Category Archives: brain/spine/neurosurgery

Back on the pitch – after back surgery

Posted on April 22, 2019 by

BY AMBER SMITH For weeks, Kendall Discenza didn’t know what was wrong. The pain in her lower back became crippling, and she was left sobbing.  Surgery brought relief. Discenza underwent a microdiscectomy at Upstate University Hospital. Lawrence Chin, MD, who leads the … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/spine/neurosurgery, health care, patient story, surgery | Tagged ,

‘She’s alive today because of them’

Posted on April 16, 2018 by

BY SUSAN KEETER Eight-year-old Kaelynne Driscoll and her father, Christopher, were riding an inner tube on Skaneateles Lake on July 6, 2016, when a wave knocked them off the tube and under water. They were struck by a boat and injured, … Continue reading →

Posted in bones/joints/orthopedics, brain/spine/neurosurgery, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, patient story, surgery, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | 1 Comment

Lasers treat pediatric brain tumors, epilepsy

Posted on April 6, 2018 by

BY AMBER SMITH Maisie Chapman of Cortland was just 3 months old when her seizures began. Ethan Stinson of Pierrepont Manor, near Watertown, was 15. Both wound up as patients of  Zulma Tovar-Spinoza, MD, a pioneering pediatric neurosurgeon at Upstate University … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/spine/neurosurgery, health care, patient story, surgery, technology, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics | Tagged , , , , ,

Advanced imaging, clot-retrieval help save stroke patients during holiday at Upstate Comprehensive Stroke Center

Posted on December 29, 2017 by

The Christmas feast was about to begin. Twenty-three of Judy Klein’s loved ones were gathered in her Syracuse home. Her grandson had prepared a plate for her mother, Fannie Barber, 101. Klein’s daughter was talking with the matriarch, who was … Continue reading →

Posted in aging/geriatrics, brain/neurology, brain/spine/neurosurgery, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, medical imaging/radiology, patient story

Physical feats: Despite cancer, these patients focus on accomplishing goals

Posted on December 11, 2017 by

Jim Waters, 56, of Auburn Diagnosis: Colon cancer that has spread to liver. Treatment: Surgery in June 2016, plus chemotherapy. Care team: From medical oncology, Adham Jurdi, MD, and Ibrahim Thabet, NP; surgeon Carl Weiss, MD, PhD; wife/caregiver of 25 … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/spine/neurosurgery, cancer, community, health care, medical imaging/radiology, patient story, surgery

A remarkable and rapid recovery: Family called 911, got him to Upstate stroke team quickly

Posted on October 23, 2017 by

BY AMBER SMITH Rajeev Saini, MD, typically leaves for work in the morning and doesn’t come home until evening. He came home at lunchtime on May 18 to check on his 16-year-old daughter, who was home sick. Saini is a … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, brain/spine/neurosurgery, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, patient story, stroke, surgery | Tagged

Upstate stroke neurologists care for patients in remote areas

Posted on August 9, 2017 by

BY AMBER SMITH This is a story about two women, living in different parts of rural Central New York. Each suffered a stroke. Each had a loved one who summoned help. Each saw a stroke neurologist from Upstate University Hospital … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, brain/spine/neurosurgery, emergency medicine/trauma, health care, patient story, stroke, technology

Have you seen the new ‘Upstate Health’ magazine?

Posted on July 27, 2017 by

As a mother, I cannot select one child as my favorite. As an editor, I don’t have one favorite magazine issue. I love them all. That said, this summer issue of Upstate Health is a particularly good one, for a … Continue reading →

Posted in aging/geriatrics, alternative/integrative medicine, Alzheimer's/dementia, brain/neurology, brain/spine/neurosurgery, community, depression, disability, drugs/medications/pharmacy, education, emergency medicine/trauma, Expert Advice, family medicine, fitness, health care, heart/cardiovascular, history, infectious disease, Joslin Diabetes Center, medical student, mental health/emotional health, nursing, patient story, public health, research, sleep, stroke, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital/pediatrics, urology

Brains against brain tumors

Posted on July 12, 2017 by

Experts from several scientific fields join forces to accelerate fight against brain cancer BY JIM HOWE To better meet the challenges of treating brain cancer, Upstate’s Precision Neuro-Oncology Program pools the expertise of the best minds in a variety of … Continue reading →

Posted in brain/neurology, brain/spine/neurosurgery, cancer, genetics, health care, pathology, research, surgery, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

A detour: Medical student learns about health care as a patient

Posted on June 28, 2017 by

BY AMBER SMITH Medical student Alex Paley was in his third year of medical school when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor on Jan. 18 and underwent emergency surgery. He has been in treatment since then. He would much … Continue reading →

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