Acoustic neuroma treatment may vary, depending on the size and growth of the acoustic neuroma, patient's health and symptoms.
Treatment for acute stroke has the greatest chance of working well if it is given within the first 3 hours after symptoms start.
There are different forms of anaesthesia that can be used to provide a safe and effective way for you to have an operation or procedure, and to give you pain relief. Most people do not have any problems and are satisfied with their anaesthetic.
It is possible to remove an AVM from the brain using conventional brain surgery or to destroy it by stereotactic radiosurgery using a CyberKnife
Investigating and treating back pain at The London Clinic involves multi-disciplinary teams of neurologists and spinal specialists. An all-inclusive package for this treatment is available from £1,430.
Radiosurgery is now an effective alternative. By applying a highly focused, high energy radiation beam to kill the cells within the benign brain tumour, the rapidly growing cells can be dealt with leaving the normal brain tissue relatively unscathed.
A brain aneurysm can be treated by performing two different forms of brain vessel surgery for example: the brain aneurysm can be clipped and dealt with permanently or The brain aneurysm can be sealed using a coil put in place through a main artery.
A brain aneurysm can be identified before it ruptures using brain scans. It can then be treated surgically in one of two ways either by carrying out a microvascular clipping or endovascular coiling.
The London Clinic offers a range of tests to detect brain cancer in an efficient and comfortable environment. High-tech imaging performed by specialist neuro-radiologists can help so that you can be offered the best treatment for your individual needs.
Brain surgery is performed to remove benign and malignant tumours that develop within the skull.
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes numbness in your thumb, index and middle fingers. A carpal tunnel release should improve your symptoms and prevent permanent nerve damage. An All-inclusive package for this treatment is available from £1,730.
Some cavernomas arise in the brain stem or the top of the spinal cord; removing these carries quite a high risk but is sometimes necessary as cavernomas at these sites can cause the most problems.
For chronic daily headaches due to tension headaches, physiotherapy may play a greater part in your treatment. Treatment is personalised to each individual patient and to their particular pattern of chronic headaches. This approach is very successful and most patients find that their symptoms improve significantly; many patients report that they become virtually symptom free.
The CyberKnife was developed during the 1990s in the US to treat brain tumours that were not accessible to conventional surgery.
An epidural injection can be used for most people, usually giving a safe and effective form of pain relief.
Initial treatment for epilepsy will usually involve taking anticonvulsants. Other treatment options include a ketogenic diet, and surgery.
Treatment is used to ease symptoms; the most frequently used medicines are propranolol, a medicine usually used to control high blood pressure, and primidone, an anti-convulsant.
A facet joint injection can be used to find out if your pain is caused by your facet joints, or to treat pain in your facet joints.
Intra-operative radiotherapy is when a very localised, high dose of radiation is given at the same time as the surgical treatment for brain cancer (glioblastoma). The London Clinic is one of the few sites in the UK to offer treatment with the Carl Zeiss Intrabeam® system - a miniaturised X-ray device which is located within our on-site theatres.
If meningitis is suspected, hospital admission is arranged quickly so that intravenous antibiotic treatment can start immediately and without waiting for a firm diagnosis. Broad spectrum antibiotics are used to target different types of bacteria, and a spinal tap is also done to culture the bacteria causing the infection so that antibiotic treatment can be more individually tailored to the infection. Viral meningitis cannot be treated using antibiotics. Because it is less severe than bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis can be treated by anti-viral drugs, corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, or just with pain killers to reduce the worst of the aches and pains.
Acute migraine was treated with ergotamines, which had terrible side effects and dangers. The modern group of triptan drugs have now revolutionised acute migraine treatment. These are effective and safe, and have relatively few adverse effects. Although more effective preventive treatments are now available, these need to be taken over a long period, sometimes indefinitely, to keep the migraines under control. Patients can have problems tolerating some drugs so we start at the lowest dose possible and increase slowly over time until we can see a reduction in migraine frequency. Occipital nerve blocks can help patients with migraine and also those who experience cluster headaches. The treatment involves the injection of a steroid and a local anaesthetic into the two occipital nerves which run up to the back of the head from the neck.
Treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used first to treat the underlying cancer. The second line of treatment is to try to modify the immune response that is causing the paraneoplastic syndrome: Plasmapheresis involves removing and replacing the plasma, which contains the paraneoplastic antibodies, from the blood of the person experiencing symptoms. Any effect is usually temporary as it does not stop the antibodies being produced, high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy can block the effects of the paraneoplastic antibodies and immunosuppressant drugs such as steroids can help reduce symptoms in many paraneoplastic syndromes.
At The London Clinic, our treatment options of drugs or deep brain stimulation are supported by a range of additional therapies.
A peripheral lower limb nerve block can be used for most people, usually giving a safe and effective form of pain relief both during and after the operation.
A peripheral upper limb nerve block can be used for most people, usually giving a safe and effective form of pain relief both during and after the operation.
If you are suspected of having a pituitary tumour, diagnostic imaging techniques can confirm this and establish the exact size and location of the tumour.
Until recently there was no objective test to help establish the diagnosis of the small fibre neuropathy. This has significantly changed with the introduction of the measurement of intraepidermal nerve fibre density.
Decisions are then made on the exact course of drug treatment that is likely to be most effective in each particular case: It is normal to be advised to have complete bed rest to avoid changes in blood pressure, and to be given medication to avoid straining when having a bowel movement. Some people just need medication to control pain, vomiting, or seizures. Anti-hypertensive drugs such as nicardipine can reduce high blood pressure, so reducing the risk of further bleeds. Nimodipine can be used to control vasospasms and to reduce the risk of stroke. Mannitol can be used to reduce pressure inside the brain. In cases where imaging techniques reveal an obvious abnormality, surgical treatment can reduce the risk of further bleeding and two types of surgery are possible: A craniotomy and endovascular coiling.
Neurosurgeons at The London Clinic are able to perform a ventriculostomy using conventional brain surgery or using endoscopic techniques. A ventriculostomy to relieve hydrocephalus can also be done with the addition of a stent, a small catheter that is used to keep the drainage hole open: An external ventricular drain is a temporary catheter that is later removed. A ventricular peritoneal shunt carries excess fluid into the peritoneum, the abdominal cavity. A ventriculoatrial shunt takes the fluid directly into one of the upper chambers of the heart.
Concierge service
We can support our patients with travel, hotel accommodation, London tours, plus theatre and restaurant reservations.
Main numbers
Concierge service: +44 (0) 203 219 3323 International office: +44 (0) 203 219 3266 Invoice and payment enquiries: +44 (0) 207 616 7708
Your call may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.
Medical service numbers
Breast services appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7653 Diagnostics appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7653 Endoscopy appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7760 Eye centre appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7768 Haematology appointments: +44 (0) 207 535 5503 Kidney services appointments: +44 (0) 207 224 5234 Liver services appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7719 Physiotherapy appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7651 Radiology appointments: +44 (0) 207 616 7653
