Advancing Care for Brain and Spine Conditions
Scripps treats a wide range of neurological conditions
Christopher Uchiyama, MD, director and head of neurological surgery, Scripps Clinic
Scripps treats a wide range of neurological conditions
A century ago, understanding the workings of the brain was elusive and neurological conditions were a mystery waiting to be solved. Today, Scripps neurologists and neurosurgeons are unlocking the complexities of the brain and leading the way with the latest developments.
Scripps neurologists and neurosurgeons diagnose, treat and help prevent a comprehensive range of conditions, from strokes and traumatic brain injuries to complex neurodegenerative diseases to common conditions, such as migraines. Using some of the most advanced technology and research, Scripps provides expert, personalized care to every patient.
“Neurosciences and neurosurgery are broad categories,” says Christopher Uchiyama, MD, a neurosurgeon and director and head of neurological surgery at Scripps Clinic. “Among the many things we do is provide neurosurgical spine care, which includes treating degenerative diseases and tumors that affect the spine. We also care for people with malignant and benign brain and pituitary tumors and have a multidisciplinary group that treats movement disorders.”
New approaches to treating skull-based tumors and movement disorders are fueling an expansion of neurosciences services. For many years, Scripps neurosurgeons have been collaborating with other specialists in the Scripps system to perform stereotactic radiosurgery and cerebrovascular care, as well as minimally invasive and other complex brain and spine procedures. Scripps has recruited Jeremy Ciporen, MD, a neurosurgeon an expert in cranial base surgery and endoscopic cranial surgery at Scripps Clinic, and Tresa McGranahan, MD, a neuro-oncologist at Scripps Clinic.
Scripps is also making waves when it comes to brain mapping for increased surgical precision.
“Brain mapping allows us to track the pathways in the brain in relation to a tumor or vascular malformation and allows surgical planning to avoid structures at risk for being damaged,” says Dr. Uchiyama.
San Diego’s source for stroke care
Scripps is San Diego’s leader in stroke prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. In 2012, Scripps’ dedication to leading-edge stroke care was recognized on a national scale; Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla was designated one of the first Comprehensive Stroke Centers in the United States. That recognition continues today. This year was the sixth consecutive year that all five Scripps Health hospital campuses earned the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for delivering high-quality, lifesaving stroke care.
Renewed hope for Parkinson’s patients
Though there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, some Scripps patients are finding relief. In 2007, the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at Scripps Clinic opened, giving patients access to expert physicians and leading-edge treatments, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS), which involves implanting an electrical device in the brain to help control Parkinson’s disease symptoms. In recent years, DBS devices have become more sophisticated. Some are even able to be programmed remotely, making care more convenient for patients who live far from their physician’s offices or have mobility issues.
Scripps doctors are also helping to develop promising new treatments for Parkinson’s disease. In 2023, Scripps initiated a study on implanting patient-specific (autologous) dopaminergic stem cell-derived cells into Parkinson’s patients and is now one of five sites continuing the trial.
“We take a skin cell from a biopsy of a patient and devolve those fibroblasts into pluripotent stem cells, which could turn into anything, such as a kidney or a heart. We then convert those into brain dopaminergic brain cells,” says Melissa Houser, MD, director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at Scripps Clinic. “What we’re really doing is putting new baby neurons in the brain that produce dopamine, the critical neurotransmitter that controls movement.”
Implantable innovation
Scripps has an unwavering commitment to innovation in care. Implanted spinal cord stimulators use sophisticated software programs to treat chronic pain, drug pumps can deliver anti-spasmodic agents to patients with advanced multiple sclerosis and deep brain stimulation devices can help control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. This combined with advances in imaging and computer-guided navigation have made brain and spinal surgeries safer and less invasive, with less time in the hospital than ever before.
“As the years progress, the technology evolves,” says Dr. Uchiyama. “Among the biggest changes are advances in technology to make surgery in the brain and spine more precise.”
Leaders in clinical research
Every promising new drug or medical device begins in a research program and what researchers learn from these clinical studies helps advance care around the world.
Research has been a top priority for Scripps, and Scripps physicians have contributed to several groundbreaking studies. Frank Coufal, MD, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon in complex spinal surgery and brain tumors, supplemented his clinical practice with research on a variety of conditions. He was instrumental in establishing Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla as the first US site to participate in the international RESCUEicp study of decompressive hemicraniectomy for severe traumatic brain injury. In 2007, he became the first neurosurgeon in San Diego to place a novel artificial cervical disc implant in a patient.
“That’s the culture of Scripps — innovation is the name of the game,” he says. “We’ve seen amazing technological shifts during the last 25 years. Adapting to technological advances and changes is critical and our physicians treating neurologic conditions within the Scripps system have that same attitude and outlook.”
This content appeared in San Diego Health, a publication in partnership between Scripps and San Diego Magazine that celebrates the healthy spirit of San Diego.