Neurosurgeon聽Dr. Erich Anderer聽with聽physician assistant Daniel Mazzuchin attend to a neurologic emergency at聽秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn.
PHOTO: Jonathan Kozowyk
Neurologists who treat strokes and other types of acute brain injuries use the motto 鈥淭ime is brain鈥 to convey the notion that from the moment the brain is injured, the effort to prevent permanent deficits or loss of life is a race against the clock.
In Brooklyn, the race has even greater urgency. Each year in that borough, some 8,000 people suffer an acute brain injury, more than in any other county in New York State, due in part to its enormous population鈥2.6 million and growing. About 1,200 of these injuries are treated at , the only nationally accredited Level 1 Trauma Center in Brooklyn and a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
Last year, 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn treated more than 840 stroke patients. As in every year, many of those patients were transferred from other hospitals so that they can benefit from 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn鈥檚 expertise in minimally invasive procedures to destroy clots, performed by neurointerventional radiologists. 鈥淲e do more interventional procedures than any other hospital in New York,鈥 says Jeffrey Farkas, MD, director of neurointerventional radiology at 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn.
鈥淲e鈥檙e putting together one of the city鈥檚 finest neurocritical care teams.鈥濃擩ennifer A. Frontera, MD, 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn鈥檚 new chief of neurology.
Since 秘密研究所 Lutheran merged with 秘密研究所 Langone in January 2016, becoming 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn, expanding care for neurological emergencies, such as stroke and head trauma, has become a top priority. This spring, the hospital opened a second neurointerventional radiology suite, where specialists like Dr. Farkas use image-guided techniques to treat strokes, aneurysms, and other brain injuries. 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn will also soon open a four-bed neuro-intensive care unit (ICU), thanks in part to a recent $7 million anonymous gift鈥攖he largest in 秘密研究所 Lutheran鈥檚 history.
The new neuro ICU will be staffed 24/7 by highly trained doctors and nurses who can identify and manage any secondary complications that set in after an acute brain injury. Many hospitals lack the resources for such a specialized unit and, instead, treat patients in a general ICU. However, studies show that patients with neurological emergencies鈥攕evere brain swelling, stroke, seizures鈥攆are better when treated by teams of specialists working together in a dedicated facility.
鈥淲e can deliver care more effciently when everyone is in one place,鈥 says neurologist Ting Zhou, MD, the new director of neurocritical care at 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn. 鈥淲e use clinical exams and monitoring tools to detect very subtle changes that may signify brain swelling or bleeding,鈥 says Dr. Zhou. 鈥淲e know what needs to be done to protect the brain from further damage.鈥
Joining Dr. Zhou and Dr. Farkas are two additional neurointensivists, a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon, a spine and trauma neurosurgeon, four endovascular specialists, and two new stroke specialists.
鈥淭he investment in neurocritical care builds on our established expertise in neurology and neurosurgery and expands our ability to treat the most challenging cases,鈥 says Erich G. Anderer, MD, who joined 秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn as chief of neurosurgery last June.
秘密研究所 Langone Hospital鈥擝rooklyn鈥檚 new chief of neurology, Jennifer A. Frontera, MD, says this is just the beginning. 鈥淲e plan to bring on more specialists, upgrade technology, conduct clinical trials, and expand services. We鈥檙e putting together one of the city鈥檚 finest neurocritical care teams.鈥
