Neurology & Neurosurgery
May 29, 2019
Two Cancers, One Unified Multidisciplinary Care Team
Joyce Gabbert came to Mayo Clinic for treatment of a rare form of head and neck cancer. But she soon learned that wasn’t the only cancer diagnosis she was facing. At that point, a coordinated care team came together to create a treatment plan that put Joyce on the path to becoming cancer-free.
Tags: Dr. Eric Moore, Dr. Garret Choby, Dr. Katharine Price, Dr. Michael Link, Dr. Stephen Cassivi, head and neck cancer, Head and neck surgery, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, thoracic surgery
May 13, 2019
Prompt Diagnosis and Expert Care for Guillain-Barre Syndrome Save Rich Bradley’s Life
Rich Bradley was about to travel to Europe to learn more about his late uncle’s heroism during World War II when he suddenly faced a battle of his own — a severe form of Guillain-Barre syndrome that required specialized care at Mayo Clinic.
Tags: Dr. Benjamin Eidelman, Dr. Jason Siegel, Guillain-Barre syndrome
May 8, 2019
Tackling a Rare Brain Tumor With Expertise and Skill
Diagnosed with a brain tumor, Marrissa Janssen was scared. Her biggest fear was that doctors wouldn’t be able to get rid of the entire mass. But after consulting with experts at Mayo Clinic, Marrissa’s fear turned to hope. Now, after surgery and proton beam therapy, the tumor is gone.
Tags: Brain Tumor Program, Dr. Giuseppe Lanzino, Dr. Ivan Carabenciov, Dr. Joon Uhm, Dr. Michael Ruff, Dr. Paul Brown, Dr. Terence Burns, glioblastoma, Proton Beam Therapy Program
April 26, 2019
Marching to the Beat of His Own Drum After Brain Surgery
Tanner Effinger knew something was seriously wrong. Despite seeing multiple physicians in Virginia and Idaho, no one could figure out what was causing his weight loss, fatigue and anemia. Within days of arriving at Mayo Clinic, however, Tanner was diagnosed with an unusual brain tumor. After it was surgically removed, all of Tanner’s symptoms disappeared.
Tags: Brain Tumor Program, Dr. Caterina Giannini, Dr. Terence Burns
April 10, 2019
Battling a Brain Tumor, Finding Grace
As a pastor, Johann Lochner believes his life’s journey is guided by a higher power. Nowhere was that knowledge made clearer for Johann than at Mayo Clinic, where he encountered a team of physicians whose care and surgical talents in removing an insidious brain tumor gave him his life back.
Tags: awake brain surgery, Dr. Michael Ruff, Dr. Terence Burns, Lynch Syndrome
April 8, 2019
Rising Above a Rare, Debilitating Disorder
Diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome — an extremely rare autoimmune neurologic condition — Tara Zier looked to Mayo Clinic for help. There she found valuable guidance and gained a new outlook on how to manage her condition.
Tags: Dr. Andrew McKeon, Mayo Clinic Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology, Pain Rehabilitation Center
March 6, 2019
Heading Forward With Gratitude and Grace
For Marisa Bella, living with a rare neurological condition meant managing sustained pain and an unnatural head position, as well as dealing with unwanted reactions from strangers. For years Marisa navigated life while suffering the physical, mental and emotional effects of her illness. That all changed in 2018 when a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon helped her […]
Tags: Cervical dystonia, Dr. Anhar Hassan, Dr. Jorys Martinez-Jorge, Dr. Majken Wingo, Dr. Oscar Manrique, Dr. Robert Spinner, Dystonia, Mayo Clinic's Transgender and Intersex Specialty Care Clinic
March 1, 2019
Robotic Spine Surgery Renews Scott Walling’s Independence
Last summer, Scott Walling was in excruciating pain, and he could barely walk. Today he’s pain-free and enjoying his favorite hobbies again, thanks to a new procedure offered by Mayo Clinic’s Department of Neurosurgery.
Tags: Dr. Karen Newcomer, Dr. Mohamad Bydon, Robotic spine surgery, Spinal stenosis
February 15, 2019
Puzzling Symptoms Explained by Hydrocephalus Diagnosis
It took some time to discover the source of the troubling symptoms that plagued Dorothy Sorlie. But once she was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, neurosurgery fixed the problem and allowed Dorothy to return to the activities she loves.
Tags: Dr. Catherine Schmidt, Dr. Jonathan Bledsoe, Dr. Kevin Wergeland, Hydrocephalus, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire
February 7, 2019
What A Doctor Learned When He Became A Patient
As a cardiologist, Andrew Calvin, M.D., is very familiar with the world of health care. But when he found out he needed surgery, he was a little unnerved. Support from his spouse and care team got him through it, though, and taught him some important lessons along the way.
Tags: Dr. Andrew Calvin, Dr. Jonathan Bledsoe, Dr. Scott Spritzer, Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire