Offering A Multidisciplinary Team Approach To Treating Strokes, Aneurysms, Spinal Disorders And Injuries
For patients with brain, spine, seizure, memory or movement disorders, the Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital offers the benefits of leading-edge multidisciplinary care.
“Solving complex medical problems requires a collaborative approach, in which different specialists, as well as the patient, play a key role in the decision making,” says Frank D. Vrionis, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Institute Director of the innovative center for neurologic and neurosurgical care.
“Our team of dedicated neurologists and neurosurgeons share their experience, knowledge and insights to determine the most effective treatment plan.”
The Institute’s multidisciplinary team approach applies to almost every condition, including strokes, traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, chronic spinal pain, seizure disorders like epilepsy and movement problems like Parkinson’s disease.
For example, a patient who needs major surgery to correct a spinal deformity may be treated by two experienced surgeons, rather than one, accelerating the procedure and reducing the time the patient spends under anesthesia, potential blood loss and other complications.
To treat cerebral aneurysms – dangerous swellings or ruptures of the blood vessels of the brain – the Institute’s team can use minimally invasive endovascular procedures or cranial surgery.
“We are one of the few South Florida centers to offer both approaches,” says Dr. Vrionis. “But it’s important to have those options, because the location, configuration and size of aneurysms vary greatly from patient to patient.”
Leadership In Clinical Care
The Institute’s five neurosurgeons and eight neurologists are respected clinicians in their fields of specialization. One example is board certified neurologist Svetlana Faktorovich, M.D., a specialist in neuromuscular medicine who recently joined the medical staff.
“Dr. Faktorovich is a great complement to our team,” says Patricio Espinosa, M.D., Chief of Neurology at the Institute. “Her appointment represents the continued growth of our Institute and increase in our capabilities.”
The medical staff also includes neurointensivists, physicians who are specifically trained in neurocritical care, treating the most serious, emergency cases. The Marcus Neuroscience Institute also has close ties with Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and is the primary affiliate for FAU’s neurological residency program.
Centers Of Excellence
Within the Marcus Neuroscience Institute are Centers of Excellence and programs for a wide spectrum of conditions:
- Marilyn & Stanley Barry Center for Cerebrovascular Disease & Stroke
- Phillip & Peggy DeZwirek Center for Spinal Disorders & Back Pain
- Toby & Leon Cooperman Center for Memory Disorders & Alzheimer’s Disease
- Harvey Sandler Center for Neurosurgery
- Center for Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders
- Center for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders
Patients with neurologic malignancies also benefit from the Institute’s collaborative relationship with Boca Regional’s Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute, whose neuro-oncologists collaborate closely with the Institute’s team.
Inside the 57,000-square-foot Institute are four dedicated operating rooms with advanced imaging technology – a crucial component in the diagnosis and care of neurological conditions.
“We also have a dedicated nursing team with neurological certifications, and they play a vital role in delivering positive patient outcomes,” says Dr. Vrionis.
The Institute also houses a 20-bed Neuro Intensive Care and Step-Down Unit whose private rooms are equipped with special monitoring capabilities, natural lighting and an antechamber where family members can stay and support recovery in neurological conditions.
Leading-Edge Research
Understanding the causes of neurological diseases and developing new treatment strategies is another aspect of the mission of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute.
“We work closely with our colleagues at Florida Atlantic University and Scripps Florida in Jupiter, and participate in studies with other notable institutions,” says Dr. Vrionis.
The Institute is currently partnering with Scripps on a collaborative clinical trial testing different types of medications for malignant brain tumors. Another collaborative project involves working with FAU’s bioengineering faculty to design better shunts for spinal fluid in hydrocephalus cases.
“We are developing models of the spine and testing them on the computer, like the aerospace and aviation industry tests new mechanical products,” adds Dr. Vrionis.
The Institute typically has about 20 clinical trials underway at any one time including a new study of medications that extend the treatment interval for stroke patients – a potential game-changer in providing emergency care. Other trials include pain-reducing nerve stimulators as well as medications for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Summing up the Institute’s team approach, Dr. Vrionis says, “We strive to give patients and families the best possible outcomes, along with caring personalized care at every step of the way.”
Location: 800 Meadows Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486, 561-955-4600; brrh.com/mni
Director: Frank D. Vrionis, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Neurosurgery
Marcus Neuroscience Institute Physicians:
Patricio Espinosa, M.D., Chief Of Neurology
Sajeel Chowdhary, M.D., Neuro-Oncology
Svetlana Faktorovich, M.D., Neuromuscular Neurology
Sameea Husain-Wilson, D.O., Movement Disorders
Pooja Patel, M.D., Epilepsy
Thomas C. Hammond, M.D., Neurology
Roy C. Katzin, M.D., Neurology
Timothy Miller, M.D., Functional Neurosurgery
Evan Packer, M.D., Neurosurgery
Brian M. Snelling, M.D., Endovascular Neurosurgery
Marc Swerdloff, M.D., Neurology
Lloyd Zucker, M.D., Neurosurgery
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