From Emergency to Ordinary
A young child who’s not wearing a helmet runs a four-wheeler into a tree and is rushed to the local hospital. At the same time, a patient arrives in the Emergency Department with a broken neck caused by a motorcycle accident. Later that day, a cancer patient comes in with fluid buildup in the brain, and another patient arrives with bleeding in the brain. Sounds just like the TV drama “ER,” doesn’t it?

Believe it or not, it’s a recent scene at Marietta Memorial Hospital. What’s so amazing about it? The patients were treated here. How is this possible? Because of the neurosurgical services offered at Marietta Memorial Hospital.

Oftentimes, care begins in the Emergency Department, but the hospital’s full continuum of care enables patients to be treated locally instead of being shipped out of town.

Neurosurgical Care at MMH
Marietta Memorial Hospital offers neurosurgical services including vertebroplasty. This surgery is used to relieve chronic back pain associated with spinal compression fractures, usually caused by the progressive bone loss of osteoporosis or malignant vertebral fractures.

Neurosurgery is the branch of medicine that provides operative and medical management of disorders that affect the central and peripheral nervous systems, including their supportive structures and vascular supply.

Vertebroplasty is a procedure designed to treat local pain originating from a compression fracture involving a vertebral body of the spine. Plasty means molding or surgically forming.

This outpatient procedure is performed using X-ray guidance to accurately place a medical-grade cement into a partially compressed vertebral body. This cement-like material is injected in liquid form through a needle placed through the skin and into the vertebral body after local anesthesia is applied to the skin and bone. “It has been very successful in relieving pain associated with vertebral collapse in appropriately selected patients,” says Dr. Rammy Gold, a neurosurgeon at MMH. “In most cases, the pain relief is significant and often immediate.”

Continued Neurosurgical Expansion
The work of Dr. Gold and other neurosurgeons applies to more than just the back. In conjunction with Dr. Gold, Dr. Ghodsi and Dr. Khosrovi, Marietta Memorial Hospital provides a wide range of neurosurgical care for patients with brain and spinal disorders. From diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation, a team of experienced neurosurgeons and other medical specialists combine their talents to provide patients with the highest-quality care.

Surgeries Banish Back Pain
About three-fourths of all people experience back pain at some point in their lives. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses.

Low back and neck pain are very common and have numerous causes, including compressed nerves, ruptured disks, back strain, injured muscles, joints, ligaments or bones, degenerative diseases and changes in the shape of the spine. Other causes include osteoporosis, arthritis, scoliosis, repetitive motion, obesity, injury and stress.

While many problems can be resolved without surgery, sometimes surgery is necessary. In these cases, the disk may be removed or part of the spine may be fused, sometimes with the use of medical devices such as rods, plates or screws.

Diagnosis
We provide advanced procedures to assist in the diagnosis of disorders, including:

• CT– Provides pictures of the brain and spine
• MRI– Provides clear pictures using a magnetic field
• MRA– Reveals circulatory images
• EEG– Records activity of the brain
• EMG– Records nerve activity from the brain to the arms and legs

Treatment & Follow Up
When surgery is necessary, MMH neurosurgeons perform procedures involving the brain and spine, including:

• Craniotomy
• Vetebroplasty
• Laminectomy
• Cervical plating
• Cervical resection

Inpatient & Outpatient Rehabilitation Programs

• Nutritional Counseling
• Stroke Support Group
• Driver’s Program
• Wheelers Support Group
• Rehabilitation & Support

Education

• Community Stroke Screenings
• Physician Education Programs