Archive for neurosurgery
Like father, like daughter: Finding care for cavernous malformations
After Charlotte Miller underwent neurosurgery, her parents, Daniel and Eliza were a little nervous to tell her that part of her head had been shaved. But the spunky 5-year-old wasn’t fazed. Instead, she pointed to her father’s head and laughed, “Now I’m going bald like you, Daddy!” A sense of humor isn’t all Charlotte and ... Read More about Like father, like daughter: Finding care for cavernous malformations
Surgery for Chiari malformation: “I was just happy to have an answer”
Abby Buckley loves being active, whether that means hiking, cycling, or playing sports like javelin, shotput, and discus. But in eighth grade, a bad concussion sidelined her — and led to an unexpected diagnosis. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed that she didn’t just have a concussion. She also had a Chiari malformation, a ... Read More about Surgery for Chiari malformation: “I was just happy to have an answer”
Austin’s story: Raising awareness after treatment for pediatric stroke
In May, 11-year-old Austin Rizzo led the pack in a two-mile road race of his own creation. But the race, named the Banana Split 2-Miler after his favorite fruit, was more than just a fun way to pass time — it was aimed at raising money to support research into pediatric stroke. It’s a topic ... Read More about Austin’s story: Raising awareness after treatment for pediatric stroke
New technique designed specifically for children gives surgeons another moyamoya treatment option
Moyamoya is rare blood vessel condition that is a major cause of pediatric stroke. Surgical revascularization can be very effective; however, anterior cerebral territory ischemia can occur after treatment, particularly in children with delayed disease progression. The current surgical treatments for anterior cerebral territory ischemia in pediatric patients are challenging: Complex, high-risk procedures haven’t been ... Read More about New technique designed specifically for children gives surgeons another moyamoya treatment option
Another shot for Conner: Getting back in the game after brain surgery
Watch Conner Hicks coach basketball at Midlakes Middle School in Clifton Springs, New York, and you’ll see a young man with a passion for the game. Talk to the players on his team and you’ll hear about a dedicated and enthusiastic role model. What you probably won’t notice is the 19-year-old’s fight with a brain ... Read More about Another shot for Conner: Getting back in the game after brain surgery
Groundbreaking research identifies noninvasive biomarker for moyamoya in children
Moyamoya is a rare blood vessel condition that has an outsized impact on children, as it is responsible for about 6 percent of pediatric strokes in the United States. Surgical revascularization is the only treatment and is very effective. However, clinicians face challenges in identifying new or worsening disease before a disabling stroke occurs, predicting ... Read More about Groundbreaking research identifies noninvasive biomarker for moyamoya in children
Pinpointing Karlijn’s seizures: Neurosurgery helps teen get back to her life
Karlijn Kuiper was visiting her home country of the Netherlands a few years ago when the trouble began. At first, her family noticed she would zone out. “She had these strange spells where she would just stare,” remembers her mother, Marieke. At first, it didn’t occur to Karlijn’s family that they could be seizures. Like ... Read More about Pinpointing Karlijn’s seizures: Neurosurgery helps teen get back to her life
Freak accident leads to Dylan’s passion for neurosurgery
It was the summer of 2019. Dylan Keusch had just graduated from prep school and was planning to major in Industrial Labor Relations at Cornell University in the fall. His life felt pretty perfect. “Everything was going great — I was a national club team swimmer at the peak of my career, I was headed ... Read More about Freak accident leads to Dylan’s passion for neurosurgery
Maisie’s story: Our journey with Apert syndrome
Our daughter Maisie is 4 years old. She loves riding her bike, baking, jumping on the trampoline, and keeping up with her older sister, Eliza. She’s also especially skilled at peeling hard boiled eggs. We learned prenatally at 18 weeks that something was going on with Maisie’s development. My doctors suspected craniosynostosis, a condition where the ... Read More about Maisie’s story: Our journey with Apert syndrome
Minimally invasive surgery safe and effective for craniosynostosis
Traditional treatment for children with craniosynostosis — a condition in which the bones of the skull grow together too early in the child’s development — usually involves an extensive open craniectomy surgery with a incision to release the fused bones. But a study from physicians in the Cleft and Craniofacial Center at Boston Children’s Hospital ... Read More about Minimally invasive surgery safe and effective for craniosynostosis