Conditions We Treat

For the past several decades there has been a rising expectation that with appropriate management the disabled should be able to be “mainstreamed” into everyday life and its pursuits. This has given rise to a number of treatments designed to overcome or work around disabilities that block this effort.

Unfortunately, individuals in need are commonly evaluated in isolation by a specialist for a single type of treatment. Little or no coordination between specialists who might have related or alternative treatments occurs. The can result in treatment options being overlooked and, as a consequence, less that optimal management of the disability.

Function brings a variety of experienced specialists to a common site where each can evaluate problem(s) and discuss management options in a group setting on the same day as the evaluation. The result is a coordinated treatment plan for the disability.

This also affords an educational opportunity for the patient and family to understand the management options for their disability and why the plan being recommended was considered to be the best.

The specialists at Function have treatments for the disabilities in children and adults that result from conditions such as:

• Cerebral Palsy or birth injuries to the brain and spinal cord
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Nerve injuries including obstetrical brachial plexus injury
• Spina Bifida and other spinal dysraphisms such as tethered spinal cord
• Stroke
• Trauma injuring a part of the nervous system

Our physicians and other clinicians

Our physicians and other clinicians specialize in treating patients of all ages who suffer from conditions that include cerebral palsy; Spina bifida and tethered spinal cord syndrome; nerve injuries and other long-term disabilities.

After a thorough evaluation and consultation, our specialists at FUNCTION coordinate and craft a personalized treatment plan for your child that may include:

• Rehabilitation Medicine: Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy; oral medications; orthotics and assistive devices; BOTOX, and other forms of nerve injections
• Neurosurgical procedures: Selective Neurectomy; Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy; Selective DREZotomy, and Intrathecal Baclofen, nerve surgery, including removal scar tissue and nerve grafting
• Assessment of Urological Dysfunction: Ultrasonic evaluation voiding; uroflowetry, and cystometry.
• Orthopedic Procedures: Tendon lengthening; tendon transfer; joint reconstruction; joint fusion; osteotomies; patella reconstruction, and femoral head resection

The following are included among the many conditions we treat at Function:

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is an abnormality in the central nervous system (CNS) that is present during infancy and early childhood. The condition can be due to either developmental problems or injuries to the CNS that result in various movement disorders. These range from mild incoordination to muscle stiffness and disordered, uncontrolled movements in the trunk and limbs. The muscle stiffness can, over time, cause muscle contraction (scarring with loss in ability to stretch), deformities in bone growth and dislocation of bone joints.

Spina Bifida and Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome

Spina bifida is Latin for “split spine” and refers to a developmental abnormality in the closure of an embryo’s neural tube—that portion of the fetus destined to develop into the central nervous system.

Tethered spinal cord refers to a collection of developmental malformations (tight filum terminale, lipomeyelomeningcele, diastematomyelia, dermal sinus tract, dermoid, cystocele) or abnormalities associated with surgery in the spinal cord. These problems cause the spinal cord to become attached to surrounding tissue and thereby malfunction.

Both Spina Bifida and tethered spinal cord can result in abnormal development and function in the spine, legs, bowel and bladder. There are three forms of spina bifida. They are, in order of increasing severity:

• Spina Bifida Occulta: Simple defect in posterior bony spine with normal spinal cord
• Spina Bifida Cystica With Meningocele: Posterior defect in bony spine and in dura that surrounds the nerves and spinal cord with normal development of the spinal cord
• Spina Bifida Cystica With A Myelomeningocele: Posterior defect in spine and dura associated with an incomplete close and maldevelopment of the spinal cord.

In common usage, spina bifida typically refers to the most severe form, Spina Bifida Cystica with a Myelomeningocele.

Nerve Injuries

Nerve injuries refer to injuries to the nerves outside of the central nervous system that can result from trauma, medical treatment or surgical procedures. These conditions can occur near the spine in the brachial plexus (nerves going to arm) or lumbosacral plexus (nerves going to legs, bowel and bladder), or out in the limbs.