Much of a Department of Neurological Surgery resident's neurotrauma experience occurs at MetroHealth Medical Center, which, as a Level I Trauma Center, sees hundreds of neurosurgery trauma patients annually. As a Level I Center, the MetroHealth Trauma Center is one of the busiest in the nation, with nearly 3,000 admissions related to trauma per year.
The 27-bed Surgical Intensive Care Unit admits more than 2,000 critically ill surgical patients per year.
MetroHealth physicians participate in a number of multi-center trials involving head-injured or spinal cord-injured patients. Ongoing studies involving advanced management protocols for the medical and surgical treatment of brain and spinal cord trauma patients are being conducted as well. Clinical studies involving novel techniques of spinal instrumentation for stabilization are also available.
In 2011, UH opened a new, $40 million Center for Emergency Medicine, which at 60,000 square feet nearly tripled the size of available space for pediatric and adult emergency and trauma care at the main campus. As the region’s only level I pediatric trauma center, hundreds of admissions are seen at Rainbow Babies and Children’s annually. Moreover, University Hospitals has announced Cleveland Medical Center will become the region’s second level I trauma center in the fall of 2015. Reconstruction plans are under way to expand the neurosurgical intensive care unit from 14 to 19 beds, and new clinical trials and research will be beginning at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center as this transition begins.
Under the direction of Dr. Alan Hoffer, M.D., the Department of Neurological Surgery has been approved by the Committee on Advanced Subspecialty Training through the Society of Neurological Surgeons for a one year enfolded Neurotrauma and Critical Care fellowship beginning in 2016.