PGH is the First Hospital in Miami-Dade to Offer Innovative BrainPath Technology
Feb 12, 2020Hospital Expands Neurological and Oncology Services to the Community
The “Six Pillar Approach” integrates several existing technologies and new advancements, allowing surgeons to help access and remove abnormalities in the brain, such as tumors and intracranial hemorrhages, through an opening in the skull as small as a dime.
The Six Pillar Approach is made up of the following components:
- Brain Imaging
- Neuro-Navigation
- Access
- Optics
- Tissue Resection
- Regenerative Medicine
During the minimally invasive procedure, surgeons access the brain abnormality through a small incision and use brain imaging, GPS navigation technology and a tool called the NICO BrainPath to safely travel through the natural folds and millions of delicate fibers in the brain. The BrainPath uniquely allows surgeons to displace tissues of the brain during advancement to the targeted abnormality. Once in place, the BrainPath creates a passageway for surgeons to maintain access to the surgical field, and then use a resection tool to remove the abnormality.
“Palmetto General Hospital is proud to lead the way in utilizing state-of-the-art medical technology in our community,” said CEO Ana Mederos. “It is our pleasure to be the only hospital in Miami-Dade to offer this specialized procedure to patients.”
“BrainPath allows neurosurgeons to safely operate on hard-to-reach areas of the brain while lowering the risk of damaging healthy brain tissue,” said Dr. Ritesh D. Kaushal, Medical Director of the Comprehensive Stroke Program at Palmetto General Hospital. “In addition, patients go home quicker after surgery compared to traditional brain surgery and have smaller scars on their head than before with this new technology.”
This new advancement will expand the treatment options available to cancer patients with primary brain tumors, as well as patients with metastatic cancer that has traveled to the brain from other parts of the body. Patients with hemorrhages deep in the brain tissue as seen in some stroke patients at the Comprehensive Stroke Program at Palmetto General Hospital, a member of the Advanced Neuroscience Network, will also benefit from this life-saving procedure. Tenet Healthcare, Florida Region leads the way in South Florida with this new technology.