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Missoula, MT 59802
Phone: 406-728-6520
Fax: 406-329-2799

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St. Patrick Hospital

Montana Neuroscience Institute

Monday February 06, 2012
Adult Neurosurgery

Most adult patients of neurosurgeons are referred by their family physician or chiropractic physician for treatment of a brain or spinal problem. Except in emergency situations a consultation with the patient results in a series of recommendations or treatment choices that the patient and their regular doctor can carefully discuss and consider before embarking on a course of treatment.

Adult Spinal Problems:

  • back pain
  • neck pain
  • arthritis of the spine
  • herniated discs in the neck
  • herniated discs in the back
  • painful, degenerated discs
  • spondylolisthesis or slipped vertebrae
  • spinal stenosis or narrowing of the canal in the spine that contains the nerves

All of these adult spinal diseases have surgical treatments available to patients afflicted with them, but surgery is recommended only after other treatments haven't worked. A neurosurgeon works closely with the patient's regular doctor to make sure all non-surgical treatments have been tried.

When surgery is required, neurosurgeons expertly perform:

  • Minimally invasive spinal surgery
  • Endoscopic spinal surgery
  • Outpatient spinal surgery
  • Spinal disc removal
  • Spinal nerve decompression
  • Spinal fusion of the neck and back
  • Spinal disc replacement
  • Implantation of pain controlling devices

Adult Brain Problems:

  • brain tumors
    • benign tumors
    • malignant tumors
    • gliomas
    • meningiomas
    • acoustic neuromas
    • glomus tumors
    • pituitary gland tumors
    • metastatic tumors
    • skull base tumors
  • brain aneurysms
  • arteriovenous malformations
  • artery blockages
  • trigeminal neuralgia
  • hydrocephalus
  • tremor
  • parkinson's disease
  • epilepsy
  • chiari malformation
  • skull deformities

All of these diseases have surgical treatments including:

  • craniotomy for brain tumor removal
  • minimally invasive brain surgery
  • endoscopic brain surgery
  • incisionless stereotactic radiosurgery using Linac Scalpel or Gamma Knife system
  • hearing preservation acoustic neuroma surgery
  • pituitary surgery
  • aneurysm clipping
  • trigeminal neuralgia surgery
  • carotid endarterectomy
  • epilepsy invasive monitoring and surgery
  • spinal fluid shunting procedures
  • parkinson's surgery
  • implantation of devices or control of pain and tremor