What is Functional Neurosurgery?

Functional Neurosurgery is the specialisation of Neurosurgery that aims to regulate the functional activity of the neuronal circuits of the brain or spinal cord.

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"Functional Neurosurgery is the most modern development internationally in the treatment of diseases of the Nervous System".

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Functional Neurosurgery and Neuromodulation

The goal of Functional Neurosurgery is to change the transmission of a signal to the nervous system, using electrical irritation or chemical agents, a process called neuromodulation. The controlled stimulation caused, inhibits or reprograms the activity of neurons or neural networks, in order for unwanted symptoms (pain, tremor, spasticity, etc.) to subside.

The operations performed with neuromodulation are the following:

• Application of radio frequency (RF)
• Modulation by pulsed radiofrequency (PRF)
• Peripheral neurostimulation (PNS)
• Spinal Cord Neurostimulation (SCS)
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
• Motor Cortex Stimulation (MCS)
• Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
• Intrathecal administration of drugs
• Stereotactic injection of stem cells

To whom is the department addressed?

Functional Neurosurgery is addressed to patients with one or more of the following diseases:

• Chronic pain, such as cancerous and postoperative pain, trigeminal neuralgia, bone pain, migraine and headache, herpes zoster, etc.
• Disorders of mobility and muscle tone, such as Parkinson's disease, dystonia, tremor, stroke, etc.
• Spasticity, after a stroke, brain haemorrhage, cerebral palsy, etc.
• Paraplegia and quadriplegia.
• Disorders due to neurological diseases, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, etc.
• Mental illnesses, such as pharmaco-resistant depression, addictions, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.
• Tumours of the Nervous System and Spine.
• Disorders of the autonomic nervous system, such as bladder and bowel incontinence, etc.

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What is the Clinic's objective?

The aim of this Clinic is the full management of a patient who belongs to the above groups. Initially, a full medical assessment is carried out with a detailed history check and examinations to determine if the patient is a candidate for any of the treatments we offer.

"The main goal of Functional Neurosurgery is to improve the quality of life and functionality of the patient."

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Then, we choose the most appropriate therapeutic approach, based on modern scientific data, with minimally invasive techniques and sophisticated interventions in the nervous system.

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Reassessment and evaluation

It is our standard method to reassess and evaluate at specified intervals, for the better regulation and adaptation of treatment, as well as the parameters of implanted systems (neurostimulators and replenishment of pumps in chronic therapies). We also make sure to assist other specialties involved in chronic patients in managing the side effects of treatments that may occur.

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Therapeutic interventions

The application of treatments is done with minimally invasive methods, such as:

• The implantation of drug infusion devices, depending on the disease, in order to achieve chemical neuromodulation.
• The implantation of electrostimulators in order to achieve electrical neuromodulation.
• The use of stereotaxis for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

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The clinic operates daily by appointment.