| BACKGROUND: |
Established in Los Angeles in 1996, the Skull Base Institute is revolutionizing the field of brain surgery thanks to one man who has dedicated his life to promoting the use of minimally invasive endoscopy to treat tumors and other abnormalities. Led by Medical Director Hrayr K. Shahinian, M.D., who originally founded the institute in New York in 1994, the Skull Base Institute has turned the medical community upside down by shunning the traditional craniotomy -- a relatively barbaric procedure that involves making an incision from ear to ear, pulling back the skin to expose the skull, sawing off the top portion to reach the brain and attempting to correct the abnormality in question. Shahinian and his world-class team of surgeons, neurologists, endocrinologists and other medical professionals are able to treat patients using micro-instruments to access the problem areas. Endoscopes are carefully inserted through the nasal passage or via a small incision made at either the eyebrow line or behind the ear. As a result, patients enjoy shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery times, decreased overall risk and a superior result with fewer complications.
To date, the Skull Base Institute has treated more than 4,500 patients using its advanced endoscopic procedures and receives more than 80 percent of its referrals from former patients who praise the success of their treatment via the Internet. The result is leading to a paradigm shift in this field of medicine despite some opposition from traditionalists who are holding on to long-established practices and are resistant to change. |
| LOCATION: |
Skull Base Institute
8635 West 3rd Street
Suite 1170 W
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Main Office -- (310) 691-8888
Hotline -- (888) 266-9627
Fax -- (310) 691-8877 |
| HOURS OF OPERATION: |
7:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. -- Monday - Friday |
| AREAS OF SPECIALTY: |
Benign and malignant brain/skull base tumors in adults and pediatric patients including:
- Pituitary Tumors -- These mostly benign tumors are fairly common representing 10 to 15 percent of all brain tumors. Attached to the brain by a fine stalk, the pituitary, a.k.a. the master gland, controls all other glands including the thyroid and adrenal glands as well as the testicles and ovaries.
- Acoustic Neuromas -- These typically benign tumors are located on the eighth cranial nerve, which is located behind the ear and is responsible for balance and hearing. Located close to the seventh cranial nerve, treatment in this area requires particular caution to avoid permanent facial damage that causes paralysis, making it impossible to smile, close the eyes or move the face on that side.
- Meningiomas -- Comprising approximately 15 percent of all brain tumors, these arise from the meninges, or the thick membrane that covers the brain. Mostly benign, they can occur anywhere in the central nervous system but appear most commonly at the base of the brain. These tumors are fairly unresponsive to radiation or chemotherapy and endoscopic surgery is the best modality for treatment.
- Craniopharyngiomas -- These are embryologic remnants found in the pituitary gland at birth that grow over time. These tumors are known to affect pituitary function and are addressed in similar fashion to common pituitary tumors.
- Neurovascular Conflicts -- This group of disorders is characterized by blood vessels pinching cranial nerves inside the skull. The most common of these problems is an extremely painful condition known as trigeminal neuralgia in which patients experience electrical shocks down the side of the face. Other such conditions include hemifacial spasms caused by pinching of the facial nerve by a blood vessel, which are characterized by constant, involuntary twitching of the mouth, eyes and facial muscles. These disorders are often treated by lifting the blood vessel and padding the nerve with a Teflon insert.
- Pineal Tumors -- The pineal gland is a small gland in the mid-brain shaped like a pine cone. It produces melatonin, a serotonin derivative and hormone that controls sleep/waking patterns, circadian rhythms and the body’s ability to regulate to the seasons.
Pineal tumors are rare in adults, representing 1% of all brain tumors overall. However, pineal tumors make up 3-8% of intracranial tumors in children and the average age of patients at time of diagnosis is 13 years old.
At the Skull Base Institute, we advocate the minimally invasive endoscopic approach as the mainstay of therapy. This curative procedure begins by creating a "keyhole" smaller than a dime behind the ear. From there, a slender endoscope slides over the top of the cerebellum and through a natural pathway to access the deep-seated pineal tumor, without the need for any metal retractors or the need to go through brain tissue. This revolutionary procedure is used to completely excise the tumor.
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