Neurosurgery Procedures

Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s Neurosurgery services includes five dedicated neurosurgery operating rooms equipped to perform neurological surgical procedures, including multiple trauma. The hospital’s 20-bed neuro-intensive care unit (NICU) is one of the largest and most sophisticated in the United States, ensuring that after all neurosurgery procedures, patients are cared for by specialized physicians, nurses and staff.

Neurosurgeons work in an interdisciplinary environment that brings together Barnes-Jewish & Washington University Neuroscience Center neurologists, neuroradiologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and a dedicated neuroanesthesia team. The Neurosurgery department has neurosurgeons that treat a full range of neurological disorders in the areas of:

• Cerebrovascular - aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and stroke
• Neuro-oncology (brain tumors)
• Spinal neurosurgery
• Functional and epilepsy neurosurgery
• General neurosurgery
• Trigeminal neuralgia and nerve compression syndromes
• Peripheral nerve injury

Neuroscience Center neurosurgeons have access to the latest technology for all neurological surgical procedures. Among them are intraoperative MRI, the Gamma Knife and the Monteris AutoLITT MRI-guided laser probe.

Neurosurgery procedures available for the following conditions:

• Aneurysms
• Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)
• Brain tumors
• Carotid artery blockage/stenosis
• Cavitron, an ultrasonic surgical aspirator that disintegrates and aspirates brain tumors
• Cerebrovascular surgery
• Cortical mapping, which shows the neurosurgeon where essential functions are located in the brain, so the surgeon will avoid cutting through these areas; identifies the area of the brain causing seizures
• Epilepsy
• Functional neurosurgery
• Inoperable brain tumors high intensity laser probe
• Intraoperative angiography, or the use of blood vessel x-rays during neurosurgery to enhance outcomes for aneurysms or arteriovenous malformation surgery
• Minimally invasive surgery
• Parkinson’s Disease and tremors
• Peripheral nerve surgery
• Pituitary tumors
• Radiosurgery
• Skull base surgery
• Spine Surgery
• Stereotactic neurosurgery, which is computer-assisted guidance that allows the placement of biopsy tools or electrodes deep in the brain
• Surgical implantation of deep brain stimulators to treat Parkinson Disease and certain types of tremors
• Surgical navigation, or use of computers to plan precise approaches to areas of the brain during surgery
• Trauma surgery
• Trigeminal Neuralgia

We’ve also performed the world's first magnetic surgery, known as the Magnetic Surgery System (MSS), a safer way of manipulating surgical tools within the brain. This neurosurgical technique is used for finding and removing brain tumors, while keeping nearby structures and tissues unharmed.

For a referral to a Washington University neurosurgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, call 855.925.0631.