New MRI Technology Helps Brain Specialists Perform Faster Surgeries

Brain surgery has always been a long and difficult task. However, as technology improves, it allows brain specialists to perform quicker surgeries. One of the obstacles that lengthens brain surgery is that surgery must be halted to see what is going on inside of the patient’s skull. To better deal with this problem, researchers have recently began developing an MRI system that delivers real time images.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is the largest neurosurgical group of brain specialists in Bergen County NJ. We work to comfort and heal people with brain, spine and movement disorders.  We have a spacious rehab and physical therapy facility that includes state-of-the-art audio visual equipment in our examination rooms as well as a comfortable and relaxing reception area.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center provides emergency neurosurgical services, and our physicians have access to these major area hospitals:

• Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack
• Valley Hospital, Ridgewood
• Englewood Hospital, Englewood
• Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck

If you would like to see one of our brain specialists, call North Jersey Brain and Spine Center at 201-342-2550 to schedule an appointment.

Deep Brain Stimulation

Surgery can be difficult for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. Deep brain stimulation techniques developed over the past decade has made it easier to perform brain surgery, but it requires patients to go off medication prior to the surgery. To some patients dealing with intense pain, that is not an option. However, new technologies have made surgery even more accessible.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center uses the ClearPoint system which allows patients to stay on their medication, so that deep brain stimulation surgery is more widely available. We are the only facility in Northern New Jersey to use ClearPoint. Recent studies have shown that patients movement scores improved by an average of 12% after receiving DBS surgery.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is the largest neurosurgical group practice in Bergen County. Our spacious facility offers the most recent equipment and methods for rehabilitation and physical therapy.Our physicians have privileges at these major area hospitals:

• Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack
• Valley Hospital, Ridgewood
• Englewood Hospital, Englewood
• Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck

If you would like more information on deep brain stimulation, call North Jersey Brain and Spine Center at 201-342-2550 to schedule an appointment.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Specialists

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is the largest neurosurgical group practice in Bergen County. This group is composed of board-certified neurosurgeons with sub-specialty fellowship training in Spine, Neuro-Oncology and skull base surgery as well as endovascular surgery and neurosurgery. We specialize in brain and spine surgery as well as rehabilitation. Physical therapy and rehabilitation services are an integral part of our treatment of spinal disorders, ensuring that our patients are back on their feet in no time. Our North Jersey brain and spine specialists are considered both neurologists and, more specifically, movement disorder neurologists.

A neurologist is a physician who deals with disorders of the nervous system which is composed of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. A movement disorder neurologist is a physician that specifically deals with movement disorders that affect the nerves and muscles of the brain and spine but also other extremities. The lack of control that comes from movement disorders can greatly affect a person's health, especially if it is preventing them from doing something vital like walking. Because these disorder can be very serious, it is important to trust our North Jersey brain and spine specialists to help improve your condition.

At North Jersey Brain and Spine Center, our movement disorder neurologists offer a state of the art treatment for patients suffering from movement disorders. The specific movement disorders we deal with include:

• Parkinson's Disease: a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that results in involuntary muscle movement that can range from tremors to impaired balance, slowness of movement and sometimes even behavioral shifts
• Essential Tremor: a slow-progressing neurological disorder that may begin as a tremor in the arms and advance to the head, neck and lower extremities
• Dystonia: an abnormal posturing and muscle movement that seems similar to Parkinson's Tourette's syndrome or essential tremor
• Spasticity: a stiffness of the muscles because of increased tone or resistance of muscles stretching

Our North Jersey brain and spine specialists have a variety of ways to treat disorders such as this because every patient is different from the last. Some disorders can be treated with medication while others can be treated with physical therapy, muscle relaxants or surgery. We are proud to announce that we are among a few centers in the United States that offers MRI guided Deep Brain Stimulation surgery for movement disorders. This allows us to perform DBS surgeries with real-time, live MRI-guidance while our patient is under general anesthesia.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center prides itself for its expertise in the field of neurology as well as the dedication to patient care from our North Jersey brain and spine specialists. For more information on our movement disorder treatments, call us today at (201) 342-2550.

Spine Specialists in NJ

The disks in your spine act as cushions between your vertebrae. These disks are comprised of a soft cartilage that are surrounded by a thicker, tougher cartilage. Over time disks begin to expand, common with aging, and start to resemble a burger that's too big for its bun. This is what's known as a bulging disk. When disks herniate, the outer tougher layer cracks and the inner layer starts to protrude through the crack. Herniated disks are also referred to as “slipped disks”, or “ruptured disks”. Herniated disks cause more pain than bulging disks, but some people experience no pain in either case.

The symptoms most commonly associated with a herniated disk are:

• Dull or sharp pain in neck, or between the shoulder blades.
• Pain spreading through the arms hands and fingers
• Numbness or tingling in shoulder or arm

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, it is a good idea to find spine specialists in NJ. The good news is that surgery is not always necessary; there are alternative options to relieve these symptoms. Cold/Heat therapy is helpful during the first 24-48 hours. Spinal Injections (epidurals) may help relieve neck and related upper body pain, these should only be done by professional spine specialists in NJ. Physical therapy may include a gentle massage, stretching, therapeutic exercise, bracing, or acupuncture. If nonoperative treatment is ineffective, surgery may be recommended.

Finding spine specialists in NJ is easier with North Jersey Brain & Spine Center. We are the largest neuro-surgical group practice in Bergen County. Our physicians provide elective and emergency neuro-surgical services to Bergen County, and parts of Passiac and Rockland Counties. At North Jersey Brain & Spine Center, we pride ourselves on offering a personal and compassionate approach to all brain and spine surgeries. If you have any questions or concerns about finding spine specialists in NJ contact us and we will provide you with the help you need - 201-342-2550

When Should Parkinson’s Patients Get Deep Brain Stimulation?

Living with a brain injury or movement disorder can be one of the most difficult and painful things in the world. As technology improves, there are more options available to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease and other disorders. One such option is deep brain stimulation (or DBS), a process that was introduced in 1997 and has since helped over 55,000 people worldwide. North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is a rehab and physical therapy facility that is employed with top neurosurgeons with access to four major hospitals to perform DBS treatments.

It is appropriate for a patient to receive the DBS procedure when they have a significant tumor. North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is the only facility in Northern New Jersey that uses new ClearPoint technology. This greatly reduces surgical time and allows us to perform DBS on a wider range of patients than ever before. With ClearPoint, patients no longer need to go off their medication for surgery, which is a large problem for people with intense suffering.

If you would like more information on deep brain stimulation or any of the other services that we provide, call North Jersey Brain and Spine Center at 201-324-2550 to schedule an appointment.

Minimally-Invasive Treatments for Ruptured Aneurysms

At North Jersey Brain and Spine Center, we are qualified to conduct procedures such as minimally-invasive treatments. Our board of neurosurgeons are certified with sub-specialty fellowship training in Spine, Neuro-Oncology, skull base surgery, endovascular and functional neurosurgery. When it comes to ruptured aneurysms, a thorough evaluation by a neurosurgeon or an interventional neuroradiologist who specializes in treatment for vascular diseases of the brain is needed immediately. Here at North Jersey Brain and Spine Center, our medical staff is fully trained to assist you with our minimally-invasive treatments for ruptured aneurysms.

A brain aneurysm is often described as a bubble on the blood vessel wall as it expands. It usually starts at a weak point on an arterial blood vessel wall that expands over many years. Because blood is continuously pumped through our bodies, blood going to an aneurysm will cause it to continue to grow until it ruptures. Minimally-invasive treatments for ruptured aneurysms are one of the top procedures to ensure a person will recover. Some symptoms of a ruptured blood vessel include:

• sudden headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• stiff neck
• sensitivity to light
• loss of consciousness
• seizures

Once an aneurysm has ruptured, it requires immediate treatment by a brain aneurysm specialist in an emergency room. Because it has ruptured once, there is a great chance that it will rupture again in the next 24 hours if it is not successfully treated. Because of this, minimally-invasive treatments for ruptured aneurysms are needed to ensure a person's health.

When dealing with ruptured aneurysms, minimally-invasive surgery is a medical procedure that is similar to a cardiac catheterization. It is otherwise known as a cerebral angiogram. This procedure is more sensitive and more accurate than a CAT scan or an MRI of the brain for detecting and evaluating brain aneurysms. This minimally-invasive treatment for ruptured aneurysms is performed by inserting one plastic tube into an the artery that supplied blood to the aneurysm and a second tube placed in the aneurysm. By x-ray guidance, special metallic platinum coils are then moved into the aneurysm until it is filled with coils, which will cause blood to stop flowing within the aneurysm.

Here at North Jersey Brain and Spine Center, we treat approximately 100 ruptured brain aneurysms each year which means we have a lot of experience dealing with patients and their families alike. We are one of the most sophisticated medical centers in the northeast for treating brain aneurysms and other diseases affecting the brain.

For more information on North Jersey Brain and Spine and our minimally-invasive treatments for ruptured aneurysms, call us today at (201) 342-2550.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

For those who fear going under the knife for surgery, there is a procedure called minimally-invasive surgery that uses a small incision instead of a large cut to operate on someone. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is a minimally-invasive surgical technique for tumors or harmful tissues that does not involve any actual cutting. At North Jersey Brain and Spine Center, our medical staff specializes in procedures like this. Our group of board certified neurosurgeons are dedicated to helping you get better by using the best means necessary.

So what is Gamma Knife Radiosurgery? It is a procedure that involves sending a concentrated beam of gamma radiation at a single spot in order to damage a specific type of harmful tissue without harming the tissue around it. Because we do not cut into the brain in the same nature as a craniotomy, this procedure is considered minimally-invasive. A surgery like this is considered highly beneficial for patients and doctors alike who want to achieve the greatest results with the lowest amount of risk.

The best time to use a surgery like this is when fighting neoplasms such as cancers and tumors. This is because radiation therapy is best for treating harmful tissues such as these. The gamma radiation used in Gamma Knife Surgery kills the harmful cells in order to help the surrounding cells grow and prevent the harmful cells from growing back. When tumors are very small and slow to grow, radiation surgery such as this may be very helpful in preventing malignant tumors in the future.

Gamma Knife Surgery is becoming more and more popular with doctors who are treating non-cancerous conditions because of how low of a risk this surgery causes. With full-scale surgeries, there are many aspects that can go wrong which raises the risk level to a very high point. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery provides patients with a safer-than-usual procedure that is proven to aid them in their fight.

Because every situation is different, we want to make sure that Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is the best option for you. At North Jersey Brain and Spine, we offer consultations with our highly skilled neurosurgery professionals so that you completely understand how the procedure will work. We will also go over different options for you just in case you have a different method in mind.

For more information on North Jersey Brain and Spine or our Gamma Knife Surgery, call us today at (201) 342- 3550.

Different Types of Brain Tumors

Getting diagnosed with a brain tumor is a serious and frightening things. You need to get the best possible help quickly. North Jersey Brain and Spine Center has skilled brain specialist neurosurgeons with decades of experience in the management of brain tumors. We use all of the most current methods and technology when it comes to brain tumor removal.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is the largest group practice of neurosurgeons in New Jersey.
Our main facility is located in the center of Bergen County and used for physical therapy and rehabilitation services. It contains 15,000 sq ft of space and ample parking.

We have access to four major area hospitals for surgery and other procedures. There are five common types of benign and malignant brain tumors:

• Acoustic neuromas
• Astrocytomas
• Glioblastoma multiforme
• Meningiomas
• Pituitary tumors

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is the first location on the East Coast to us ClearPoint technology for deep brain stimulation surgery. This makes difficult surgeries quicker and more comfortable for patients. It also makes certain procedures available to patients where surgery was previously not an option.

North Jersey Brain and Spine Center provides the personal care and attention to any patient suffering from brain tumors. If you would like to schedule an appointment, call us at 201-342-2550.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

It is understandable that some people fear spinal medical procedures. Being operated on is not something most people wish for in their lives. For this reason, North Jersey Brain & Spine Center offers Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS). This is a procedure which is done using a smaller than average incision that will not harm healthy tissue. It is just as effective is a normal procedure but it is much safer.

North Jersey Brain & Spine Center is dedicated to the deliverance of compassionate and technologically sophisticated care for our patients. Formally known as Comprehensive Neurosurgical PC, our group is made up of board-certified neurosurgeons with sub-specialty training in Spine, Neuro-Oncology, Skull base surgery, Endovascular and Functional Neurosurgery. With physical therapy and rehabilitation services integrated into the treatment of spinal disorders, our goal is to make sure our patients are back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Our medical professionals truly understand the complexity of spinal anatomy. They have the unique position of being able to advise patients about the benefits of all treatments, specifically Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery. They are certified to inject patients with local aesthetics and cortisone related anti-inflammatory medications to reduce your spinal pain. There are many “pain management physicians” available around the area but few are as skilled and experienced as North Jersey Brain & Spine Center's medical professionals.

For more information on Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery or to schedule an appointment, call us today at (201) 342-2550.

Movement Disorders in Bergen County NJ

Living with a movement disorder can be a painful and difficult thing. The North Jersey Brain and Spine Center is a rehab and physical therapy facility that strives to help people get through their brain and spinal injuries as well as other types of movement disorders in NJ.We have a spacious facility with ample parking located right in the center of the Bergen County staffed with highly skilled and experienced doctors.

Many people are now suffering from Parkinson's disease and various other movement disorders in NJ. North Jersey Brain and Spine Center incorporates all of the latest methods and technologies for our treatment. In surgery, we use modern  deep brain stimulation methods that allow our patients to sleep through the process. This allows for quicker and more comfortable surgeries than ever before.

North Bergen Brain and Spine Center has access to four local hospitals, including:

• Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack
• Valley Hospital, Ridgewood
• Englewood Hospital, Englewood
• Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck

If you are in need of more information on movement disorders in NJ, call 201-342-2550 to schedule and appointment.