Neurosurgery
Proud Tradition of Surgical Care in the Capital Region
Our neurosurgery team leads the way in diagnostic and surgical treatments for central and peripheral nervous system diseases. As part of an academic health system, we treat patients with the latest advances in neurosurgery, in advanced, state-of-the-art operating rooms. We see patients at clinics in Albany, Glens Falls, and Greenwich, with surgery performed at Albany Medical Center and Glens Falls Hospital.
Our team has expertise in:
- Brain tumors
- Cerebrovascular surgery
- Endovascular surgery
- Epilepsy surgery
- Functional neurosurgery
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Radiosurgery
- Skull base surgery
- Spine Surgery
All providers and locations in the System can be found in the Get Care section of this page.
- Acoustic neuromas and schwannomas
- Aneurysms
- Arteriovenous malformation
- Artificial disc replacement
- Brain injury
- Brain metastases
- Cervical spondylosis
- Epilepsy
- Gliomas and glioblastomas
- Hydrocephalus
- Lumbar spondylosis
- Meningiomas
- Movement disorders
- Parkinson's disease
- Pituitary tumors
- Spina bifida
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal disorders
- Spinal tumors
- Stroke
- Thoracic spondylosis
Albany Medical Center
Our pediatric and adult spina bifida clinics provide convenient medical care to patients with spina bifida through all stages of life. Our specialists take a team approach to each patient’s care so that they experience a smooth transition from pediatrics to adulthood.
Our clinic is designed to address patients' complex medical needs through a coordinated approach, including clinical providers from neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, urology, gastroenterology and physical medicine and rehabilitation who see patients in one visit on the second Friday of each month.
It is one of few such transitional clinics in the country, and the only one in the Capital Region.
To make an appointment, call 518-262-5401 (pediatrics) or 518-262-5088 (adults).
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain's ventricles, or cavities. The extra CSF is made in the ventricles and cushions the brain and spinal cord and causes the ventricles to be larger than usual and put pressure on normal brain structures. Normal pressure hydrocephalus can occur in people of any age, but it is most common in those over 60.
Although NPH usually cannot be cured, it can be treated very successfully. Treatment for NPH involves surgical placement of a a shunt, into the brain’s ventricles to drain excess CSF into the abdomen where it can be absorbed as part of the normal abdominal fluid. A shunt is a very common surgical procedure performed by a neurosurgeon and is a permanent internal catheter that runs under the skin from the head to the abdomen. A valve is typically put into the shunt system that can be adjusted and control the amount of CSF that is drained.
Cranial Base Surgery
Our neurosurgeons and ENT surgeons treat patients who require pituitary and minimally invasive cranial base surgery. The advanced endoscopic endonasal techniques used to treat skull base tumors provide a faster recovery time and a shorter hospital stay compared to traditional surgery.
Endoscopic endonasal surgery includes the use of small telescopes guided through the nose. This means we are able to resect tumors within the nasal cavity, skull base, and brain. This approach prevents large facial scars, craniotomy, and brain retraction. Also, damage to normal tissue is significantly reduced allowing for a faster recovery time.
Endovascular Neurosurgery
Endovascular neurosurgery is a subspecialty of neurosurgery that involves the use of catheters (thin tubes) and radiological imaging for the minimally invasive treatment of diseases of the central nervous system, such as stroke and brain aneurysms. This results in less post-operative pain and faster recovery.
Functional Neurosurgery
Functional neurosurgery is the surgical treatment of chronic conditions or disorders that affect a person’s daily function and abilities, such as movement disorders and post-operative, chronic, or cancer pain. Procedures can include deep brain stimulation for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, epilepsy, and other disorders; spinal cord stimulation; peripheral nerve stimulation; and open cranial and spinal surgeries for pain.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers a highly concentrated dose of radiation to a precise target using sophisticated 3-D images. Despite having “surgery” in its name, SRS is not surgery in the conventional sense, rather a special kind of radiation treatment. There is no incision involved, general anesthesia is not required, and patients can go home after the treatment.
SRS is used to treat patients with a range of conditions that include brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations. It is often an option for patients with tumors that are inaccessible or for whom tradition surgery is not possible. SRS can also be used along with other treatments for a recurring or malignant tumors.
At Albany Medical Center, stereotactic radiosurgery is performed using a linear accelerator (LINAC), which customizes high energy X-rays to conform to a tumor’s shape and destroy cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal tissue.
