UHS observes Neurosurgery Awareness Month in August

You never know when your life — or the life of someone you love — will change in an instant due to an accident, illness or injury. It’s important to know that skilled medical professionals and specialty-equipped hospitals in your community are ready and able to provide the services you need. August is recognized as Neurosurgery Awareness Month, and UHS is providing an overview of its neurosurgical team and services. UHS knows that when the unexpected happens, it’s important to know that skilled medical professionals and specialty-equipped hospitals in your community are ready and able to provide the services you need.

UHS Neurosurgery provides the only comprehensive and most experienced brain and spine care program in the region. As a leader in the field for more than 40 years, UHS ranks as one of the top neurosurgical centers in New York State. As part of the organization’s commitment to offer patients the highest-quality care, UHS welcomed four neurosurgeons to its medical staff in 2023, who have quickly cared for countless patients in the community. Simone Betchen, MD; Kate Foxx, MD; Kenneth Foxx, MD; and Paul Maurer, MD, are all board-certified in neurosurgery with a collective 60-plus years of neurosurgery experience. UHS is now pleased to welcome Dr. Julio Montejo to the UHS Neurosurgery Team in August 2025. Dr. Montejo joins UHS after completing Medical School at Yale University in New Haven, CT and his Neurosurgery Residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. 

Understanding the role of neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is a specialized branch of medicine focusing on the surgical treatment of disorders affecting the brain, spine and peripheral nerves. Neurosurgeons are equipped to handle complex conditions requiring intricate and precise surgical interventions. At UHS, our neurosurgery team offers cutting-edge care, combining advanced technology with expert skills to provide patients with the best possible outcomes. UHS Neurosurgery offers a comprehensive range of neurosurgical services, addressing both common and complex neurological conditions.  

When to call neurosurgery? 

Recognizing when to call neurosurgery can be crucial for patient outcomes. Here are some scenarios when contacting a neurosurgeon at UHS is essential:

1. Degenerative Spine Conditions: Severe cases of spinal stenosis, herniated discs or other degenerative spine disorders causing significant pain, weakness or dysfunction may benefit from neurosurgical procedures to alleviate symptoms and restore function. UHS Neurosurgery is an integral part of the UHS Spine Care Program, the first Joint Commission certified Spine care Program in Upstate NY. 
2. Brain Tumors: Diagnosis and treatment of a brain tumor typically involves neurosurgical consultation to determine the appropriate surgical approach for biopsy or removal, as well as to develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
3. Brain Aneurysms: UHS Neurosurgery in collaboration with our Neuro Interventional Surgery team provides several options for the treatment of brain aneurysms, which are a bulge or ballooning of blood vessels in the brain. This teamwork approach provides each patient with treatment options specific to them and their diagnosis. 
4. Severe Head Trauma: If a patient suffers a significant head injury, especially with symptoms like loss of consciousness, severe headache, vomiting, or neurological deficits (e.g., weakness, numbness or difficulty speaking), immediate evaluation by a neurosurgeon is necessary to assess and treat potential brain injuries. UHS Wilson Medical Center is the region’s only NYS Department of Health designated Trauma Center, capable of treating the most seriously injured patients.
5. Spinal Cord Injury: Trauma to the spine, resulting in symptoms such as loss of movement, sensation, or bladder/bowel control, requires urgent neurosurgical consultation to prevent permanent damage and improve recovery prospects.
6. Intracranial Hemorrhage: Patients presenting with symptoms of a brain bleed, such as a sudden severe headache, changes in mental status or focal neurological deficits, need prompt neurosurgical intervention to manage the bleeding and alleviate pressure on the brain.
7. Hydrocephalus: This condition, characterized by an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain, often requires surgical intervention to drain the excess fluid and relieve intracranial pressure.
8. Chiari Malformation: Patients with this structural defect in the base of the skull and cerebellum may experience symptoms like headaches, balance issues and coordination problems, necessitating neurosurgical evaluation and potential decompression surgery.
9. Essential Tremor and Tremor-Dominant Parkinson’s Disease: Patients with this condition experience shaking or trembling of their hands, voice, or face.  Medications are not always effective in treating the tremor.  UHS exclusively offers Focused Ultrasound in Upstate NY, an effective, outpatient, incisionless treatment option for patients with Essential Tremor, and recently treated our 50^th patient since the program started in 2024.

“Knowing when to call neurosurgery is vital for ensuring timely and appropriate treatment of serious neurological conditions and preventing or minimizing permanent damage, disability or even death,” said UHS’ chief of neurosciences and attending neurosurgeon Dr. Simone Betchen.

At UHS, the neurosurgery team is dedicated to providing expert, patient-centered, compassionate care, utilizing the latest technology and techniques to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients. Whether dealing with traumatic injuries, complex brain and spine conditions, or chronic neurological disorders, UHS is committed to advancing the field of neurosurgery and improving the lives of those they serve.

For more information about neurosurgery at UHS, visit www.nyuhs.org/care-treatment/neurosurgery.