Specialty Services
Deep brain stimulation: If you have essential tremor and have a hard time completing everyday activities, deep brain stimulation may be able to help. The University of Toledo Medical Center Multidisciplinary Movement Disorders Clinic performs deep brain stimulation to reduce tremor symptoms resulting from essential tremor, freeing you to live and work. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a treatment to reduce tremor symptoms. It involves surgery to implant electrodes in structures deep within the brain. The electrodes are programmed to deliver electrical stimulation to these deep brain structures. With effective stimulation, patients may experience significant reduction in their tremor symptoms.
Neurostimulation/Spinal Drug Infusion Patients with chronic spinal pain syndrome are evaluated by a neurosurgeon and neuropsychologist to learn whether they meet criteria for implantation of either a spinal neurostimulator or morphine infusion pump. Patients with spinal spasticity have the option of implantation of a Lioresal subarachnoid infusion pump. Becky A. Beyer, RN, MSN, CCRN, the nurse clinician, participates in the evaluation and programming of the neurostimulators and infusion pumps. Complex programming can vary the dose and delivery rates during periods of increased pain to meet individual requirements.
Spinal Disorder Clinic An orthopaedic surgeon, neurosurgeon and physiatrist evaluate patients with complex spinal disorders, providing a comprehensive review of the patient with complex disorders of the spine. Case conferences are held regularly where more difficult problems are discussed.
Myelodysplasia The Department participates in the only multispecialty myelomeningocoele treatment program in northwestern Ohio. Faculty from pediatrics, pediatric urology, orthopaedic surgery and social services are involved. A clinical nurse specialist assists in the coordination of services. Lorraine Fay, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics directs the clinic program.
The Comprehensive Epilepsy Program The Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at the University of Toledo Medical Centers has been internally recognized as a major treatment and research center for over 20 years. The program based at UTMC/University of Toledo Medical Centers is recognized by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers as a level 4 medical and surgical tertiary referral center - the highest rating possible. This designation signifies that this center has skills in all aspects of advanced surgical and medical care of epilepsy. The program on the UTMC campus is the only level 4 program in northwestern Ohio. Pediatric and adult patients are managed in either in-patient or outpatient settings.
Radiosurgery Radiosurgery is a technique for the treatment of small deep-seated tumors or arterial-venous malformations of the brain by ultra accurate delivery of high radiation doses, limiting injury to neighboring brain structures and obviating the need for open surgery. Specially designed software for three dimensional treatment planning is used with a Varian-1800 Linear Accelerator, a Silicon Graphics Indigo2 Workstation, and a Radionics CRW stereotactic frame.