Neurosciences
Our mission is to improve the neurological health of our community through compassionate quality patient care and to implement advances in neurosciences which will significantly improve patient outcomes. JFK Medical Center was the first in Palm Beach County to become a Comprehensive Stroke Center. We are currently the only facility to employ more than one Neuro-Interventional Radiologist to provide 24/7 coverage for all your stroke needs.
Our Multi-Disciplinary Team
- Neurologists who diagnose and treat conditions of the nervous system
- Stroke Neurologists who diagnose and treat ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke
- Neurosurgeons who perform surgery on every part of the nervous system
- Neuro-interventionists who use a non-surgical, catheter-based approach - similar to cardiac catheterization for heart disease - to treat vascular (blood vessel) diseases that affect the nervous system
- Neuroradiologists who use imaging - X-rays, CT scans, MRIs - to help diagnose the disease or disorder
- Radiation Oncologists who treat tumors and certain other disorders with radiation
Enhancing the multi-disciplinary team are those who care for patients at the bedside and provide ongoing assessments of patients' physical, rehabilitation and post-hospital needs. These specialists include:
- Neurosurgical physician assistants
- Nurse practitioners
- Critical care nurses
- Pharmacists
- Physical and occupational therapists
At some point in the diagnostic and treatment process, patients of the Neurosciences Institute at JFK Medical Center can be cared for by each and every one of these specialists. With this wealth of experience, all available in one convenient location, patients receive top-quality medical care at every stage of diagnosis and treatment.
Our Services
Neuro-Surgery
Neurological surgery or "Neurosurgery" is the surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of patients with injury to and diseases of the brain, spine, or peripheral nerves. Neurosurgeons may provide either surgical or non-surgical care for a variety of disorders including:
- Head and spine trauma
- Cerebrovascular disorders, such as aneurysms and clogged arteries
- Chronic neck, arm, leg or back pain
- Neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, tremor, multiple sclerosis and spasticity
- Brain and spine tumors
- Herniated discs
- Spinal deformation
- Epilepsy
- Peripheral nerve disorders
Neuro-Oncology
Neuro-oncology encompasses cancers that affect the brain and central nervous system. A tumor, or neoplasm, is a mass of abnormal cells that grows at an uncontrolled pace, crowding out and destroying normal tissue. Nearly half of all primary brain tumors are gliomas which arise in the supporting tissue of the brain. Most gliomas are malignant, or cancerous, and certain types grow faster than others. Meningiomas are benign, or non-cancerous, tumors that are confined to the protective membranes that surround the brain, known as the meninges.
Spine Care
Nearly 12 million visits are made to physician offices each year because of back problems. Eight out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.
The spine consists of:
- 24 hard bones (vertebrae) that connect like puzzle pieces with soft cushioning disks between them. This makes the spine both strong and flexible.
- The transverse process is a wing of bone on either side of each vertebra.
- The spinous process is the part of each vertebra you can feel through your skin.
- The spinal cord is the "electric cable" that travels through a central canal in the vertebrae, connecting your brain to the muscles of your legs.
The spine has three natural curves:
- the cervical curve (neck)
- the thoracis curve (middle back) and
- the lumbar curve (lower back)
Back or neck problems can have many causes including:
- Damage from overuse
- Damage from an injury
- Medical problems such as arthritis
Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
Stroke is the third-leading cause of death in Western countries and the second most common cause of neurological disability after Alzheimer's disease. Cerebrovascular disease can cause stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA or "mini-stroke") by providing either too little or too much blood flow to the brain.
Cerebrovascular insufficiency is due to obstruction of arteries, while in other types of cerebrovascular disease, circulatory abnormalities can cause an intracranial hemorrhage - bleeding in the brain - a serious neurological emergency. The Neurosciences Institute at JFK Medical Center has the only neurointerventional radiologist available in Palm Beach County to perform cutting edge, state of the art procedures.
Clot Retrieval System for Stroke Patients
The neurointerventional radiologist at JFK Medical Center is able to literally pull blood clots out of the brain, working much like a corkscrew. It is the first medical device approved by the FDA to physically remove blood clots from the brains of stroke patients. The retriever device can be used on those patients who are ineligible for tPA treatment and has been used successfully on patients up to eight hours after the onset of symptoms, extending the treatment window significantly.
The most common causes of stroke or cerebrovascular insufficiency include:
- Carotid artery stenosis, in which vessels that supply blood to the brain are blocked
- Other conditions, such as moyamoya disease, which occurs when arteries become blocked and new blood vessels grow in a tangle in the area
Other neurocirculatory abnormalities include:
- Aneurysm, an outpouching in the wall of an artery
- Vascular malformations, abnormalities that develop in embryonic life as a result of maldevelopment of vascular channels. These include:
- Arteriovenous malformation (AVM), or other vascular malformations, such as cavernous malformations, which are rare conditions characterized by abnormal collections or tangles of blood vessels that restrict or alter blood flow
- Venous malformations, the most common type of vascular malformation at autopsy, although they are usually considered benign
Location
The Stroke Center at JFK Medical Center is located at 5301 South Congress Ave., just west of I-95 between Lanatana Road and Lake Worth Road.
Learn More
For more information on The Stroke Center at JFK Medical Center, call (800) 616-1927 or email us.