Orlando Health and UF health partner to expand neurosurgery program

Orlando Health and the University of Florida department of neurosurgery have partnered to expand the neurosurgery program at Orlando Health with the opening of a specialized practice, UF Health Neurosurgery — Orlando Health. The practice is the first of its kind between Orlando Health and the internationally renowned UF Health program. Located on Orlando Health's downtown campus the practice is an extension of a partnership formed in 2010 to make health care more accessible to millions of patients over a 20-county region.

The five-member practice includes neurosurgeons with diverse backgrounds and several subspecialties to diagnose and treat conditions, such as stroke and other cerebrovascular disease, epilepsy, spine and spinal cord conditions, brain tumors, movement disorders, hemifacial spasm, and cervical and lumbar herniated disc problems.

One of the areas the department specializes in is the diagnosis and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic pain condition that impacts the nerve that carries sensation from the face to the brain. This condition can be difficult to identify and manage. Specialists in the department also have joined the hospital's community physician partners in providing neurosurgery trauma call for Orlando Regional Medical Center's Level One Trauma Center — an essential component of providing care for critically injured patients in the community.

"The UF Health neurosurgical practice will bring new subspecialties to our community, improve access to neurosurgical expertise, and enhance neurosurgical services we currently offer including comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for stroke patients," said Carlos Carrasco, chief operating officer, ORMC. "The physicians will also work closely with the neurosurgeons at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children to collaborate in pediatric neurosurgery as well."

The practice brings to Central Florida the university's commitment to its three-part mission of excellence in patient care, research and education.

"Our team of highly subspecialized neurosurgeons performs more than 4,000 cases per year, treating complex diseases of the brain and spine," said UF neurosurgeon William A. Friedman, MD, chairman of neurosurgery and the director of the Preston Wells Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. "We work to advance neurosurgical care through conducting clinical research, providing advanced surgical teaching and developing innovative surgical techniques. For example the patented UF radiosurgery system, developed in 1987, is in use at hundreds of hospitals all over the world."

Specialists at the practice will offer many advanced surgical options, including neurovascular surgery, endovascular surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, adult spine deformity surgery, epilepsy surgery and deep brain stimulation therapy.
Friedman, who specializes in trigeminal neuralgia, stereotactic surgery and neuro-oncology, leads the practice. Additional neurosurgeons include Bridger Cox, German Montoya and Perry Dhaliwal. Samuel Tsappidi, an interventional neurologist, is also a member of the practice.

In addition to the members of the practice at Orlando Health, physicians from the Gainesville-based faculty will also provide medical care to the patients of Central Florida.

Source: Orlando Health