Memorial Neuroscience Institute continues to build on its reputation for excellence in neurological care. This year, the Institute enhanced its stellar list of programs by adding a Memory Care Center and expanding its spine care services. The Spine Center now offers diagnosis for back pain and both nonsurgical and surgical treatment options.

With these additions, the Neuroscience Institute provides advanced diagnosis and comprehensive treatment for a full spectrum of conditions, including:

• Brain tumors
• Epilepsy
• Headache
• Memory disorders
• Multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Neuro-oncology
• Neurovascular surgery
• Neurotrauma
• Sleep disorders
• Spinal injuries and disorders
• Stroke

The Institute also continued to earn awards and recognitions for outstanding care. Memorial Regional Hospital became the first stroke center in Broward County to earn The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers. For the second year, Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Hospital West have earned Target: Stroke Honor Roll-Elite Plus designation, the highest level of achievement possible for a stroke center from the American Heart/Stroke Association.

Our epilepsy program is recognized as a Level 4 Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC). It is the association’s highest level of recognition, reserved for programs that provide more complex forms of comprehensive and specialized epilepsy care.

The Institute’s nationally recognized neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists and neurointerventional surgeons have trained at some of the most prestigious academic medical centers in the country and have extensive experience in the field. Few medical centers in the region offer such an extraordinary breadth of services or depth of experience for patients and families.

A competitive equestrian, Sandra was thrown from her horse during a practice lesson.

“After I lay down for about half an hour, they tried to sit me up,” she said. “I couldn’t; the pain was too much.”

Sandra had suffered a severe lumbar burst fracture. A bone in her spine shattered, causing a collapse of the vertebrae, and compression on part of the nerve roots and the lower part of the spinal cord.

Sandra’s everyday extraordinary care at Memorial Neuroscience Institute included a spinal fusion, performed by Daniel Aghion, MD, neurosurgeon. Screws stabilized the fracture. Dr. Aghion is hopeful that Sandra will be able to resume horseback riding after her body concludes stabilizing the affected area.

“He really gets involved with a patient,” said Sandra. “He makes sure that, if you need him, he’s there.” Sandra is eager to get back in the saddle.

“Right now, I don’t even feel like I had a surgery,” she said.

As a teenager, Jessica suffered from migraine headaches. By the time she started college, the headaches had taken over her life.

“I couldn’t do anything,” Jessica said. “I couldn’t work. I couldn’t study. I couldn’t listen to music or watch TV.”

The adverse reactions she had to medications were nearly as bad. One gave her heart palpitations; another made her too drowsy to function.

Eventually, Jessica went to see headache specialist Maike Blaya, MD, neurologist, at Memorial Neuroscience Institute. There, she found the everyday extraordinary care she needed.

“I actually decreased the dose that she was on, and then within a week or 10 days being on the medication, her headaches were much better,” said Dr. Blaya.

According to Jessica, almost 100 percent better. She is now able to focus on her studies and resume a normal life.

“Sometimes it is actually very simple, as simple as decreasing the dose of the medication,” said Dr. Blaya.