Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital is expanding the range of neurosurgical treatment options available to patients on the Costa del Sol with new techniques for treating spinal conditions, including spinal endoscopy, tubular approaches and intradiscal laser therapy.
The project also envisages the gradual development of more complex cranial surgery procedures and, at a later stage, functional neurosurgery programmes for certain patients with Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.
Initial activities will focus particularly on degenerative and tumour-related conditions of the spine and on peripheral nerve disorders.
The introduction of minimally invasive techniques broadens the range of options for certain patients and allows some conditions to be treated via smaller incisions, causing less damage to surrounding tissues.
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“One of the main areas of progress is the development of techniques that enable certain injuries to be treated with minimal damage to surrounding tissue,” explains Dr José Manuel Montero, head of the Neurosurgery Department at Quirónsalud Marbella Hospital.
The specialist emphasises that “it remains essential to select patients carefully and establish a precise indication”.
New techniques for the treatment of the spine
Spinal endoscopy allows access to specific lesions via small incisions, using a camera and specialised equipment, whilst tubular approaches facilitate access to the area to be treated whilst minimising damage to the surrounding muscles.
In selected patients, these procedures can help to reduce post-operative pain, shorten the hospital stay and promote a faster recovery.
“In selected patients, they allow certain conditions to be treated via smaller incisions and with less muscle damage,” says Dr Montero. “Their use must be tailored to each individual case, as not all injuries benefit from the same approach.”
The service also incorporates intradiscal laser therapy, a percutaneous technique that allows treatment of part of the intervertebral disc tissue via a puncture. Its use will be limited to selected cases and it does not replace surgical decompression procedures where these are necessary.
Among the conditions the team will initially treat are cervical disc herniations, which can cause pain in the arms and, where there is compression of the spinal cord, loss of strength; lumbar disc herniations associated with sciatica; lumbar spinal stenosis; and certain tumours of the spinal cord or located within the membrane surrounding it.
A roadmap towards cranial and functional surgery
This new phase also envisages the gradual expansion of cranial surgery activities. Plans are in place to introduce a neuronavigator – a tool that uses images of the patient as a guide during surgery – which will enable the hospital to perform certain more complex procedures.
“It will enable us to increase the number of cranial surgery procedures that previously could not be carried out in this geographical area,” explains Dr José Luis Barbeito.
This programme focuses on the treatment of certain cranial conditions, including tumours, malformations and vascular diseases of the nervous system. At a later stage, the project aims to develop functional neurosurgery programmes for certain patients with Parkinson’s disease or epilepsy, as well as neuromodulation techniques for some forms of chronic pain.
“The choice requires a specialised, multidisciplinary assessment, with realistic objectives and an individual evaluation of the benefits and risks,” notes Dr Barbeito.
A team working across several Quirónsalud hospitals in Andalusia
This expansion of neurosurgical services is supported by a team of more than eight neurosurgeons, with combined experience at Quirónsalud hospitals in Andalusia.
The specialists also practise at the Quirónsalud Sagrado Corazón Hospital in Seville, the Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar Hospital and the Quirónsalud Córdoba Hospital, forming a team with shared expertise across different areas of neurosurgery.
The project also incorporates technology to support surgical planning and precision, such as the microscope, endoscopy and neurophysiological monitoring, alongside the future neuronavigator.
“Technology is an essential aid for planning procedures and working with precision,” explains Barbeito. “Its value depends on it being appropriately indicated and integrated into the work of a trained and coordinated team.
The approach to patient care will be based on collaboration with Neurology, Neurophysiology, Radiology, Anaesthesiology and Rehabilitation, together with Nursing and other specialities involved in each process.
A neurosurgical assessment does not necessarily mean surgery
The new department will assess each case to determine the most appropriate treatment option, which may be surgical or conservative.
“Our role will be to assess each case and guide the patient towards the most appropriate treatment, whether conservative or surgical, with a clear explanation of the available options,” explains Dr Montero.
In the same vein, Dr Barbeito emphasises that “a consultation with a neurosurgeon does not necessarily mean that surgery is required”.
The aim is to gradually establish a Neurosurgery Department in Marbella with the capacity to expand its range of procedures, supported by continuous training, multidisciplinary coordination and the review of clinical outcomes.
Quirónsalud in Andalusia
The Quirónsalud Group in Andalusia currently operates eight hospitals located in the cities of Málaga, Marbella, Los Barrios (Cádiz), three in Seville (Sagrado Corazón, Infanta Luisa and Materno-Infantil), Córdoba and Huelva, as well as two surgical day hospitals in Seville and Málaga and 22 specialist and diagnostic medical centres; this positions it as the leading private hospital group in this autonomous community.
About Quirónsalud
Quirónsalud is the leading healthcare group in Spain and, together with its parent company Fresenius-Helios, also in Europe. In addition to its operations in Spain, Quirónsalud also has a presence in Latin America.
Collectively, it employs over 55,000 professionals across more than 180 healthcare centres, including 57 hospitals with over 8,000 beds. It utilises state-of-the-art technology and boasts a large team of highly specialised professionals of international renown.
Its centres include the Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Teknon Medical Centre, Ruber Internacional, Quirónsalud Pozuelo University Hospital, Quirónsalud Barcelona Hospital, Dexeus University Hospital, Policlínica Gipuzkoa, General University Hospital of Catalonia, Quirónsalud Sagrado Corazón Hospital, etc.
The Group is committed to promoting teaching (fourteen of its hospitals are university hospitals) and medical and scientific research (it operates the FJD Institute for Health Research, accredited by the Ministry of Science and Innovation).
Furthermore, its healthcare service is organised into cross-disciplinary units and networks, which enable it to optimise the collective expertise accumulated across its various centres and facilitate the clinical application of its research.
Currently, Quirónsalud is carrying out a wide range of research projects throughout Spain, and many of its centres are at the forefront of this field, pioneering work in various specialities such as oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, gynaecology and neurology, amongst others.
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