I Am Looking for a Neurosurgeon

Our neurosurgeons use the least invasive approach possible to remove operable tumors of the brain and spinal cord—even operating through the nostrils (endoscopic brain surgery) for some patients with pituitary tumors and other skull-based tumors, or through a narrow tube inserted through the skull for tumors deep within the brain. They are equally skilled at performing craniotomy (open surgery) in patients who are not candidates for minimally invasive brain surgery.

In all cases, surgeons use advanced brain mapping technologies to pinpoint the location of tumors and guide surgery precisely, employing techniques such as:

  • Virtual reality imaging (“surgical theater”). Our hospital became the first in New Jersey to integrate a virtual reality medical visualization platform into the care of patients who will be having neurosurgery. Patients’ medical images (such as MRI and CT scans) are uploaded to the surgical system so the surgeon can “run through” the operation wearing a special virtual reality headset. This approach enables our surgeons to prepare for an operation in advance of any incisions being made, providing information on what to expect when the actual procedure takes place. Wearing the headset while speaking with the doctor, a patient and family can also visualize and better comprehend a brain tumor and the corresponding treatment plan.
  • Awake craniotomy. Because the brain feels no pain, some patients are able to be awake during their procedure and respond to questions and tasks posed by the surgeon during the operation. This interaction provides the surgeon with information he or she can use to know which tissue to remove and which to leave in place.
  • Cortical mapping. Electrical stimulation of certain parts of the brain is performed to determine the function of specific brain regions.

Some patients who have had neurosurgery are admitted to our Neurocritical Care Unit, which provides specialized intensive care and is staffed by a team of professionals with advanced training in the care of patients with serious neurologic disorders and those who have had neurosurgery.