Advanced Care for Brain and Spine

Brain tumors. Strokes. Aneurysms. Some surprises are terrifying. As the region’s neuroscience leader, Lehigh Valley Health Network is ready with the latest breakthroughs for the toughest cases.

Lehigh Valley Health Network offers the most advanced brain and spine care. The state-of-the-art Neuroscience Center combines neurology and neurosurgery under one roof. Here, you will be cared for by specialists who received their medical training at world-renowned hospitals and universities. They are skilled in using the latest technology and techniques, and in caring for the most complex neurological conditions using medical and surgical approaches.

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery, also called neurological surgery, is the medical specialty that diagnoses and treats injuries and diseases of the brain, spine and peripheral nerves. Doctors who practice in this specialty are called neurosurgeons. A neurosurgeon may provide either surgical or non-surgical care depending on the nature of the injury or condition.

Common neurosurgical conditions include: back and neck pain, spine tumors, brain tumors, brain injury, cerebral aneurysms, cerebral arteriovenous malformations, balance problems, and stroke.

Neurology

Neurology is the medical specialty that diagnoses, treats and manages disorders of the brain and nervous system. Doctors who practice in this specialty are called neurologists. Treatment can help patients with neurological disorders maintain the best possible quality of life. Neurologists can recommend surgical treatment, but do not perform surgery. Neurosurgeons are medical doctors who specialize in performing surgical treatments of the brain or nervous system.

Common neurological conditions include: stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, headache, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, pain, tremor, peripheral nervous disorders and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Some of the health network’s most advanced neuroscience programs include:

Advanced Neurovascular Treatment
We diagnose and treat brain conditions such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), and strokes. We use state-of-the-art treatments to save your life and preserve your neurological functions.

Primary Stroke Center
Our Stroke Center was the first in the region to be certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center. We treat the most stroke patients in the region using an aggressive, systematic approach to stroke care with the Stroke Alert program, which is activated by EMS bringing incoming patients with stroke brain emergencies. This rapid triage process allows early diagnostic testing and accesses both emergency medicine and neuro specialist physicians to promptly evaluate and begin treatment.

Neuro-oncology Program
Our collaborative and compassionate team will design the best treatment plan for your brain or spinal tumor. Each patient’s diagnosis and treatment plan is reviewed by a team of medical specialists that includes physicians from neurosurgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, neuroradiology and neuropathology. Our team is dedicated to improving both survival and quality of life for people who are diagnosed with central nervous system cancers.

Spine Program
Our neurosurgeons are experts at diagnosing and treating complex spine conditions. We are at the forefront of minimally invasive spinal surgery and disc replacement surgery, and use the most advanced devices for complex spinal fusion surgery. We are involved in leading-edge clinical research, ensuring you have access to the latest treatments available.

Level I Trauma Center with 24-hour Neurosurgery Coverage
Rapid, expert care is the key to surviving a brain injury. That’s why Lehigh Valley Health Network employs the kind of experienced medical staff not available at most medical centers. We are a Level I Trauma Center with 24-hour neurosurgery coverage, staffed by a team specially educated to provide rapid response to even the most severe cases of traumatic brain injury.

Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit
In the region’s only neuroscience intensive care unit, you’ll find dedicated medical professionals who have experience caring for patients with brain tumors, neurodegenerative diseases and spine injuries, as well as patients recovering from spine surgeries. Our team of physicians and nurses has extensive training and experience in neurology and critical care – setting us apart from other hospitals. Physicians and nurses are assisted by specialists including neurosurgeons, epileptologists (neurologists who specialize in epilepsy) and surgical neuroradiologists.

Neurosciences and Pain Research
Neurosciences and Pain Research at Lehigh Valley Health Network is dedicated to clinical research in the field of neurology and pain with expertise in stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, movement disorders and neuropathic pain. Our mission is to provide our community with new knowledge and treatments, through research, in the field of neurology and pain management while maintaining standards of quality and efficiency.

Neuropathology and Neuropsychiatry Expertise
Lehigh Valley Health Network is home to northeastern Pennsylvania’s only neuropathologist. He is an expert in identifying the pathology of brain tumors and neurological nerve disorders. Through his evaluation and consultation with the neurosurgical team, physicians determine the right course of treatment for you or your loved one. Our neuropsychiatrist is an expert in how disorders affecting the brain can alter personality, mood and other behaviors. The goal is to improve quality of life when neurological conditions and psychiatry meet. Our neuropathologist and neuropsychiatrist are an important part of our team.

At this point you may be wondering about the differences between neurology and neurosurgery. Here’s some information to help you understand each distinct medical specialty.