Board-certified in neurology, vascular neurology, and neuro-endovascular surgery, Dr. Ortiz discusses the Neurosciences program’s achievements to date, the value of being part of a larger hospital system, and his plans for its future.
What makes White Plains Hospital’s Neurosciences department unique?
Dr. Ortiz: We are incredibly proud of the program’s rapid growth and the talented specialists who have joined our team at White Plains Hospital. We are fortunate to have experts at the forefront of their respective specialties working together to care for patients with complex conditions, including stroke and brain aneurysms.
Our staff includes board-certified neuro-endovascular surgeons, neurosurgeons, and neurologists, supported by the most advanced technology, equipment and facilities. Last year, we began performing neuro-endovascular procedures in our new biplane neuro-angiography suite, including mechanical thrombectomies and endovascular treatment of brain aneurysms. We are able to reassure patients and their families during what can be very stressful situations that they are receiving the highest level of care possible.
Can you explain what a mechanical thrombectomy is? And how big a deal is it to offer it?
Dr. Ortiz: Mechanical thrombectomy is the highest-quality acute stroke care currently available. It is a minimally invasive procedure to remove blood clots in the brain and can save critical time for stroke patients. The faster a patient can undergo the procedure, the greater opportunity they have to regain functionality and avoid brain damage, long-term disability or even death. Access to this level of care is critical, and White Plains Hospital is one of the few hospitals in the U.S. that is sufficiently equipped to offer mechanical thrombectomy. In addition, we have been certified by The Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center, a prestigious recognition for meeting rigorous quality and safety standards for the procedure.
What other advancements help make your program so distinctive?
Dr. Ortiz: In addition to the biplane neuro-angiography suite, we are the only Hospital in New York outside of New York City to offer advanced imaging through a PET/MRI scanner, which helps us provide the most accurate diagnosis of neurological disorders, including dementia, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and movement disorders.
We also offer the Noninvasive Optimal Vessel Analysis (NOVA) MRA scan, which is an extra layer of diagnostic technology to measure blood flow in the brain, supporting faster and more precise diagnoses and treatment plans. Another leading-edge diagnostic tool we have is the most advanced equipment available to perform transcranial Doppler (TCD) Ultrasounds, which leverage sound waves and artificial intelligence to measure blood flow in the brain in patients with acute neurological conditions.
With these advanced technologies available at our fingertips, we can offer treatment for more complex conditions like vascular malformations of the head and neck for both adult and pediatric patients, brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), spinal cord AVM, and open cranial neurosurgical intervention for brain aneurysms, traditionally only treated in large academic medical centers. Now patients can receive expert care for these conditions in a more patient-centered environment here at White Plains Hospital. In addition, thanks to our partnership with the Montefiore Health System, physicians can coordinate care for patients throughout Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties and the Bronx, ensuring that they are treated at the Hospital with the most advanced level of care to meet their needs. Furthermore, patients with neurological conditions often benefit from physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, and we are able to seamlessly connect them to these services within the Montefiore Health System at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital.
What is your vision for the future of the Neurosciences program?
Dr. Ortiz: The vision is to become a world-class destination for people who need care for anything neuro-related – both for patients who live in, work in, and visit Westchester County and those coming from outside of the immediate area seeking exceptional, personalized care.
Neurosurgical spine treatment will be an area that will continue to grow. Our already highly skilled team will evolve and have a stronger presence as they work with our rehabilitation team and other specialists to treat patients with spine, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve conditions.
Meanwhile, in the coming year, our highly skilled neuro-oncology and neurosurgery experts will be able to collaborate to treat late-stage cancers using advanced surgical techniques, radiation and innovative endovascular super-selective delivery of chemotherapy and radiation directly to the site of a tumor.
In addition, we will be able to offer specialized neurosurgical treatments for patients with epilepsy and movement disorders. As the Hospital continues to grow and expand, we will be able to recruit pediatric specialists to help and treat children with brain tumors, epilepsy, and complex neurovascular conditions.
There is so much we can do to advance Neurosciences care right here in the Westchester region, allowing patients to receive the best care available, close to home.
Dr. Rafael A. Ortiz is Executive Director of Neurosciences at White Plains Hospital. His specialties include endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms; embolization of brain tumors and vascular tumors of the head and neck region; cerebral and spinal arteriovenous malformations; ischemic stroke; cerebral and carotid artery stenting; and treatment of craniofacial vascular lesions in adults and children, among others. To make an appointment, call 914.849.5300.
