Neurosciences

A Team of Specialists

If you need treatment for a neurological illness or injury, Alta Bates Summit can help. Our Neurosciences Department provides a full range of neurosurgery services, the expertise of several Neurosurgeons who serve on the faculty of the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine, as well as a team of pain management specialists, vascular surgeons, neuro-radiologists, and rehabilitation specialists.

We participate in clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of new medications administered three to six hours following a stroke. Part of this effort includes an extensive outreach program to educate paramedics, emergency room staff, primary care physicians and the community about the importance of seeking immediate treatment in the event of stroke.

In the non-invasive arena, we use trans cranial doppler (TCD) technology for diagnosing blood vessels narrowing in the brain, which could possibly lead to a stroke. We also treat Spasticity, a condition affecting patients recovering from a stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury or affected by cerebral palsy, or multiple sclerosis. Spasticity results in a variety of motor-related problems such as spasms, rigidity, and difficulty with coordinated movement and can often interfere with initiation and smooth completion of a movement.

Many of these patients have achieved excellent results through the use of implantable pumps, delivering the appropriate dose of medication directly to the spinal cord. This treatment can eliminate spasticity with a much lower incidence of side effects, allowing patients to again perform daily living activities.

Find a neurologist or specialized physician.

Call the Health Match Physician Referral Program at (510) 869-6777 for a referral by phone.