Neurosurgery

Our Team      Photogallery

A brief overview of the Neurosurgery Specialized Center

The center of Neurosurgery specializes in treating the most complex device in the universe – the human brain – together with the spine and nerve system via acute or planned procedures. Our center is well equipped and performs the most advanced surgeries and procedures on adults and children.

Each year, we admit about 1.200 patients, of which about 1.000 undergo surgery. Our outpatient departments care for more than 5.000 people per year.

The center is divided into Adult and Pediatric sections with specialized outpatient departments and patient wards. 

How will your detailed schedule look like? What type of surgeries, procedures, methods or treatment can you observe? Check what can you see by shadowing every member of the mentoring team.

Is this specialty placement ideal for you?

  • Is there a more prestigious specialty in medicine than neurosurgery? The Department of Neurosurgery specializes in treating the most complex device in the universe - the human brain. Our neurosurgeons perform the most advanced surgeries and treat all age groups from newborns to elderly patients. That is a unique chance for you to observe and compare different approaches towards children and adults starting from planning the surgery till post operative checks.
  • Neurosurgery specialized center is a top-notch surgical facility. You have to be extremely motivated and passionate about this specialty for two reasons, the operations that we perform are often very long and difficult and we require from you responsibility and discipline as our mentors are under a lot of pressure.

Let's take a closer look at the specialties…

Our center specializes in surgical treatment of epilepsy, tumors of the spinal cord and brain, brain and spinal cord blood vessel diseases, inflammation diseases, inborn and acquired anomalies including hydrocephalus and much more. Our work also involves neurotrauma - injuries of the skull, brain and peripheral nerves, along with associated injuries and complications that requires interdisciplinary cooperation. Our patients are provided with full care within the hospital and do not need to be transported to another facility.

The center is equipped with the most advanced technology for neurosurgery. We are proud to be able to use BrainLab during surgeries. This device allows for perfect orientation within the tissue being operated upon and prevents damage to healthy structures. Another device worth mentioning is the fiberscope which is necessary for endoscopic interventions in the brain.

The Pediatric Section is for patients between a few months and 18 years old. It is divided into 2 parts – Patient Wards with an ICU and the Outpatient Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery. We specialize in surgical treatment of epilepsy, into which we have started to implement vagus stimulators. In cooperation with the Department of Neurology, we use the top diagnostic and navigational methods, such as electrocorticography, MRI-navigated resectioning and decompressive craniectomy in patients with ischemic stroke.

The Standard Ward Department is equipped with 12 beds, with a maximum of 3 beds in one room. The Intensive Care Unit has 3 rooms, each with 2 beds. A family member is allowed to stay with a child patient overnight if the child is younger than 6 years old, and in some cases with a child older than 6.

The Adult Section is also divided into 2 departments – the Outpatient Department of Adult Neurosurgery and Patient Wards, where there are 11 beds in standard wards and 6 beds in the ICU. The Intensive Care Unit is permanently surveilled by security cameras as well as nurses.

Our articles are published in both Czech and foreign magazines. Our doctors and nurses often participate as speakers in scientific congresses and symposiums. Within the University Hospital in Motol, we organize seminars for neurologists and physiotherapists.

Who do we take care of?

We take care of patients from birth throughout their entire lives. We even examine mothers and their babies before the babies are born. Our center conducts 50% of all surgeries for tumors of the central nervous system in children in the Czech Republic, as well as the highest number of surgeries for inborn skull and facial disorders in children in the country.

The care we provide includes diagnostic, consultative and outpatient care. We hospitalize patients with severe diseases of the central nervous system. We care for patients with neurological traumas; primary and secondary tumors of the brain and spinal cord; brain and spinal cord blood vessel and inflammation diseases; inborn and acquired anomalies; hydrocephalus, including problematics of dementia caused by normotensive hydrocephalus; degenerative diseases of the cervical, pectoral and lumbar spinal cord; or peripheral nerve disorders.

In the Outpatient Department for Children, our main focus is on the treatment of tumor diseases of the brain and the spinal cord, surgical solutions for inborn and acquired central nervous system diseases including hydrocephalus, skull base and craniofacial surgeries, treatment of syndromic and nonsyndromic synostosis, neurotraumatology and the surgical treatment of epilepsy and spasticity.

Our methods and procedures

We constantly implement new methods and procedures. We would like to emphasize the following ones:

  • Implementation of a baclofen pump for treatment of generalized spasticity in children and adults
  • Surgical treatment of craniosynostosis that allows us to treat some of the most severe deformities.
  • Mini-invasive approaches to the treatment of degenerative diseases of the spine
  • Vertebroplasty and stentoplasty for the treatment of osteoporotic fractures of the spine, provided in cooperation with the Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Specialized Center.
  • Radiofrequency neuromodulation in vertebrogenic and peripheral nerve pain conditions
  • Treatment for lesions in the skull base and face, provided in cooperation with maxillofacial surgeons, ENT specialists and plastic surgeons. These procedures cannot be provided almost anywhere else, as a multi-field approach is necessary.
  • Reanimation for facial paralysis using dynamic and static procedures and reinnervation for facial paralysis using the cross-facial method. We are the only department within the Czech that provides these.
  • Highly specialized multi-modal monitoring of patients with craniocerebral injury within the neurotraumatology program
  • Development of a surgical program and endovascular techniques within the neurovascular program in cooperation with the Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging Specialized Center.
  • Decompressive craniectomy for patients with ischemia in cooperation with the Neurology Specialized Center.
  • Frame and non-frame stereotaxis that we use for insertion of deep brain electrodes and for brain biopsies
  • Videoconferences in which the surgery is recorded with a camera (including a connection with the microscope) and can be streamed live

How does the usual schedule look like?

  • You will spend at least 25 hours each week in the hospital, though the hours differ for each student. The specific number of hours depends on your mentors’ shifts and on your approach to the specialty. You might work for 30 or more hours per week.

If you are not sure whether this choice is suitable for you, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will discuss your experience and motivation and come up with the best solution for you.

Our Team


Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Martin Bláha, Ph.D.

Neurosurgeon

Doctor


Unlike other organs, we know very little about human brain. The potential for research and solving mysteries is a demanding challenge in this field and a positive challenge to me. What is my best reward at work? The satisfaction of helping people and being constantly surprised by the complexity of nervous system functions.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

Medicine enables me to pursue a combination of 3 avenues that I did not want to give up on. The first is science and research. The second is work self-realization – my own clinical practice, and the third is continuous education. It is great you are considering to become a healthcare professional. Medicine is similar in different countries. Therefore, you may find a job in other parts of the world. With me it was the same. I have gained priceless experiences while working in the neurosurgery departments in Washington and Australia for a couple of years.

The placement in neurosurgery will help you to understand the reality of the profession and challenge your ability to deal with it. You will find out if the complex and demanding field of neurosurgery is the right choice for you, or if you would prefer another specialty.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

Neurosurgery is very exciting. We have the opportunity to see our patients recover from a brain tumor after 5 or 10 years. Personally, I like surgeries to treat brain tumors – especially conscious surgeries with the localization of multiple centers, the insertion of vagal stimulators to treat epilepsy, and surgeries of the cervical spine that usually have excellent results, surgeries of specific states that are connected with pain, and finally also the surgical reconstruction of the skull. There are very interesting examination methods that help us diagnose a disease and also to understand how the brain works. For example, a functional MRI in combination with brain surgery when the patient is conscious gives us a chance to find the centers for learning foreign languages, composing music, or enjoying fine wine.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

You will see a wide spectrum of neurological diseases and you will learn how to examine them. People with speech or movement disorders are often our patients, for example patients suffering from neglect syndrome. You will be able to witness a wide range of surgeries from drilling into the skull to stitching of nerves under a microscope, as well as inserting screws into the spine. Some surgeries are conducted while patient is awake and are communicative during the performance. The surgeon is looking for important structures of speech and movement. I will teach you how to orientate the MRI, CT or RTG images we take. You will get to know the modern technology in the operation rooms and in the ICU, such as microscopes, ultrasound tumor aspirators, stereotactic navigation, pneumatic and electrical drills, electro-physical devices, or ultrasound probes, as well as the 3D printers used in medicine. On the other hand, I am not going to deny the presence of the permanent stress of the specialty to you.

Apart from being a healthcare professional...

I play basketball professionally and tennis recreationally. I stopped with rock climbing and moved to mountain hiking with my children and limit myself to indoor climbing. I like good movies and older series such as Rear Window, Pulp Fiction, Faulty Towers. or new shows, such as Game of Thrones.

My motto…

Interesting job, happy family, active life. That´s it. 

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Róbert Leško

Neurosurgeon

Doctor


I have always known that I wanted to work in a microsurgical branch of medicine. Neurosurgery is a very complex field with a balanced distribution of diagnostic, therapeutic, and decision-making processes. Extensive enough to become familiar with it, but diverse enough never to get bored. The work of a neurosurgeon varies greatly and can always surprise you. Neurosurgeons are also responsible for diagnoses, and their work therefore requires more strategy when deciding the correct course of action for the patient.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

I already knew in high school that I wanted to study medicine. In a way, medicine is very simple – you never face a moral conflict – the purpose of this job is to help your patients unconditionally. At the same time, it is very difficult, because this is not always possible, and it can be very difficult to face this fact. On the other hand, it is a wonderful feeling to push the limits of what we are able to do. After my first two years in university, where my knowledge about medicine was purely theoretical, I started to doubt my decision to become a doctor. However, those doubts disappeared when I found a job as a paramedic in my third year of university and encountered the clinical environment for the very first time. I have not questioned my choice since.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

It feels great to help people and work with them. Surgery is the most exciting part of our work, as it fully respects the interests of patients. The great aspect of working at the University Hospital in Motol is the variety of methods and procedures that we provide within the Specialized Center of Neurosurgery. In spinal surgery, we specialize predominantly on minimally invasive surgeries with an expected success rate of 90%. We have an extensive neurotraumatology program, and we are the biggest trauma center in Czech Republic. We have a comprehensive neuro oncologic program and we intensively develop the epileptic surgery program for adults. In the pediatric ward, such center is already working as one of the only two in the Czech Republic.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

I will show you the work of a neurosurgeon in its entirety. From the morning rounds and indication meetings, to work in the department and on call. Above all, the work in the operating room, which is the core of my profession. You will be able to see predominantly spinal surgeries and brain surgeries (epileptic surgery and neurosurgical operations), and less frequently operations of the peripheral nerves. I honestly believe that every spine surgery and brain operation is performed many times in the mind of the neurosurgeon, where all possible scenarios, backup plans, potential complications, and their solutions have to be considered. Only after this do we feel comfortable proceeding with the operation itself. I am in charge of the recently opened Epileptic Surgical Center and you will therefore be able to observe the work in this center. Epileptic surgery, as a surgical subspecialty, is in a way quite similar to neuro oncology, because our goal is to remove the part of brain tissue where the seizures occur, similarly to the tumor in neuro oncology. The major difference is that in epileptic surgery this tissue is invisible to the naked eye. It is necessary to understand that neurosurgery is in many ways different from other surgical specialties; it is more delicate and it requires more strategy and planning using specialized software and a neuronavigation system, which informs us about the location of important nervous structures and routes.

Apart from being a healthcare professional…

Other than the occasional sport, I focus completely on my amazing family.

My motto…

When I started studying medicine, I thought that work would be the meaning of my life. Nowadays my motto is more selfish, but more realistic – the meaning of life should be being happy. If you profess moral values, it implies that the meaning of life is in making other people happy.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Petr Libý, Ph.D.

Pediatric Neurosurgeon

Doctor


Neurosurgery is an art similar to playing a musical instrument: You have to possess certain predispositions, but manual dexterity and a supportive learning environment are the key components. My internship at the Department of Neurology was an astonishing experience, during which I came to the definitive conclusion that this is the specialty I want to pursue. My profession is specific because it includes many subfields, and pediatric neurosurgery contains elements from all other neurosurgical subspecialties.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

While in university, I had to decide on my specialty. At first, I did not know whether I wanted to focus on surgery. You not only have to be determined to become a surgeon, you also need to have sufficient manual skills and the ability to bear responsibility for the lives and health of your patients. In my family, there are no doctors whom I could look up to, and therefore I had to learn everything by myself. When I was a student, I had partially distorted expectations about being a surgeon, but the reality is very different.

Becoming a doctor wasn’t an impulsive decision, I always knew that I wanted to be one and I even remember the day when I made the final decision. I know how important it is to personally see the specialty that you want to work in.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

I like everything about my job. I have always been fascinated by anatomy, but what I love most about neurosurgery now is the accuracy; it is a precise and clean profession. A new world lies under the microscope, and it is fascinating to see tissue through a surgical microscope. I enjoy working with microsurgical equipment, although it has to be used with caution. Other than the satisfaction from a successful operation, I find it very heartwarming when a happy patient or their parents come to me to say thank you. Appreciation is very nice, and the best feeling comes from seeing a healthy patient walk away.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

In the Pediatric Unit, we have fewer trauma and spinal injury patients than our colleagues in the Adult Unit. During your internship, you will see patients with tumors, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, inborn defects, vascular malformations, or traumas. I will explain the differences in the operative rules between adult and pediatric neurosurgery to you. Children have less blood than adults, and therefore more caution is necessary because any blood loss would be relatively more harmful; everything has to be carefully thought through. Additionally, part of the work of a neurosurgeon is spending time with the parents of our little patients, as they have to be informed about what exactly is going to happen during their child’s surgery. Since the children themselves cannot decide to undergo the operation, the responsibility lies with both the parents and us. Finally, you will be able to observe the entire surgery process during the day.

Apart from being a healthcare professional…

I enjoy my work, but you need to have other interests, of course. I like jogging with my dog or working out at the gym. I also play the electric guitar and enjoy rhythmic metal bands, such as Metallica. Other than that, I enjoy travelling and riding my motorcycle.

My motto…

Every shift has to end. Carpe diem.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Jiří Steindler

Senior Doctor

Doctor


I honestly believe that neurosurgery is one of the most complex and interesting yet delicate medical specialties, with constantly developing methods and technologies. It is worth mentioning that our department has recently opened a new pediatric ward, which is one of the most advanced centers of its kind in central Europe.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

Neither of my parents worked in healthcare, however both of my grandfathers were doctors. In the 3rd year of high school I became interested in biology, especially the complexity of systems within human body and how the organ systems connect, and for that reason I decided to become a doctor. I enjoyed the intellectual aspects of studying at a medical university, as well as the challenges that brought with it. At first I was attracted mostly by the prestige that was connected to studying medicine. Over the duration of my studies at the university I fell in love with medicine and I have never regretted my decision.

Neurosurgery is an interesting and complex field. Even if you decide not to pursue neurosurgery in your career, you will, without a doubt, appreciate the knowledge gained during the shadowing.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

What I love about the work of a neurosurgeon is that I am being constantly challenged and forced to improve. It is a complex specialty and its methods, devices, and procedures are being evolved and improved almost every day. Another motivation for me is my colleagues. They are very intelligent, ambitious, and passionate people skilled in the field of neurosurgery. Another huge benefit is that in the University Hospital in Motol, there is a tremendous amount of specialized centers that are all able to cooperate and use their equipment to provide the best possible mental and physical care for our patients.

What can you see by shadowing our team?

You will see everything there is to see about the work of a neurosurgeon. You will witness neurosurgical procedures – brain surgeries (traumas, oncologic diseases, vascular pathology, inborn defects (hydrocephalus, scaphocephaly and infection diseases), spinal surgeries (tumors, vascular diseases, infections and degenerative diseases such as disc herniation) and peripheral nerve surgeries. These operations can vary in their duration. Basic spinal surgeries in adults without instruments last approximately 1 hour, more complicated procedures with instruments last approx. 3 hours, but removing a tumor from the spinal region can last 4 hours and more. The duration of brain surgeries can differ depending on the purpose of the surgery. While surgeries of trauma patients typically last 2 hours, removing a tumor can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. When operating in children, the process gets more complicated and every procedure lasts approximately 2 hours longer than in adult patients. I will show you the most advanced methods and equipment applied in practice, and the coordination between departments within the University Hospital in Motol. During the surgery we cooperate with other specialists (e.g. traumatologists, surgeons, abdominal surgeons, vascular surgeons, ENT, eye surgeons and other). Usually our cooperation is planned in advance, but sometimes a problem can occur, which requires us to call for a specialist without previous notice.

Apart from being a healthcare professional…

I love reading, listening to music, and spending time with my family. We travel, but we also enjoy spending time in our cottage. I further enjoy running and tennis, and recently I started to ride my electric bike to work.

My motto…

Failure is not an option.

Photo Jan Šibík

MUDr. Aleš Vlasák

Neurosurgeon

Doctor


After the first year of medicine, I had the opportunity to observe the real work of the healthcare staff in a hospital. At that moment, I knew I chose the right direction in my professional life. Thanks to my internships in China, Kenya and Finland, I gained the understanding of how amazing and beneficial neurosurgical specialty was and I wanted to do it by myself. Pediatric neurosurgery has amazing and interesting sub-specialties, while adult’ one offers wider range of interventions in my opinion. That's why I decided for the second option and I do not regret.

Why did I become a healthcare professional?

Like every high school student, I faced the problem of what to do with my future. I was lucky enough that I had good results in various subjects. It might sound naive but I realized soon I wanted to work in a field where I could help others. That was the main reason for my choice of medicine. Finally, I decided to become a doctor by the end of high school, also because the results of your work are visible almost immediately.

During Nepal's study internship in pediatric surgery, I have seen medicine in the clinical environment which dramatically differed from anything you could read in books. However, the reality of the job can be discovered only during everyday practice. Even so, the internship in another country will give you much more than a clinical insight, you learn a lot about yourself. I personally have experienced not only pleasant things, but I think retrospectively that all these experiences have been very important. Only that way I can be where I am today.

What do I love the most about my specialty?

Medicine itself as well as the specialty of neurosurgery are to me a daily challenge.  In the morning, I never know what patient cases we’ll need to solve. It’s never a routine to me and that is what I like. I also appreciate the range of neurosurgical procedures and strong interdisciplinary cooperation with my colleagues in the University Hospital in Motol. My focus is skull/cranial base surgery where we cooperate on a multidisciplinary basis with my colleague from the ENT Department and sometimes the help of maxillofacial surgeons and plastic surgeons is needed, for example in cases of larger face defects. We receive the patients from the whole country and that is to me one of the most exciting parts of the work I do.

What can you see by shadowing our team? 

Apart from the work at our department’s ward where I take care of hospitalized patients, I also provide phone counseling service to other departments. If an acute patient in ER or ARU needs a neurosurgeon, they call me to come to the case. In the outpatient department, I often receive patients from other workplaces. If a neurologist determines that conservative treatment does not work for the patient, the patient is sent to us to consider the surgical one. In the OR mostly we perform surgical procedures of brain tumors, aneurysms or spondylo-surgery area, where is the biggest number of patients. Further monitoring of the patient depends on the nature of the performance - some patients just need one medical-check, others are under our supervision for several years. With many of them, you will become familiar enough to look forward to each other for next medical check smile

Apart from being a healthcare professional…

I love sport - running and climbing. I enjoy watching movies, especially comics, my favorite hero is Hulk wink

My motto…

Everyone can be a superhero!

Photogallery

LOVE WHAT YOU DO WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT