HCLA 2013: Lifetime Achievement Award
BARROW NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE
As one of the world’s most-renowned medical facilities celebrates its 50th anniversary, surgeons at Barrow Neurological Institute are convinced their work is becoming so advanced they could put themselves out of business in the next half century.
Ranked among the Top 10 hospitals in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery, Barrow has attracted royalty, rock stars, business moguls and sports icons from around the world because of its expertise in brain and spinal disorders. Located at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, in Phoenix Arizona, Barrow performs the most brain surgeries per year in the United States and is home to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center.
“Our surgeons will largely put ourselves out of business in the coming years. Our profession will drastically change and that is very good news,” says Dr. Robert Spetzler, Director of Barrow and renowned neurosurgeon. “Rapid advances in minimally invasive surgery and gene and stem cell treatments will mean the traditional role of the brain and spinal surgeon will disappear.”
Doctors at Barrow say the 50th anniversary marks the beginning of the “golden age” of the Institute when Barrow will be at the forefront of finding answers to some of the most devastating neurological conditions.
They predict during the next 50 years:
- Alzheimer’s disease will be cured or effectively treated.
- Parkinson’s disease will be cured.
- Stem cell therapy will revolutionize care of brain and spine disorders.
- Malignant brain tumors will be effectively treated and controlled.
- Degenerative disk disease will be cured.
“Barrow has a rich and bold legacy that comes to life every day in patients who come from all over the world for our extraordinary medicine,” says Dr. Spetzler. “In the next 50 years, we will see advances unlike anything we have witnessed before.”
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