Neurosurgeons at St. Vincent Medical Center (SVMC) are internationally recognized for their expertise in treatment of skull base tumors. They perform complex operatinos in the dedicated Doheny operating suites and see their patients in the dedicated Doheny intensive care unit (ICU).
House Neurosurgical Associates, with offices across from the medical center, have made St. Vincent Medical Center the largest center in the United States for surgical treatment of acoustic neuroma and for auditory brainstem implantation. They are internationally recognized for treatment of neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) tumors.
Skull base lesions include deep-seated tumors requiring multidisciplinary (ENT and neurosurgery) treatment.
Skull base approaches often require extensive removal of bone to reach lesions at geographic center of the brain, e.g.
- drilling through the bones of the ear to reach tumors at the side of the brainstem,
- removing the bones of the cheek and orbit to access aneurysms or tumors behind the eye
- removing the bones of the upper cervical spine and base of skull to reach lesions in front of the bottom of the brainstem
- reaching the front of the base of the brain through the roof of the mouth and palate
House Neurosurgical Associates neurosurgeons are pioneering the use of minimally invasive alternatives to traditional skull base approaches, such as using a surgical endoscope to remove tumors through the nose.
Common tumors in this location include acoustic neuroma, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, chordoma, chondrosarcoma and glomus tumor. Other common lesions include aneurysm, cavernous malformation, arteriovenous malformation of the brain
Neurosurgeons with House Neurosurgical Associates are widely published on treatment of acoustic neuroma, other skull base tumors, vascular malformations, and disorders of the neck and spine. They are often called on as physicians of last resort for large and complex tumors.
They also provide comprehensive neurosurgical services, including treatment of:
- Vascular disease, including cerebral aneurysms and AVM
- Primary and metastatic tumors of the brain, and spine
- Endoscopic skull base and pituitary surgery
- Trigeminal neuralgia and other cranial nerve and pain disorders
- Stroke and carotid artery stenosis
- Cervical spondylosis and occipito-cervical disorders, including Chiari Malformation
- Spinal fusion for advanced degenerative disease and tumors
- Radiosurgery