With many surgical and non-surgical options to choose from, Einstein neurosurgeons work to develop the most appropriate treatment plans for all our patients. The skilled physicians in the Division of Neurosurgery use advanced technologies and procedures safely and effectively. Click a link below to learn more.

Carotid Endarterectomy

Clipping

Craniotomy

Embolization

Endovascular Coiling

Frameless Stereotaxy

Intravascular Thrombolytic Therapy

Radiosurgery

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Carotid endarterectomy removes plaque from the carotid artery in the neck when this vessel is seriously narrowed. For certain patients with minor strokes, carotid endarterectomy is highly beneficial in preventing future strokes.

Clipping is a treatment for aneurysms, bulges in the wall of blood vessels in the brain. Neurosurgeons place a metal clip at the base of an aneurysm to keep blood from filling it up. Doing so eliminates the risk of rupture.

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Craniotomy is the surgical removal of a section of bone (a bone flap) from the skull so that a surgeon can operate on the brain. The bone flap is replaced at the end of the procedure. If the bone flap is not replaced, the procedure is called a craniectomy. Neurosurgeons may perform craniotomies when treating trauma, tumors, aneurysms and other brain problems.

Embolization is a treatment for arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). In this procedure, a neurosurgeon places a long, thin flexible tube into a blood vessel in the leg. This tube (catheter) is then advanced through blood vessels to reach the AVM. Once the catheter is in place, a glue-like material is injected into the abnormal vessel, cutting off the blood flow to the AVM.

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Endovascular coiling consists of filling an aneurysm with platinum coils to close off the blood supply to the bulging area of the blood vessel. Neurosurgeons place tiny catheters into the blood vessel with the aneurysm and deliver the coils through the catheter. The coils act as packing, keeping blood from filling the aneurysm and eliminating the danger of rupture.

Frameless Stereotaxy is an image guidance tool used during surgery. Neurosurgeons use sophisticated computer technology and geometric principles to pinpoint the exact location of a tumor, arteriovenous malformation or other problem in the brain. Combining computer software with 3-D images of the brain on a computer monitor, a surgeon can see exactly where brain structures and his small operating instruments are. This technique has made operations safer for patients as well as ensuring more precise and complete removal of tumors. A frame or halo is usually attached to patients’ heads to keep them steady during surgery, but not with frameless stereotaxy.

Intravascular thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up blood clots in the brain.

Radiosurgery, used in conjunction with stereotaxy, focuses a beam of intense radiation on a small area within the brain. This destroys diseased areas while minimizing the amount of damage to normal brain tissue nearby. Radiation can be used to treat a variety of conditions affecting the nervous system including benign and malignant tumors, arteriovenous malformations and trigeminal neuralgia. There are a variety of “brands” of radiosurgery including Gamma Knife, Cyberknife, Linac Scalpel and X-Knife. Albert Einstein Medical Center uses the X-Knife™ linear accelerator-based radiosurgery system. This system is the most popular radiosurgery system in the world and is unsurpassed in its ability to deliver state-of-the-art radiosurgery treatments in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner.