Neurosurgery Overview

Neurosurgery is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of problems involving the nervous system, including the brain, spine, peripheral nerves, and arteries of the neck.

The Department of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) delivers state-of-the-art care for patients around the world. With a commitment to compassionate, patient-focused care, our team specializes in a wide range of neurological disorders and provides treatment for the entire spectrum of neurological diseases. Our neurosurgeons are internationally recognized for their expertise, and serve on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Our research efforts in neurosurgery and tumor biology are dedicated to achieving significant scientific discovery to improve treatments for patients. And our teaching programs provide advanced training for residents in the Harvard neurosurgery program.

Conditions treated by the Neurosurgery Department at BWH

• Brain tumors. Our neurosurgery specialists diagnose and treat brain tumors with a wide range of advanced techniques that include interventional neuroradiology, radiosurgery/radiotherapy, and whole brain radiation.
• Cerebrovascular disorders, including aneurysms, carotid stenosis, cavernous malformations, arteriovenous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulae, and moyamoya disease.
• Movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, and psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression that may be treated effectively with deep brain stimulation.
• Stroke and brain aneurysms – our neurosurgery team performs a variety of surgeries to help patients recover and reduce the risk of another stroke or aneurysm.
• Epilepsy/seizure – while many patients seizures can be successfully controlled with anti-epileptic medications, about 1/3 of those diagnosed with epilepsy do not respond to medication and may qualify as surgical candidates.
• Hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid inside the skull that can lead to brain swelling, convulsion, tunnel vision and other disorders.
• Chronic pain in the lower back, neck, face, muscle, bone, pelvis and abdomen. Physicians in the Neurosurgery Department treat those suffering from uncontrolled pain and discomfort.
• Peripheral nerve problems, including injuries, entrapments like carpal tunnel syndrome, and tumors.
• Pituitary/neuroendocrine disorders, including pituitary tumors.
• Skull base disorders such as brain cancer, aneurysms and malformation.
• Spine disorders, including herniated disks, complex spinal reconstruction, spinal stenosis, and spinal cord injury.
• Trauma cases, including epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, concussions, skull fractures, spinal cord injury, and traumatic nerve injury.

Contact the Neurosurgery Department

If you are a new patient and would like to make an appointment with a Physician in the BWH Department of Neurosurgery, please call the new patient coordinator at 1-800-294-9999. This line is staffed from 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday.

Patients may also consult with a neurologist in our Neurology Department about a wide range of conditions including Alzheimer's disease symptoms and Alzheimer's disease diagnosis, migraine treatment, sleep disorders, or about taking an EMG test to detect neuromuscular abnormalities.

Learn more about Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital.