National Highly Specialised Care (NHV)

Highly specialised investigation and neurosurgical treatment of Moyamoya is carried out at Uppsala University Hospital.  

Our services

With cutting-edge expertise in all areas of neurosurgery and developed collaborations at Uppsala University Hospital, we are equipped to take care of all conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord, urgent and scheduled - from the simple to the most complex.

Neurosurgery at Uppsala University Hospital is one of the largest and most comprehensive departments in the country. We offer care to patients from seven regions in central Sweden: Region Dalarna, Region Gävleborg, Region Sörmland, Region Uppsala, Region Värmland, Region Västmanland and Region Örebro county.

Contact us

Andreas Fahlström 
Acting Head of Section

Research

Read about our research at Uppsala University.  

Neurosurgery (uu.se)  

Contact us

Per Enblad 
Professor/Head Physician 
per.enblad@akademiska.se

Referral information

As a referrer, you can contact us if you have any questions about referrals and the waiting list for neurosurgery by telephone on 018-611 00 00 or via the functional mailbox using the contact details.

Do not de-identify faxed referrals because we cannot monitor faxes at night and call back!

Postal address

Verksamhetsområde Neurokirurgi 
Ingång 85, 2 tr 
Akademiska sjukhuset 
751 85 Uppsala

Our specialities in neurosurgery

Traumatic brain injury

The Neurotrauma Team is part of the Trauma Centre at Uppsala University Hospital. Patients with severe traumatic brain injuries are treated in the neurointensive care unit. Neurotrauma is a centre of excellence at Uppsala University Hospital.

The Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit (NIVA) provides a clinical environment and research platform with standardised care, powerful computer systems, a wide range of continuous brain monitoring techniques, advanced brain imaging and computerised collection of all monitoring data for various research studies. The more structured and developed neurointensive care has improved treatment outcomes and increased knowledge of basic pathophysiology, paving the way for new treatment concepts.

Neurovascular neurosurgery

The neurovascular team manages patients with different types of vascular pathologies such as cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and cavernomas. A large part of the services is emergency, because patients can suffer both brain haemorrhages and brain infarctions. Central to the emergency care is the Neurosurgery intensive care unit - NIVA, which is a centre of excellence at Uppsala University Hospital. The Neurovascular team is also responsible for the national highly specialised care for Moyamoya disease. Patients are managed in a multidisciplinary way within a virtual neurovascular centre where the cornerstones are microvascular neurosurgery, neurointervention, neurointensive care, neuroimaging and stereotactic radiation therapy. Extensive research and development is carried out in parallel with healthcare.

The functional team

We carry out assessments, diagnostics and treatments for patients with various neurological disorders, such as intractable epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, as well as severe pain conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia. Surgical procedures are individualised using advanced techniques such as stereotaxy, neuronavigation including robot-assisted surgery and intraoperative monitoring, to reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life of patients.

Spinal services

We treat and operate on patients with tumours of the spinal cord and spinal meninges, wear and tear problems, especially in the cervical spine, such as herniated discs and spinal stenosis, vascular changes and the resolution of a tethered spinal cord. We also manage patients with traumatic spinal cord injuries. Complex spinal cases are assessed at multidisciplinary conferences.  To achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients, we also conduct extensive research and development in this area.

Benign intracranial tumours and skull base tumours

We treat meningiomas, intracranial schwannomas, and unusual tumour types such as skull base tumours and epidermoid/dermoid cysts.

Meningiomas are the most common and in most cases can be surgically removed, especially if they are localised to the convexity of the skull. Meningiomas originating at the base of the skull are often more difficult to remove radically and a remnant may need to be left to avoid damaging cranial nerves and blood vessels.

Vestibular schwannomas can be operated on radically, but nowadays a small remnant is usually left to minimise the risk of damage to the facial nerve or sometimes to preserve hearing. Small vestibular schwannomas can also be irradiated.

Rare slow-growing cysts such as epidermoids and dermoids are also operated on, but usually only when they become symptomatic. Here too, a trade-off is made between radicality and function.

Malignant tumours invading the intracranial space are radically operated on with the help of colleagues from plastic surgery and the Ear, Nose and Throat department. Together with the oncologist, an optimal treatment for the patient is provided.

Malignant brain tumours

The Malignant Brain Tumours Group has an international profile with close collaboration between research and clinical practice. We operate on over 250 patients with brain tumours every year. Operations are carried out using integrated high-tech techniques:

• Fluroscene microscopy.
• Integrated neuronavigation equipment with augmented reality.
• Intraoperative MRI.
• Intraoperative ultrasound.

In order to reduce the risk of disability, we carry out a preoperative assessment using functional MRI, tractography (analysis of important pathways in the brain).

Surgery is performed using advanced intraoperative neurophysiological assembly of:

• Motor sensory functions.
• optic pathways. 
• Language pathways and cognitive functions (awake with awake surgical procedures or sedated via cortico-cortical evoked potentials).

Depending on the indication, we also perform precision procedures such as robotic-assisted biopsies in sensitive locations of the brain and treatment of tumours with MRI-controlled laser ablation (Laser Induced Thermal therapy).

We participate in national and international research projects with international universities and the Rudbeck Laboratory in basic tumour biology, tumour epidemiology and development of curative techniques. All to improve surgical techniques and reduce the risk to our patients.  

Circulatory disorders

Includes diseases where there is an imbalance between the production and reabsorption of brain fluid. The diagnoses are mainly communicative and obstructive hydrocephalus, which can be caused by a variety of reasons. The treatment consists of either diverting fluid through a shunt, usually the abdominal cavity. Or, if an obstruction is present, the obstruction can be surgically removed or new pathways for cerebrospinal fluid created to restore normal circulation.

Paediatric neurosurgery

Paediatric neurosurgery is based on a multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinary conferences and multidisciplinary clinics are central to the care of patients. We have extensive expertise and experience in managing all conditions in paediatric neurosurgery and can offer all treatment modalities involved in modern highly specialised neurosurgery and neurointensive care.  

We treat:

• Epilepsy (NVH, one of three in the country). 
• Craniosysnostosis (NVH, one of two in the country).
• Moyamoya (NVH-, one of two in the country).
• Neurointensive care in areas such as trauma, stroke infectious conditions and epilepsy.
•  
  Tumours of the entire central nervous system (intraoperative MRI). 
• Spinal malformations (advanced intraoperative monitoring). 
• Hydrocephalus. 
• Spasticity.
• Diaphragm pacing (International Reference Centre).

Working in Neurology

Do you want to work at the cutting edge of neurosurgery? We treat patients with everything from strokes and epilepsy to advanced neurosurgical procedures. You will receive a broad introduction, guidance and training that will give you confidence and development in your professional role. At Neurology, you will meet patients of all ages and choose whether you want to take on the most urgent cases or have a more caring role on the ward. Wherever you feel most comfortable, you will be working at the cutting edge of healthcare.