From utilizing machine learning for quicker evaluation of stroke patients to easing the burden of multiple visits into one appointment for a brain tumor patient, Mayfield Brain & Spine continues to innovate in diagnosis, treatment, and surgery. Here are a few ways Mayfield is changing the future of neurosurgical care.
INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGHS IN SPINE SURGERY
Advancements in instrumentation and the use of technology to place implants in the spine are improving efficiency and safety for patients undergoing complex spine surgeries. “If you look at spine surgery in the last 20 years, there’s been an exponential growth in new technology,” says Dr. William Tobler, spine specialist at Mayfield Brain & Spine. “What used to be very large surgical procedures, we are now doing as outpatient [procedures]—a decade ago, patients would stay in the hospital for five days or more for lumbar fusions.” Through technology and focusing on the patient, Mayfield Brain & Spine is a leader in achieving high satisfaction from patients. “A focus for Mayfield is that we believe the patient should be at the center of the picture—not the doctors, not the organization,” adds Tobler.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ALERTS DOCTORS ABOUT PATIENTS WITH STROKE EMERGENCIES
When a patient with stroke symptoms is admitted to the hospital, they undergo a routine CT scan. Cincinnati-area hospitals adopted a machine learning tool that offers quick detection of life threatening artery blockages during the scan. If a large blocked artery is detected, it sends an alarm along with the imaging to a network of doctors before a human radiologist can look at it. “[It] gives us an avenue to make decisions remotely,” says Dr. Andrew Ringer, Mayfield Brain & Spine chairman, neurosurgeon, and specialist in stroke and brain aneurysms. “Mayfield has been instrumental in making it available everywhere—we want this emergency care to be readily available in the community.” The speed at which a decision can be made and a plan is enacted is critical in stroke patients. Nurses, technicians, the physician team, and transport systems have to be in sync to transfer patients to the proper facility with a doctor prepped and ready to perform the necessary procedure. “Emergency cases are very time sensitive,” adds Ringer. “We’re saving 30 to 60 minutes, which is invaluable when it comes to strokes.”
ADVANCING BRAIN TUMOR DIAGNOSIS METHODS AND TREATMENTS
Brain tumors are rare but complex, and Mayfield surgeons are among the first to use cellular markers during surgery to ensure a more complete removal, and to implant therapies that keep killing tumor cells after surgery. Local patients seeking brain tumor care also benefit from Mayfield’s involvement in multidisciplinary Tumor Boards with the region’s leading health systems. “Brain tumors are a difficult diagnosis and we don’t want patients to have to travel 600 miles out of the city for care,” says Dr. Vincent DiNapoli, brain tumor specialist at Mayfield. These collaborations eliminate the need for a patient to make multiple visits to several doctors and find creative solutions that ensure the best outcomes.
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