer from neurological conditions and disorders. It uses electrical stimulation to help brain and muscular function. This repetition of movement teaches the healthy parts of the brain to relearn lost function, thus improving the ability to walk or use the arms and legs, increasing the range of motion and local blood circulation and reducing muscle loss and spasms.

Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT)

After a brain tumor is surgically removed, doctors need to ensure that they have removed every tumor cell possible. Post-surgery radiation treatments are used to destroy tiny cells or any part of the tumor that was not able to be removed during surgery. Traditionally, radiation has been delivered to the whole brain – both to the tumor area and to normal tissue. This technology allows doctors to be precise in where the radiation is focused.

Awake Craniotomy

Surgeons at Bryan are specially trained in a procedure called awake craniotomy. This is similar to a standard craniotomy (brain tumor surgery), except that patients are fully awake during part of the procedure. In surgery, once the brain is accessible, the general anesthetic level is reduced, and the patient returns to an awake state, able to talk as normal, although head movement is restricted. With the patient awake, surgeons can better target the tumor and avoid harming areas that are not affected.

Merci Retriever

Doctors at Bryan use this new device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to remove blood clots from patients experiencing an ischemic stroke. The device is led into the brain via the groin using basic catheterization techniques. When it reaches the targeted area, The Merci Retriever restores blood flow by capturing and removing the blood clot.

Vertebroplasty and Kyphoslasty

These are image-guided, minimally-invasive nonsurgical therapies that strengthen a broken spinal bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis, or less commonly, cancer. The procedures can help you better function in everyday life and prevent further damage to your spine. Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty also help ease pain caused by compression fractures. The procedures often are done on an outpatient basis.