Internationally Recognized Neurosurgeon
Opens Miami Neurological Institute

Santiago Figuereo, MD Performs Unique, State-of-the-Art Minimally Invasive Surgeries
for Spine and Brain Disorders

MIAMI BEACH, FL (January, 2009) - Internationally recognized neurosurgeon Santiago Figuereo, MD today announced the opening of Miami Neurological Institute (www.miamini.com), a private practice patient care team specializing in minimally invasive procedures for spine and brain disorders.

Dr. Figuereo and his supportive team offer several unique, state-of-the art procedures that are not currently available in South Florida. Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common debilitating disorder affecting the elderly population. Traditional approaches involve major surgical interventions with lengthy recovery periods. Through the use of specially designed surgical instruments, Dr. Figuereo is one of few neurosurgeons in the nation who are able to correct up to three levels of lumbar stenosis using the same small incision for all three levels in an outpatient procedure. He also has special expertise in minimally invasive spinal discectomy, which is a technique used for decompressing damaged spinal discs through tiny incisions in an outpatient setting. His collaboration with spine bioengineers has led to the development of new procedures and the design of innovative instruments used internationally for minimally invasive surgery of the spine. As a prominent faculty in minimally invasive neurosurgery workshops, Dr. Figuereo has trained hundreds of national and international neurosurgeons in these techniques.

Dr. Figuereo has modified traditional brain surgeries, as in the case of craniotomy with hair preservation, which minimizes the aesthetic and emotional impact of post-surgery baldness. In addition, Dr. Figuereo specializes in minimally invasive endoscopic techniques for intracranial, skull base, and pituitary tumors. Endoscopy is a technique involving the insertion of a flexible fiber optic camera through small incisions or through the body's openings, such as the nasal canal, to directly inspect organs and guide small tools to the surgery site. Many traditional neurosurgical procedures involve large incisions, a lengthy hospital stay and a long recovery period. Endoscopy enables Dr. Figuereo to complete brain and spine procedures in less time, with fewer complications, less scarring, and a faster recovery period for patients.

As one of the few Functional Neurosurgery fellowship trained neurosurgeons in Florida, Dr. Figuereo is highly skilled in the surgical management of movement disorders, including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, as well as in surgical procedures for epilepsy.

Prior to opening Miami Neurological Institute, Dr. Figuereo was on staff at two Miami-area hospitals. Before arriving in South Florida, he served as standing faculty and assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Neurosurgery Division Chief at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center.

In response to patient accessibility needs, several clinics sites and surgery facilities are available to patients in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Figuereo, visit www.miamini.com or call 786-623-2000.

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About Miami Neurological Institute

Located in Aventura, Fla., Miami Neurological Institute offers minimally invasive, state-of-the-art procedures for disorders of the brain and spine. The Institute's founder and medical director, Santiago Figuereo, M.D., is a board certified neurological surgeon who brings unique techniques to the region, including craniotomy with hair preservation, minimally invasive spinal discectomy, and minimally invasive endoscopic techniques for intracranial, skull base, and pituitary tumors. He is highly skilled in the surgical management of movement disorders, including deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and surgical procedures for epilepsy.

Prior to arriving in South Florida, Dr. Figuereo served as standing faculty and assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Neurosurgery Division Chief at the Philadelphia Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Dr. Figuereo studied general surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and his neurological surgery residency was completed at Loma Linda University Medical Center. He completed a neurosurgery fellowship at the University of Washington and a fellowship in functional neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information, visit www.miamini.com or call (786) 623-2000.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
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Debbie Liebross
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