Neurosurgery & Spine
Neurosurgery & Spine
Advanced surgery for the brain, spine, and peripheral nervous system, from chronic long-standing issues to acute emergencies.
You’re here because it’s time to take a closer look. Maybe you’ve been dealing with symptoms that haven’t improved, even after trying different treatments. Or something changed suddenly—a fall, an injury, a diagnosis you weren’t expecting. The question now is what’s actually going on and what to do next.
Kootenai Health’s neurosurgeons treat a wide range of brain and spine conditions, from spine disorders and brain tumors to movement disorders and traumatic injuries. Surgery isn’t always the first step. It’s used when other treatments haven’t worked or when there’s a clear reason to move forward.
When surgery is needed, advanced options are available here in the region, including robotic-guided spine surgery, interoperative subcortical brain mapping, and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Kootenai Health is also the first and only hospital in the region to offer Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS). You’ll have access to the right level of surgical care here.
Advanced Robotic Surgery
Deep Brain Stimulation
NeuroPace RNS
Our Services
Conditions
Brain Conditions
- Brain tumors and pituitary adenomas
- Chiari malformation
- Epilepsy
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Traumatic brain injury and subarachnoid hemorrhage — bleeding in or around the brain following injury or rupture
- Intracranial hypertension and normal pressure hydrocephalus — conditions involving abnormal pressure or fluid buildup in the brain
- Congenital malformations — structural abnormalities of the brain or spine present from birth
- Movement disorders including Parkinson's disease, tremor, and dystonia — conditions that affect muscle control, coordination, and involuntary movement
- Epilepsy requiring neurostimulation
Spine Conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, stenosis, and spondylolisthesis — conditions where spinal structures break down, narrow, or shift out of alignment
- Radiculopathy, sciatica, and neurogenic claudication — nerve-related pain, numbness, or weakness that radiates from the spine into the arms or legs
- Spinal fractures
- Myelopathy and cauda equina — spinal cord or nerve root compression that can affect movement, sensation, and bladder or bowel function
- Scoliosis and sacroiliitis
Nerve and Movement Conditions
- Nerve compression conditions including carpal tunnel syndrome and foot drop — pressure on peripheral nerves that causes pain, weakness, or loss of function
Diagnostics & Testing
Imaging
- MRI, X-ray, CT
- Myelogram — an imaging test that uses contrast dye and X-ray or CT to get detailed pictures of the spine and surrounding structures
Neurological Evaluation
- Nerve conduction studies — tests that measure how well electrical signals travel through your nerves to identify areas of damage or compression
- Visual field testing in coordination with ophthalmology — used when a brain condition may be affecting vision
Common Treatments & Procedures
Brain Procedures
- Stereotactic craniotomy and tumor resection — computer-guided surgical planning using 3D imaging to precisely locate and remove brain tumors while minimizing impact to surrounding tissue
- Stereotactic radiosurgery — precisely targeted radiation treatment for brain tumors, trigeminal neuralgia, and movement disorders
- Pituitary adenoma resection — removal of a noncancerous tumor on the pituitary gland, typically through a minimally invasive approach
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement — a device implanted to redirect excess fluid from the brain to the abdomen
Spine Procedures
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) — removal of a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck, with the vertebrae fused together using a bone graft and metal plate
- Anterior and posterior lumbar decompression and fusion — removal of bone or tissue compressing spinal nerves in the lower back, stabilized with rods, plates, and screws
- Lumbar hemilaminotomy and microdiscectomy — a microsurgical procedure to remove a herniated disc in the lower back through a small opening in the spine
- Lumbar decompressive laminectomy — removal of bone from the spinal canal to relieve pressure on nerve roots, reducing low back and leg pain and improving lower extremity strength
- Robotic-guided spine surgery using the Globus Excelsius system — improved accuracy of instrumentation placement for degenerative spine disorders, spinal trauma, and spinal tumors
- Spinal fracture repair
Neurostimulation
- Responsive Neurostimulation via NeuroPace — a device implanted in the brain that detects and responds to abnormal electrical activity to help reduce seizures; the only program offering this treatment in the region
- Deep Brain Stimulation — an implanted device that delivers targeted electrical stimulation to regulate abnormal brain signals in patients with Parkinson's, tremor, or dystonia
Conservative Treatment Pathways
- Physical therapy
- Pain management referrals including epidural steroid injections