Live Well Cincy: Neurology

Live Well Cincy: Neurology

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Bobbie Smith underwent three operations in 10 days to alleviate pain caused by scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine.

New Techniques, New Buildings AREA MEDICAL FACILITIES ARE ADVANCING NEW PROCEDURES, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

By Eric Spangler

B

obbie Smith lived with scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine, her entire life without any problems.

Smith worked for 50 years and ran a house that included her husband and sons. “I went to work, I ran a house, so there wasn’t anything I couldn’t do in my daily life,” she says.

But things began to change several years ago when Smith began experiencing terrible pain that would radiate from her spine and into the back of her legs. “I would have like electric shocks that woke me up in the middle of the night and I would lift out of the bed they were so bad,” she says.

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Live Well Cincy: Neurology

Rendering of the new UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute building currently under construction

She k new t hen t hat she had to do something. And she knew exactly who to call—the staff at Mayfield Brain & Spine.

Smith had four herniated discs in her neck repaired by Dr. Thomas Saul, a neurosurgeon at Mayfield Brain & Spine, in 2006. She was pleased with the results and decided to call Mayfield when her latest symptoms became overwhelming.

Although Saul was no longer working at Mayfield, Smith says she was referred to Dr. Zachary Tempel, another neurosurgeon at Mayfield Brain & Spine. A computed tomography scan, or CT scan, was conducted on Smith’s spine to help Tempel determine

what was causing her symptoms.

When Smith saw the CT scan results it was clear to her what was causing the problem. “I went in and he showed me the CT scan,” Smith says. “My back looked like an S.” One of her sons told her it looked she had a snake in her back, she says.

Tempel explained that he would have to perform three operations in five days, requiring Smith to be in the hospital for 10 days, in order to alleviate her pain. “You’re going to hate me for what I have to do to you,” Smith says Tempel told her.

Smith told Tempel she doesn’t hate anybody. She certainly didn’t plan on hating

Tempel, who Smith calls an “angel.”

She had confidence that Tempel would take care of her problem. “He walks into a room and it lights up he’s so confident and he makes you feel so good,” says Smith. Most importantly, she says, Tempel listened to her.

“He actually sat and looked in my eyes and listened to me,” says Smith. “And I felt like whatever I had wrong he could help me.”

Tempel says the three operations he performed on Smith were entirely minimally invasive, including the first one through a small opening in her abdomen and the

Live Well Cincy: Neurology

Imaging from Bobbie Smith’s back before and after surgery

second operation entering from her side.

A couple days after the first two surgeries Tempel had imaging studies conducted on Smith’s back to assess what her alignment looked like. The final operation was also minimally invasive through her back where medical screws and rods were implanted to lock her spine in place, Tempel says.

The minimally invasive techniques used in Smith’s surgery, particularly the one entering through an opening on the patient’s side, are newer procedures that are quickly becoming standard, says Tempel.

“We’re kind of taking advantage of the body’s natural corridors to the spine rather than burrowing through muscle and ligaments,” he says. “This has been kind of how we’ve been involved in the forefront of bringing a lot of these techniques into the mainstream for patients with spinal deformities and scoliosis, specifically that lateral technique,” he says.

“At May f ield Clinic we’re pushing the envelope with regards to those new technologies to try to achieve greater alignment restoration and deformity correction through less invasive surgery,” Tempel says.

Smith’s operations were a success. “I’m working on the treadmill 30 minutes a day and I do 30 minutes of back exercises and I’m even lifting weights,” says the 74-yearold Smith. “I’ve never felt better in my life.”

Another success story taking place in the field of neurology is the University of Cincinnati’s new Gardner Neuroscience Institute building now under construction.

The four-story, 114,000-square-foot facility will serve as the home base for about 125 neuroscience physicians and researchers while providing comprehensive care for the most complex neurological patients, says Dr. Joe Broderick, director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

The building was designed from the ground up with patients who have neurologic diseases in mind, he says. Spaces in the garage are big enough to accommodate patients who uses a wheelchair or walker, the garage surface is flat to make it easier to navigate, there are multiple places to sit down in the hallways so patients can take a break and even the bathrooms are designed so family members can help patients, says Broderick.

“We spent probably two years with patient groups who had different neurologic

problems and just listened to their stories about what was important to them about checking in and parking and bathrooms and seeing their doctors,” he says.

“Even the way the doors open and close are not the typical doors that kind of open out—because you can knock people over—so these are sliding doors for the patients,” says Broderick. Even the rooms where patients meet with doctors are designed to be larger than the typical exam room so more family members can be present, he says.

Lots of natural light will be present in the building because of the plentiful glass windows, says Broderick. The light will be diffused because the building will have a fabric covering—similar to material used at the Denver International Airport—to help prevent the building from overheating, he says. “We think that’s really cool,” says Broderick.

Twelve clinical centers will be located in the new building so patients won’t have to go to multiple locations for treatments or tests. “Our current model is that we see patients but we often have to send them a lot of different places to do different things— whether it’s imaging, it’s getting therapy or seeing different types of doctors—and this puts it all in one location so it’s a one-stop shopping so to speak,” he says.

Another advantage of the new building, which is expected to open in April, is it will have rooms available for patients to learn about their neurologic diseases. “We also designed the building to be an educational experience as well so you can learn about the disease, not just talking to your doctor, but also within the space itself,” says Broderick.

The new building will also house researchers, he says. That means patients who are not responding well to a treatment may be able to participate in a clinical trial being conducted by researchers in the Gardner Neuroscience Institute building.

“You have the opportunity to participate in something that may help you but also help people in the future. That’s a really great thing,” he says. “That clinical trial will be a big part of what happens in the building. I’m always so proud of people who participate in clinical research studies that help advance the field for everybody.”

Broderick says he hopes the new Gardner Neuroscience Institute building will

Live Well Cincy: Neurology

Dr. Joe Broderick is the director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

“We’re pushing the envelope with regards to those new technologies to try to achieve greater alignment restoration and deformity correction through less invasive surgery.”

— Dr. Zachary Tempel, neurosurgeon at Mayfield Brain & Spine be seen as home by patients, where they learn about their disease, get care for that disease and also help in the future in terms of research with their particular problem.

As an added bonus, the building’s lobby will include world-class Rookwood Pottery with images of Native Americans from

Jim Gardner’s collection, he says. “We’re trying very much to have this Cincinnati themed in terms of artwork and things like that because we hope this is one of those kind of jewel recognition places,” says Broderick. n