Getting Ready for the Future of Neurosurgery

Imagine living with a debilitating neurological disorder that affects every aspect of your daily life. For more than 10 million Canadians living with conditions like Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, chronic pain, depression and other diseases and disorders of the brain, this is a harsh reality. Globally, the total burden of these conditions is more than that of cancer and heart disease combined.

Enter the team at Canada’s largest research hospital, University Health Network (UHN). At UHN’s Krembil Brain Institute, one of North America’s largest neuroscience units, experts are driving innovations in neurosurgery to treat brain diseases. One area is neuromodulation—more specifically, deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS involves a specialized team of neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuroradiologists, technologists and nurses who undertake a complex task: implanting tiny electrodes deep into the brain to reset and repair it. For people who have undergone the procedure, they describe it as getting their lives back.

“Even after performing this operation hundreds of times, I can never get used to seeing that moment when we see tremors disappear or Parkinson’s symptoms improve in an instant,” says Dr. Suneil Kalia, a neurosurgeon and Parkinson’s disease specialist in UHN’s Sprott Department of Surgery and Krembil Brain Institute.

Kalia’s colleagues get a similar buzz. “The brain remains this enigmatic structure with 80 billion neurons and 200 trillion connections,” says Dr. Taufik Valiante, neurosurgeon and director of the Surgical Epilepsy Program at UHN’s Sprott Department of Surgery and Krembil Brain Institute. “The goal is to provide the best possible care while also taking opportunities to advance understanding of our most complex organ.”

Drs. Valiante and Kalia’s enthusiasm and passion for pushing the boundaries of science are clearly evident. Earlier this year, they presented to an intrigued audience of Canada’s business elite about the future of neuromodulation— including the new surgical tower currently under construction at UHN’s Toronto Western Hospital. This state-of-the-art, 15-storey facility will add 82 private patient rooms and 20 operating rooms.

“This new space will allow us to do what we do on a scale that we cannot right now,” explains Valiante, adding that the new surgical suites will be equipped with telesimulation technology that will enable UHN’s surgical experts to train teams around the world and in remote communities.

This ambitious $1.1-billion capital project—the largest in UHN’s history—will be a pivotal addition to the network. About one-third of the project cost ($300 million) will be raised through UHN Foundation.

Both doctors add that donor support is essential to helping UHN continue to push the field of neurosurgery forward, helping ensure that operating rooms are equipped with the best and latest technology and talent to benefit patients across Canada and beyond.

To learn more about this ambitious project and how you can help shape the future of surgery, visit UHNsurgicaltower.ca.