Patient Develops Paralysis Following Brain Surgery

This case involves a 62-year-old female patient who developed left-side paralysis following a thalamotomy.

ByWendy Ketner, M.D.

Updated on

Patient Develops Paralysis Following Brain Surgery

Case Overview

The patient underwent a gamma knife thalamotomy for a longstanding essential tremor. She later developed left-side paralysis and was unresponsive to therapy and hyperbaric treatment. The patient continued to suffer from weakness and lack of control on the left side of her body and was unable to return to work.

Questions to the Neurosurgery expert and their responses

Q1

Please describe your background performing gamma knife thalamotomies.

Although I have performed 1,000+ gamma knife procedures, gamma knife thalamotomies are not very commonly performed. We tend to perform deep brain stimulation or stereotactic lesions since they have been found to be more advantageous. However, occasionally, patients are felt to not be good candidates for the other procedures and undergo gamma knife radiosurgery thalamotomy.

Q2

What complications can occur when performing this procedure?

Contralateral weakness is a known risk for all these procedures. This case will hinge on whether or not there were reasons why the patient needed to undergo gamma knife and avoid an open operation for DBS or stereotactic thalamotomy.

About the expert

This expert has 35 years of experience in the field of neurological surgery. He earned his BS in biological sciences from Rutgers University and his MD from Rutgers Medical School. He completed an internship in surgery at Rutgers University Medical School, a residency in neurology at New Jersey Medical School, and a second residency in neurosurgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute. He then finished his fellowships, one in neurosurgery at the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, another in neuro-oncology at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, and lastly, one in neurochemistry at the National Institute of Health. Today, this expert is board certified in neurological surgery and is active in his field as a member of numerous medical societies, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He is influential in his field of neurosurgery, as an author of 26 peer-reviewed journal articles, 5 book chapters, and over 80 presentations and lectures. This expert previously held positions as an attending neurosurgeon at 10 medical centers throughout the United States, including UCLA Medical Center, West Virginia University Hospital, Ohio Valley Medical Center, and Jersey Shore Medical Center, among many others. Additionally, he was an assistant professor of neurosurgery at West Virginia University Medical School and a clinical instructor of neurosurgery at the University of California Irvine Medical Center. Currently, he serves as a practicing neurosurgeon at two medical centers and as an associate professor of neurosurgery at a top medical school in New Jersey.

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About the author

Wendy Ketner, M.D.

Wendy Ketner, M.D.

Dr. Wendy Ketner is a distinguished medical professional with a comprehensive background in surgery and medical research. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at the Expert Institute, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the organization's most important client relationships. Dr. Ketner's extensive surgical training was completed at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, where she gained hands-on experience in various general surgery procedures, including hernia repairs, cholecystectomies, appendectomies, mastectomies for breast cancer, breast reconstruction, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, and colorectal surgery. She also provided care in the surgical intensive care unit.

Her research interests have focused on post-mastectomy reconstruction and the surgical treatment of gastric cancer, including co-authoring a textbook chapter on the subject. Additionally, she has contributed to research on the percutaneous delivery of stem cells following myocardial infarction.

Dr. Ketner's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree from Yale University in Latin American Studies and a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. Moreover, she is a member of the Board of Advisors for Opollo Technologies, a fintech healthcare AI company, contributing her medical expertise to enhance healthcare technology solutions. Her role at Expert Institute involves leveraging her medical knowledge to provide insights into legal cases, underscoring her unique blend of medical and legal acumen.

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