Houston Methodist Sugar Land Neuroscience & Spine Center offers a collaborative, caring approach to the most complex cases, helping patients achieve a better quality of life.

What began as simple weakness in his legs had progressed so rapidly that Aaron Sammut, 64, could no longer walk.

By the time the Missouri City resident made an appointment with board-certified neurologist Larry Tran, M.D. – one of the specialists at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Neuroscience & Spine Center – he was confined to a wheelchair and was completely dependent on his wife and daughter.

“During my initial examination, it was very apparent that Mr. Sammut had overactive reflexes, which are often caused by damage to the spinal cord,” says Dr. Tran, who quickly scheduled an MRI for Sammut at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. That test showed a dangerous compression of Sammut’s spinal cord in the chest area, caused by a bone spur.

“This was a serious situation that needed immediate attention,” says Dr. Tran. “When you have this level of compression, the risk of permanent paralysis is always present.”

That afternoon, Dr. Tran called a colleague at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Neurosciences & Spine Center – board-certified neurosurgeon Vincent Wang, M.D. – and asked him to take the case. Dr. Wang admitted Sammut to Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital immediately, where Sammut could start taking medication to reduce the swelling around his spinal cord.

The next day, Dr. Wang performed surgery to remove the bone spur. Two days later, Sammut was up and walking with minimal rehabilitation. Today, he has recovered nicely and is walking without assistance, and the risk of further damage from his spinal compression is resolved.

“We went from MRI to surgery in less than 24 hours,” says Dr. Wang. “Dr. Tran didn’t need to search for a surgeon or put the patient through a lengthy referral process. He just picked up the phone and called me. Together, we quickly got the patient back on his feet – literally.”

A team approach to patient care
Working together, the 16 physicians at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Neuroscience & Spine Center provide the most sophisticated neurological care using a collaborative, expedited approach.
“Houston Methodist Sugar Land is the only hospital in this area to have a full neuroscience program, and we are backed by the latest technology and outstanding facilities and staff, including specially trained neuroradiologists,” says neurosurgeon Rajesh Bindal, M.D., medical director of the Neuroscience & Spine Center. “We are performing complex, sometimes life-saving procedures right here in Fort Bend, every day – procedures once available only at the medical center. And because we work together as a team, we can quickly and easily bring in a colleague with a necessary subspecialty and collaborate on patient treatment. The end result is that our patients receive the best possible care in a comfortable, convenient location that makes it easier to recover.”

Complex procedures close to home
Dr. Bindal – along with neurosurgeon John Park, M.D., and ENT Clement Chow, M.D. – recently performed an extremely complex procedure on Benita English who was suffering from a rare congenital condition that caused part of her spine to protrude into her skull and compress her brain stem. The problem was getting worse as Benita aged, causing a variety of problems including difficulty walking.

“This very complex trans-oral surgery required us to go through her mouth and back of her throat to access the juncture where her spine met the base of her skull,” says Dr. Bindal. “Very few surgical teams in the Houston area can perform this type of neurosurgery.”

The seven-hour procedure was a success, and Benita is now walking comfortably and improving daily.

“This is an example of the complex cases we can handle here at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital,” says Dr. Bindal. “It required two surgeons, an ears, nose and throat specialist, and specialized anesthesia and operating room technology, including a computer-guided surgical system.”

Care for you and your family
Physicians at the Neuroscience & Spine Center specialize in neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedic spine surgery and interventional pain management while offering a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Some of the center’s areas of focus include:

• Alzheimer’s and memory disorders
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Back and neck pain
• Brain and spinal tumors
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Migraines and headaches
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscle and nerve injuries
• Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders
• Stroke

“Our patients are always grateful to learn that we can help them right here in Fort Bend,” says Dr. Bindal. “I’m proud that we can offer this level of care to our community.”

To make an appointment with one of the physicians at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Neuroscience & Spine Center, email neuroscience@houstonmethodist.org
or call 281.274.7979.
houstonmethodist.org/sugarland