Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common complication after stroke that can increase the risk of pneumonia, prolong hospital stays and, in severe cases, require patients to rely on feeding tubes for nutrition.

The Phagenyx® System combines temporary nutritional support with gentle electrical stimulation that helps retrain swallowing muscles weakened by stroke. The therapy stimulates nerves in the throat to encourage the brain to restore normal swallowing function.

"We're committed to bringing the most advanced, evidence-based treatments to our patients," says Arun Talkad, MD, director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at the OSF Illinois Neurological Institute. "The Phagenyx® catheter not only provides temporary nutrition but also stimulates the muscles involved in swallowing, helping patients recover this critical function sooner. Studies have shown it can reduce the need for permanent feeding tubes, which can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. This technology adds another important tool to the comprehensive stroke care we provide."

Nearly 800,000 people experience a stroke each year in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. While paralysis, speech changes and vision loss are among the best-known effects of stroke, many patients also experience dysphagia, making it difficult or unsafe to swallow food, liquids and even saliva.

The Phagenyx® System is one of several advanced therapies available through the Comprehensive Stroke Center at OSF Saint Francis, supporting people throughout their recovery and rehabilitation.

According to Dr. Emily Cooper, a clinical audiologist and audiology supervisor with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, the best treatment depends on the severity and type of hearing loss. An audiogram, or hearing test, can help audiologists determine the most appropriate option for each patient.

As hearing loss progresses, hearing aids may no longer provide enough benefit, especially when it comes to understanding speech.

When hearing becomes more severe, patients may still hear sounds but struggle to clearly understand conversations, even while wearing hearing aids.

"That's when we would consider someone for a cochlear implant," she adds.

Not just for children

Many people associate cochlear implants with children who are born with hearing loss. While cochlear implants can be life-changing for children, Dr. Cooper says adults should not overlook them as a treatment option.

"From nine months, all the way to 95. As long as you're healthy enough to undergo an outpatient surgery, you can get a cochlear implant," Dr. Cooper says.

Despite their effectiveness, cochlear implants remain underused.

"They're completely underutilized," Dr. Cooper stresses. "Only 6-13% of people who could benefit from a cochlear implant actually have one."

For adults experiencing hearing difficulties, the first step is making sure their current hearing aids are working as intended. Dr. Cooper recommends having hearing aids professionally evaluated and adjusted if necessary.

If hearing challenges persist, patients should schedule an appointment with an audiologist to discuss their concerns and determine whether a cochlear implant evaluation may be appropriate.

Who qualifies for a cochlear implant?

Many people are surprised to learn they may qualify for a cochlear implant sooner than they think.

According to Dr. Cooper, candidates may include individuals who:

• Have hearing levels of 60 decibels or poorer
• Score 60% or lower on word understanding testing

A comprehensive hearing evaluation can help determine whether a patient meets candidacy requirements and whether a cochlear implant could improve communication and quality of life.

What happens after implantation?

A cochlear implant works differently than a hearing aid. Rather than simply making sounds louder, the implant bypasses damaged parts of the inner ear and directly stimulates the hearing nerve.

After surgery, the device is activated and adjusted by an audiologist.

Dr. Cooper says patients should expect an adjustment period when the device is first turned on.

"Part of the process is doing listening therapy," Dr. Cooper says. "Over the first 1-3 months, people start to really notice their hearing a lot more than they used to, and understanding a lot more than they used to. So, it can be a slower process over the first couple of months as the brain relearns to hear with this implant."

Initially, sounds may seem robotic or static-like. Over time, however, the brain adapts to the new signals and learns to interpret them more naturally.

Hearing loss can affect anyone

Hearing loss is often associated with aging, but it can affect people at every stage of life.

"Hearing loss does not discriminate," Dr. Cooper says. It can impact infants, children, adults and older adults alike.

Some individuals are born with hearing loss, while others develop it later due to genetics, illness, injury or long-term noise exposure.

Certain genes can increase a person's susceptibility to hearing loss, and genetic forms of hearing loss often appear earlier in life. To identify hearing issues as soon as possible, every newborn receives a hearing screening before leaving the hospital.

Early identification is critical because untreated hearing loss can affect speech and language development.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently lowered the minimum age for cochlear implant candidacy to seven months, allowing more infants with significant hearing loss to receive treatment earlier.

For children born with hearing loss, earlier intervention can help reduce the risk of speech delays and support language development during critical stages of growth.

Protecting your hearing throughout life

Not all hearing loss develops immediately after exposure to loud noise. In many cases, hearing damage accumulates over time.

Dr. Cooper notes that someone who attended loud concerts, worked around machinery or experienced other significant noise exposure years ago may not notice hearing loss until much later in life.

Because hearing changes often occur gradually, regular hearing evaluations can help identify problems early and connect patients with treatment options before hearing loss significantly impacts daily life.

Whether the solution is hearing aids, cochlear implants or another intervention, Dr. Cooper says people should not assume hearing loss is something they simply have to live with. Advances in hearing technology continue to provide opportunities for people of all ages to stay connected to the sounds and conversations that matter most.

Speaking with your primary care provider can help start the conversation, and figure out a plan that works for you.

Video Interview Clips

• Lordosis: This refers to the normal, c-shaped curvature of the lower back.
   
• Kyphosis: This is the normal curvature of the upper back.
  
  In each case, the term itself doesn’t indicate a deformity. But the curvature can become abnormal, prompting a spine physician to take a look and possibly recommend lifestyle changes.

Bonafide spine disorders include:

• Scoliosis: This curvature of the spine brings back pain “from muscles having to compensate to hold the spine and body in the right position,” Dr. Syed says. Sometimes, nerves get pinched, leading to chest, abdomen or leg pain. Severe cases could bring paralysis. Or, a lung could get pinched, leading to impaired breathing. This is called thoracic insufficiency syndrome.
  
  Genetics, nutrition, muscle imbalance and lifestyle can all contribute to getting scoliosis. Your spine can also naturally worsen with age.
  
  “The discs start to thin. The spine starts to tilt. That puts more strain on the joints. They tend to overgrow, twist and change in size. That creates a domino effect. You get this spine that’s really twisted,” Dr. Syed explains.
  
  Dr. Syed adds that most scoliosis cases can be addressed without surgery. The person can change their lifestyle, notably getting on an exercise plan that strengthens the muscles that support the spine. In severe cases, a surgeon would put screws, rods or plates into your spine or make cuts in the bones.
  
  “It pulls the spine into the correct space, frees up the nerves from the pressure on them and gets the spine to heal in that position,” Dr. Syed says.

• Ankylosing spondylitis (AS): Dr. Syed says this is an inflammatory condition in various joints due to the body’s immune system not working properly.
  
  “Normally, your spine is made up of a bunch of repeating segments. They move relative to each other. That’s how you bend and twist,” Dr. Syed says. “In AS, the joints start to become solid bone because of inflammation. That leads to very stiff, brittle painful bones. People are predisposed to fractures with minor falls. Those people we typically see, unfortunately, in trauma settings. They have brittle, stiff spine that doesn’t have any bend or give. They have a fall, and the spine breaks.”
  
  Dr. Syed says a rheumatologist could put an AS patient on an immune-modifying medicine to prevent inflammation.

Prevention

Keeping a healthy spine comes down to “fundamental good behavior,” Dr. Syed says.

• Avoid activities that could injure the spine. That could be everyday things like heavy lifting or career choices like a contact sport.
   
• Maintain a healthy weight through a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
  
  “You don’t want to be too skinny or too big,” Dr. Syed suggests. “That puts either too much strain [when you’re overweight] or not enough muscle to support the spine [when you’re underweight].
  
  “It’s like Goldilocks,” Dr. Syed adds, referring to the “not too hot, not too cold” fairytale. “You want to work out but not too intensely that you’re crossing over into injury.”
  
  Walks or light jogs could be the things for you, he says.
   
• Avoid smoking.

Learn more

The OSF HealthCare website has information on orthopedic health. The OSF Illinois Neurological Institute also provides comprehensive care.

Interview clips

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Weather changes can play a major role in triggering migraine headaches for some people, according to specialists who treat the condition. In fact, for some people, weather can play a huge role in migraine headaches.

Ashley Workman is an advanced practice registered nurse with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute (OSF INI). She works in the headache and cranial facial pain program and explains, “Specific weather changes that we see influence some of our patients’ migraine patterns are changes in barometric pressure, which we identify as any fluctuation or drop in the atmospheric pressure around us in our environment, extreme temperature shifts — so not only extreme heat waves, but also those cold snaps, or any more extreme shift in temperature from high to low.”

Workman says Illinois weather has offered recent examples of those quick changes when it was 90 degrees just a few weeks ago, but now it’s dropping into the 30s and most people have turned their heat on. While scientists understand parts of the migraine process, Workman stresses the relationship between weather and migraine isn’t fully understood.

Migraines are a complex disorder, and there are some theories out there that weather changes influence migraines. Workman points out that researchers have one theory in particular that is centered around the influence of barometric pressure.

“Does that shift in atmospheric pressure actually have an influence on the pressure within our skull? And that can then further influence how our blood vessels constrict and dilate. And those specific changes then can trigger those neurons and nerves signaling the pain process, which then leads to inflammation and causing that migraine headache for patients.”  

Testing those theories can be difficult because the brain and the nervous system are so complex.

“These neurons that we’re talking about are so teensy, tiny and can be influenced by so many factors, migraine being one of those that the sky is somewhat the limit on what triggers them and it’s very individualized to the person so that really adds a layer of complexity of giving someone sometimes a straightforward answer of why they have migraine or what their triggers are, because it can differ so much across the board,” Workman suggests.

• There is no cure for migraine headaches, so Workman says it truly is all about education and managing the condition by being prepared. Here are some approaches:
• Tracking headaches on a calendar can help identify weather-related patterns. She says that’ll help better identify triggers.
• Having medication readily available is also key. Workman emphasizes the importance of always having your medication with you in case a migraine comes on, especially unexpectedly.
• Managing stress and routinely getting enough sleep are important.
• Focusing on a better diet and drinking more water to avoid dehydration is also a key to better management of migraine.

Ultimately, Workman advises that there are things providers can do to help patients live a little better lifestyle, knowing that they have migraine headaches including prescriptions, including acute medications or preventative medications.

She adds, “A lot has evolved in the migraine world over the last five to seven years, with newer treatments on the market that we haven’t had that have been really, really so impactful for patients and leading to better migraine control.”

If you have been struggling with migraine headaches, Workman says there’s no need to suffer without support. Make an appointment with your primary care provider.

Ashley Workman

B-roll for migraine headaches

This comes roughly five years after he announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Within 25 years, the world can expect to see a 112% increase in the number of people living with Parkinson’s since 2021.

A new report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) links population growth and longer predicted lifespans as two main causes for an expected 25 million patients with Parkinson’s across the globe by 2050.

What is Parkinson's disease? 

“Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder which causes a person to move less. It happens because the brain is not making enough dopamine, which is the neurotransmitter required for movement,” says Kavya Moravineni, a movement disorders neurologist with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute (INI). “Our movement circuits in the brain use dopamine and cause voluntary movement.”

Dr. Moravineni wasn’t shocked to see the estimate in the BMJ. Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disease, which coincides with natural aging. So, as life expectancy increases, the incidence naturally increases. Additionally, Dr. Moravineni believes there has been increased awareness, and in turn, increased diagnoses of Parkinson's. People are seeking out medical attention earlier as they recognize the symptoms, especially if they have a family history of PD.

Symptoms of Parkinson’s

“Tremor is the most common one. That’s what brings attention to see that something is wrong here,” Dr. Moravineni says. “Patients can have stiffness in their limbs, primarily in their muscles, and they can have problems walking. The typical dragging feet or not moving their arms as much when they’re walking. Stooped posture is another one.”

However, patients can have other symptoms which they don’t initially attribute to something like Parkinson’s disease. This can be the loss of sense of smell, dizziness upon standing or longstanding history of constipation. Sometimes anxiety or acting out your dreams at night can be longstanding symptoms.

The first step, Dr. Moravineni says, is to get a diagnosis. Next would be to decide how to manage the disease. The medical team at OSF INI offers different medication options, as well as discussing different surgical options. One example is deep brain stimulation (DBS).

What is deep brain stimulation? 

"It's an implant that's going into your brain. The idea is that we're using electricity to help with symptoms," Dr. Moravineni says. "To put it simply, the leads that go into the brain will pass electricity into the tissue and neurons. This negates abnormal signaling causing symptoms, so it improves symptoms."

Why deep brain stimulation can replace medication:

"As the disease progresses, the need for medication dosage increases. With that comes side effects. In those situations where the patients are still responding to medications, but experiencing a lot of side effects, deep brain stimulation can help. It's replacing medication while still providing the same benefit," Dr. Moravineni says. 

It can be increased or decreased based on what the symptoms are doing. Younger patients are often "better" candidates for deep brain stimulation. Patients cannot be candidates if they have severe dementia or underlying psychiatric illness that has not been managed. Of if they don't have solid family support. Dr. Moravineni calls deep brain stimulation one of the "next steps" in the process. It is recommended patients have proof of responding well to medication. 

Supportive therapies (speech and/or physical therapy) are beneficial parts of the care journey. 

The Michael J. Fox Foundation says while the BMJ article does not fully articulate the growth of PD, it does shine a light on the need for a cure.

There's no great list of health tips out there that can prevent Parkinson's. However, Dr. Moravineni says a well-rounded exercise regimen can help slow down progression in Parkinson's patients.

Dr. Moravineni adds that there have been increasing amounts of evidence indicating a connection between neurologic diseases and gut microbiome. The Mediterranean diet focuses on healthy habits like drinking less alcohol, eating more plant-based foods and fewer red meats, encouraging a strong and diverse microbiome. In turn, this may help in prevention and/or reduce the severity of certain neurologic conditions.

OSF INI has two physicians, one nurse practitioner and therapists caring for patients in the Peoria area. This multi-disciplinary approach to care helps INI be the go-to destination for patients in the community. 

For more information, visit the OSF INI website.

Video Interview Clips

Preston Patton, who was 6 years old at the time, had just taken some medicine and the family was sitting at the kitchen table in their Pekin, Illinois home.

“Suddenly, he just fell off the chair and was limp. You could tell something was wrong,” recalls Shawn Patton, Preston’s father. “I didn’t think it was a stroke, but I just knew something was wrong.”

Shawn called 9-1-1 immediately. Emergency responders arrived within minutes, and Preston was rushed to the hospital. A scan revealed something few expect to see in a child: a blood clot in the brain. Doctors at OSF HealthCare moved quickly to remove the clot — performing a procedure known as a thrombectomy. Preston would go on to become one of the few children in the world to undergo the life-saving intervention.

Preston’s sister, Carter, played a critical role during the crisis — locking up the family dogs and calling their grandparents while Shawn worked with EMTs to get Preston the help he needed.

A devastating diagnosis

Leading Preston’s care was Sourabh Lahoti, MD, a vascular and interventional neurologist with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute (INI), in Peoria, Illinois.

When Preston arrived at the hospital, a team of emergency and pediatric doctors quickly realized the severity of the situation. “He had complete paralysis on the left side of his body. No movement was possible, and the vision in his left visual field was lost. He could not move his eyes to the left, either,” Dr. Lahoti explains. “He had the tell-tale signs of a stroke affecting the right side of his brain.”

The CT scan confirmed that a blood clot was blocking critical blood flow to the right side of Preston’s brain. Dr. Lahoti determined there was no time to lose.

“We had to take that clot out. If we hadn’t, then chances are he would have gone on to develop a very big stroke. This would have not only left him paralyzed potentially for the rest of his life, but it could have been life threatening and taken his life,” Dr. Lahoti says.

A rare procedure, a miraculous recovery

While thrombectomies are more common in adult stroke patients, they remain exceedingly rare in children. Preston was one of the first children in the world to have the procedure done.

“By the time we went on to do this procedure of clot removal, which is called thrombectomy, that clot had further traveled down to a smaller blood vessel,” says Dr. Lahoti. “The further out the clot is, the higher the risk it is to get it out. Because we're getting into very tiny blood vessels in the brain. We decided to take that risk and prevent a lifelong disability.”

‘It was truly magical’

“Soon after we removed the clot, we saw a complete reversal of his deficits. It was truly magical to see that,” Dr. Lahoti recalls. “To have him come in with complete paralysis, and then we did this procedure under anesthesia. After the anesthesia was taken off, he woke up and was able to move his left arm and leg again.”

Prior to this type of intervention, patients — especially children — had few choices.

“Before this therapy was available, patients didn’t have options. The usual course was they were left with paralysis for life, and they were never able to live normally again,” says Dr. Lahoti.

A complicated lead-up

The signs of Preston’s illness began about a month before the stroke. He had a bladder infection that turned into a kidney infection, requiring hospitalization just days before Christmas Eve. He was discharged on Saturday — only to return under emergency conditions.

At the time of the stroke, his heart function had dropped to just 10%, his dad says. His doctors believe a rare complication led to his condition.

“In his case, he had gotten the flu. Because of the flu, there was a cross-reaction of the immunity his body built up for the flu,” Dr. Lahoti explains. “His immune system attacked the flu virus, but also his kidneys and heart, too. Because of that, his heart pumping got really weak, and we think that led to the formation of a clot in his heart. The clot then traveled from the heart to his brain.”

Preston’s father adds that his late wife — the children’s mother — tragically passed away from a pulmonary embolism, making the emergency even more challenging emotionally.

Recovery and Hope

Preston spent a couple of weeks in the hospital, but today, he is thriving and he’s back in school. He’s practicing running and riding his bike and is even thinking about his future.

“He goes to OT (occupational therapy) once a week, PT (physical therapy) once a month now. He’s getting along pretty good,” Shawn says.

“My leg is better,” Preston adds.

“Yes, your leg is getting better. Your hand is going to get better, too,” Shawn reassures him.

Preston has received Botox in his left arm to help regain movement, and while he didn’t play baseball this year, his progress continues.

“Riding a bike, it’s hard to hold onto the handlebars and stuff like that. We just got to keep working hard,” Shawn says.

Perhaps most touching of all is the career goal this experience has inspired in Preston.

He now says he wants to become a nurse — because the nurses cared for him so well.

To learn more about stroke care at OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Shawn, Preston Patton video interview clips

Dr. Sourabh Lahoti video interview clips

Tiffani Franada, DO, is a neurologist with OSF HealthCare who specializes in Multiple Sclerosis. Part of her passion is working with patients choosing brain-healthy diets and lifestyle, which prevents neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.

The MIND diet

"The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet, which is healthy fats, olive oils, fish, fruits and vegetables. And the DASH diet, which is a low-sodium diet,” Dr. Franada says. “It's particularly helpful for patients who live with hypertension (high blood pressure). The two of those combined seem to be very effective at preventing the development of Alzheimer's."

Patients on the Mediterranean diet often have lower levels of inflammatory markers in their spinal fluid. Higher levels are suggestive of Alzheimer's. Patients also perform better on cognitive testing, Dr. Franada adds.

Fiber-rich foods

"In regard to carbs, whole grains are probably best, and they have really good fiber in them. As well as things like legumes and beans which have good fiber levels, which make you feel full for longer," Dr. Franada says. 

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) lists many high-fiber foods here. Lentils, vegetable soups, whole-wheat bread and pasta make the list. As well as fruits and vegetables like apples, apricots, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Berries and antioxidant production

"Blueberries are great, really berries of all kinds. They really help that antioxidant production," Dr. Franada says. "For vegetables, leafy greens are really helpful. They have a good amount of folic acid, which helps to reduce homocysteine (amino acid) in the brain. Homocysteine promotes inflammation and shrinkage in the brain, and we want to reduce that."

“Fats are not the enemy”

The word “fat” oftentimes has a negative connotation to it. Dr. Franada says there are healthy fats out there that offer benefits to brain health.

"Fats are not the enemy. Healthy fats are good for the brain. Your brain requires them, like fatty fish (salmon), which have good Omega-3s in them. If you don't eat fish, flax seed is a great alternative," Dr. Franada says. "Walnuts also have great, healthy fat in them. As well as olive oil, which has monounsaturated fatty acids which protects against inflammation in the brain." 

Lean meats, like chicken and turkey, can be good for brain health because there’s healthy amounts of protein and fiber in them, Dr. Franada says.

Don’t dismiss dark chocolate!

"Dark chocolate is great. Dark chocolate has good amounts of antioxidants. Of course, all things in moderation. But a dark chocolate square once a night, not a bad thing," Dr. Franada says. "Also, caffeine! Believe it or not, a cup of caffeine, like coffee or tea, can help with focus, attention and is helpful for the brain."

Dr. Franada recommends having your caffeinated drink of choice early in the morning, right when you wake up, instead of later in the day. Having it later in the day can give you a lot of energy, which leads to you not sleeping well at night. Sleep is also extremely important for brain health.

Foods to avoid

Ultra-processed foods have been trending lately, with health experts giving them more attention than usual because of their negative effects on people’s health. High sodium, added sugars and excessive amounts of bad fat headline are the reasons why we should avoid them, with these elements being linked to diabetes, obesity and cancer.

Obesity is typically part of a metabolic syndrome, where a person has elevated blood sugars, blood pressure and cholesterol. This puts patients at risk for stroke, sleep apnea, Alzheimer's and many other health issues. Those risk factors can put someone at risk for neurological disease. 

"Heavily processed foods are not great for the brain or the heart. Excess sugars, like added sugars, should be avoided as well. If you're going to have sugar, have something with natural sugar in it," Dr. Franada says. "Berries are much preferred to things with added sugars. Also, white bread and processed carbs should be avoided, too."

Effect on white brain matter

"There's some real-world data showing that the Mediterranean diet can prevent white matter changes on the brain, which are little white spots that develop on patients’ brains as they get older. It's also seen in patients with vascular risk factors," Dr. Franada says. "If you follow the Mediterranean diet pretty strictly, you can prevent getting those white spots. They also found people who adhere to that diet have better structural integrity. The left and right sides of the brain talk better to one another."

What about cheat days?

If you exercise five or six days a week and give yourself a “cheat day” where you splurge a bit, evaluate how the food feels in your body. Instead of packing on the calories and going bananas, Dr. Franada recommends reeling it in a bit and focusing on moderation.

"You'll probably start to recognize it doesn't feel so great," Dr. Franada says. "Maybe it's a chocolate dessert at night, or something smaller that you can do to still stay with your healthy diet, just in smaller quantities." 

Dr. Franada cautions against super rigid diets that make you "fall off the wagon" after a few weeks. "You have to find something that's sustainable for you," Dr. Franada adds. 

Video Interview Clips

It’s not Star Wars; it’s brain surgery.

Now, select brain tumor patients in the Peoria area have a minimally invasive, efficient way to receive a diagnosis and get their tumor removed.

NeuroBlate LITT (Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy)

"NeuroBlate is a means to treat tumors with thermal energy,” says Andrew Tsung, MD, the vice president of OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute. “It's a laser, which is how the energy is administered, through very small probes the size of a wire. It's done through a very small incision, about the size of the width of a dime. Through that incision we're able to insert the small wire directly to the target. Then we're able to ablate, or get rid of, that tumor and at the same time obtain a biopsy specimen to confirm what we're treating."

How does NeuroBlate work?

"It is thermal energy delivered through a laser beam. We can either fire at the end of a laser, as one would think of laser gun, or we can side fire it and rotate the wire," Dr. Tsung says. "So, it's shooting out from the side, kind of like a lighthouse. You spin the lighthouse around as you pull the probe back. You're able to create shapes as you withdraw from the target." 

Even very sick patients can undergo this treatment because of the technology’s minimally invasive nature.

"We insert it to a target. By taking temperature measurements through the MRI machine and calculations, we're able to control the radius, or the spread of that current through the tumor and stop it at the three-dimensional boundary between where the tumor ends and the brain starts,” Dr. Tsung says.

Eligible patients for NeuroBlate

NeuroBlate, offered at OSF HealthCare in Peoria, Illinois, through Monteris, a neurosurgical technology company, has been recognized as a viable treatment for brain tumors. Roughly a handful of patients have received the treatment at OSF, with more coming down the pipeline soon, Dr. Tsung says.

Potential patients for NeuroBlate could have brain tumors, Glioblastoma (cancerous brain tumor), high-grade glioma, low-grade glioma (growing tumors), or metastatic brain cancer, also known as secondary brain tumors. The size of the tumor matters. NeuroBlate is effective on tumors three centimeters or less. Epilepsy patients can also benefit from this treatment. 

NeuroBlate decreases recovery time drastically

"The patients oftentimes will not require any pain medication following brain surgery, which is quite astonishing,” Dr. Tsung says. “When you make such a small incision, there's minimal disruption to the tissues. The brain itself does not have any pain sensors. That prevents us from using any pain medication. The recovery is quite fast. In patient cases we've done so far, the first patient used no pain medications and was ready to go home by 8 a.m. the next morning." 

OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center is the only medical center in the Peoria region that offers NeuroBlate.

From the patient arriving to undergoing the surgery and then leaving, the whole process only took 16 hours. Most brain surgery patients are in the hospital for at least two nights and then recover with weight restrictions (in terms of lifting). All of this is avoided when using NeuroBlate. Setup takes three to five hours, but treatment time for he patient is three or less minutes. 

For more information on NeuroBlate and other neurological services, learn more about OSF INI on the OSF website.

Video Interview Clips

NeuroBlate in use (GRAPHIC WARNING)

NeuroBlate B-Roll

"It can present in a variety of ways like vision loss, double vision, weakness, or numbness on one side or both sides of the body,” says Tiffani Franada, DO, a neurologist with the OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute (INI) who specializes in the autoimmune disease.

"Typically (multiple sclerosis) presents in young patients between 20 and 50 years of age. It's more common in women than men," Dr. Franada says. These events are called attacks or relapses, and they last a few weeks and then they get better. Patients can go awhile without anything, and then they can get other attacks down the line."

The OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute has launched a clinical trial for patients with nonrelapsing secondary progressive MS (nrSPMS). Dr. Franada and her team are looking for further preventive treatments. The trial, sponsored by Sanofi, uses an antibody called frexalimab, to see if it delays the progression in those enrolled.

"It's a disease state with no current treatment options available,” Dr. Franada adds. "We are actively enrolling right now. The age range is between 18-60 years of age for patients with secondary progressive MS that's not active. This is different than the relapsing remitting phase, which is the most common. This comes after that phase.”

While some patients currently in the OSF INI clinic are candidates for the clinical trial, Dr. Franada and her team are looking to include patients outside the clinic as well.

People interested in the clinical trial can call OSF INI at (309) 624-4000 to learn more information.

Multiple Sclerosis treatment options

There are 20 disease-modifying therapies to prevent disease activity in MS, Dr. Franada says. “Some treatments are given by IV, some are given by mouth, and some are given as at-home injections. It just depends on what is right for that individual."

Dr. Franada says if someone has an MS attack, the team wants to know about it right away. Adding that treatment of MS is more effective when it’s started early.

"There are some acute treatments that can be given, typically in the hospital. But prevention is a mainstay of our treatment course for patients.”  

Prevention tips

"Getting good sleep at night (is important), about eight hours. Getting regular exercise, about 30 minutes 5 days per week. In fact, exercise helps increase levels of BDNF, which is one of the hormones in our body that helps with neurological repair, called remyelination," Dr. Franada says. "The problem in MS is stripping away the covering of the nerve, demyelination, so exercise helps the reparative process. We don't know what the best diet for MS is, but I usually encourage my patients to focus on a Mediterranean diet, which is heart healthy." 

Knowing family history is also important to assess your risk factor of getting the disease.

"The risk for developing MS is a combination of genetics and environment, it's not just one. If you have a family member who lives with an autoimmune disease, or MS, it does slightly increase your risk for developing the disease,” Dr. Franada says.

Hydration is paramount, as is stress reduction. “Exercise is a great way to manage stress.”

"Your brain sits in a pool of fluid, so we want to hydrate as much as possible," Dr. Franada says. 

If you know a family member has MS, there are things you can do to lessen your risk.

"That includes Vitamin D supplementation. If you're low in Vitamin D, it’s critical to supplement that to a normal level. Also, smoking cessation. If you're a smoker, we advise you to quit. But this is incredibly important for patients with MS, because smokers are more likely to develop the disease,” Dr. Franada says.

National recognition of the disease has gone up, Dr. Franada says, which drives more patients to the OSF Illinois Neurological Institute. 

While there is no cure for MS, there are treatment options available to help with day-to-day symptoms (fatigue, pain and cognitive issues).

For more information on OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Video Interview Clips

We have all heard the warnings when it comes to stroke: time lost is brain lost. Every minute a stroke goes untreated, the brain loses nearly two million brain cells it can never recover, and every hour of stroke is equivalent to losing over three and a half years’ worth of brain cells. 

While acting quickly during a stoke event is imperative, there are some medical advances that can help prevent a stroke from occurring in the first place especially in those with carotid artery disease.

Carotid artery disease occurs when fatty deposits, or plaques, clog the blood vessels that deliver blood to the brain and head (carotid arteries). These blockages dramatically increase the risk of stroke.

“It can lead to lightheadedness, or feelings of dizziness, or losing consciousness sometimes, but most importantly stroke,” says Dr. Sourabh Lahoti.

Dr. Lahoti is an interventional neurologist at the OSF Illinois Neurological Institute (OSF INI) in Peoria, Illinois. He says a procedure called carotid artery stenting has proven to alleviate the risk for patients with carotid artery disease.

During carotid artery stenting a small catheter is threaded through a blood vessel, eventually reaching the carotid artery. A balloon is inflated to dilate the narrowed segment of the artery and then a wire mesh stent is placed across the blockage. The stent will become a part of the artery wall as a part of the natural healing process, eventually strengthening it, widening it, and helping to prevent future blockages.

Carotid artery stenting is typically done by running the catheter through the femoral artery – a main artery in the groin. It is generally a successful procedure, but because the femoral artery is so large it takes time to close. Patients need to lie flat and still for hours post-procedure and are limited in activity in the days following to prevent complications. Unsuccessful closure can lead to serious bleeding issues.

Dr. Lahoti is the first surgeon in central Illinois to offer carotid artery stenting via the radial artery: something he calls a game changer.

“It is very exciting. And I'm glad to be in a time where the field of neuro interventional surgery is going through this phenomenal, and honestly revolutionary change, because it has completely changed the way we approach cerebrovascular diseases and the way we treat them,” says Dr. Lahoti.

With the minimally invasive radial approach, a small poke is made in a patient’s hand to gain access to the radial artery. The catheter is inserted, and a carotid artery stent is placed in the neck. According to Dr. Lahoti, the radial approach reduces the complications of bleeding, severe bruising and pain. 

“The biggest advantage is that after we are done, we don't have to stitch anything,” explains Dr. Lahoti. “We don't have to put in any device, and the artery in the wrist is much smaller than the one in the leg. And it's very easily accessible. So all we do is put a band across the wrist to save it from bleeding, and the band stays for a couple of hours, and then we are done.”

Carotid artery stenting via the radial artery requires no anesthesia, and the patient is able to get up and walk around following the procedure with no restrictions, other than lifting heavy weight with that arm for a few days.

Conversely, patients who receive a stent through the femoral artery are required to remain in bed for four to six hours after the procedure.

“As soon as we're done, patients can get up. They can walk. They can move around as if they didn't have any procedure at all.”

Not all patients qualify for carotid artery stenting – either through the radial artery or the groin – and some may be recommended for drug therapy or even a carotid endarterectomy, where a surgeon makes an incision on the side of the neck and surgically removes the plaque inside the artery.

Dr. Lahoti says each case is evaluated on an individual level, and the most important thing is getting the blockage addressed and reducing the risk for stroke.

Many people suffering from carotid artery disease don’t know they are affected. Dr. Lahoti suggests keeping up with yearly physicals with your primary care physician, and having open and honest conversations about lifestyle choices like smoking status, diet and activity levels.

For more information on carotid artery disease, its symptoms and treatments visit osfhealthcare.org.

Interview Clip - Dr. Sourabh Lahoti