In Rasiklal M Dhariwal Centre for Cardiac & Neuro Sciences, the department of Neuro Sciences at Poona Hospital & Research Centre is focussed on a foundation of academic, clinical & research excellence and is committed to provide the highest quality of patient care.

Poona Hospital boasts of the only dizziness and balance disorders unit with Neuro-Otological expertise to deal with even the most challenging cases of dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.

The Neurologists, ENT surgeons and physio therapists all within the same facility offer a true multidisciplinary approach for balance disorders.

The hospital has the first dedicated Neuro ICU and Stroke unit in the city. The Neuro surgical teams perform complicated stereotaxy procedures, surgery for aneurysms, tumors of brain and spinal microsurgery.

The department of Neurology has grown to be one of the major centres of excellence in the state. The Neurology Department offers comprehensive consultation, evaluation, clinical diagnostic studies and treatment of Neurological diseases.

Poona Hospital & Research Centre is a recognized institute by National Board of Examinations for DNB -Neurology.

Dizziness and balance disorders clinic:

The neurology team specializes in “curing” Benign positional vertigo in minutes by particle repositioning maneuvers and have treated more than 1000 cases with almost 90 % success rate.

Emergency Services:

The Emergency unit handles the most demanding cases 24 x 7 . The largest group of patients seen at the emergency department are the stroke patients. Other typical emergency cases are status epileptics, convulsions, loss of consciousness, severe headache, and inflammation of the nervous system.

Stroke unit:

The hospital offers a comprehensive stroke prevention and treatment program. Patient education, risk, screening, and acute and secondary prevention therapies are also offered. Facilities for intravenous and intra arterial thrombolytic therapy are available. The multidisciplinary team offers the state of the art treatment and diagnostic technologies in a warm and compassionate environment. All care is co-coordinated by highly specialized professional staff, which is well supported by an excellent rehabilitation unit. Emergency ambulance services are also available.

Intensive care:

The department has a well-equipped ICU to deal with all neurological emergencies. The ICU is equipped with infusion pumps, Intracranial pressure monitoring devices, bed side monitors and critical care ventilators and manned by trained staff.

General Neurology:

General Neurology clinic and outpatient department operates all days and is staffed by highly qualified and experienced neurologists .It provides a ready access for patients with all neurological problems.

Headache clinic:

A multidisciplinary team consisting of Neurologist, Ophthalmologist, Dental, Psychiatrist and ENT specialist evaluates and offers treatment to patients with headaches. The team makes certain that the diagnosis is accurate. The clinic is dedicated to quality diagnosis, comprehensive and individualized management in cooperation with the patient. A number of complementary and alternative therapies are available for appropriate individuals such as physical therapy, relaxation training, nerve blocks, life style counseling, biofeed back techniques and diet counseling.

Epilepsy clinic:

We offer extensive experience in diagnosing and treating epilepsy, syncope and related conditions.

Botox clinic:

Botox treatment is available for patients with blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, torticollis, cerebral palsy, hemiplegics and spasticity, and other disorders.

Lab services:

The Neuro lab is complete with a wide range of diagnostics for accurate pathological diagnosis of muscle, nerve diseases and brain lesions.

Vertigo and balance disorders clinic:

A combination of Neurologists, ENT surgeons and physical therapists all within the same facility offer a true multidisciplinary approach for balance disorders. State-of-the-art diagnostic machines, including VNG and Dynamic posturography , are used for an accurate diagnosis in the patients.

Conditions treated:

We see a wide variety of dizziness and balance impaired patients.

Dizziness/vertigo Due To:

  • Vertigo or dizziness due to diseases and infections
  • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), both typical and atypical
  • Stroke & brain injury related dizziness
  • Vestibular disorders like Vestibular Neuritis
  • Migraine associated dizziness
  • Meniere’s disease
  • “Cervical spondylosis”

Balance / Gait Problems Due To:

  • Vestibular disorders
  • Diabetic and other Peripheral neuropathies
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Stroke & brain injury related balance problems
  • Post-aminoglycoside therapy, chemotherapy, or inner ear surgery with persistent symptoms
  • Spondylotic and other myelopathies
  • Stroke and TIA unit
  • Memory disorders clinic
  • Botox and movement disorders clinic
  • Migraine and Headache clinic
  • Epilepsy clinic
  • Neuro-ophthalmology clinic
  • Sleep disorders clinic

Neurology

The Neurology Department offers comprehensive consultation, evaluation, clinical diagnostic studies and treatment of Neurological diseases.

The diagnostic studies include:

  • Electroencephalogram (EEG)
  • Videonystagmography (VNG)- This test has supplanted the older ENG (Electronystagmometry) test in most advanced dizziness and balance centres around the world.
  • Poona Hospital has the first VNG installed in India; and is the pioneers in the use of this advanced technology in patients of dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.
  • he VNG measures various normal eye movements and involntary rapid eye movements called nystagmus. The Neurologists can easily look for and document disorders of saccadic intrusions, saccading latencies and velocities, gaze holding and following and detect various types of nystagmus.
  • It also checks the muscles that control eye movements. ENG checks how well the eyes, inner ears and brain help you keep your balance and position (such as when you change from lying down to standing).It is done to help see whether there is damage or a problem in how the inner ear, brain, or nerves connecting them work. These problems may cause dizziness, vertigo, or loss of balance.
  • During ENG, electrodes are attached to the face near the eyes to record eye movements. But with VNG a simple goggle is placed over your eyes, which records the eye movements directly with an infra-red camera. The movements are recorded on the computer for analysis and later printout. A series of recordings is done.
  • Baseline recordings are taken with the patient’s head at rest.

More recordings are done:

  • While the patient moves his head up and down, left and right.
  • While the patient looks at a moving object.
  • Rarely after warm or cold water is placed inside the patient’s ears

The Department of Neuropsychology at Poona hospital provides services relating to cognitive evaluations (tests) and rehabilitation. Patients with brain injury such as stroke, head injury or other conditions such as dementia, epilepsy, movement disorders often have difficulties with memory, attention, language and other thinking skills.

Cognitive evaluations help with diagnosis and profiling the patient's current strengths and weaknesses in terms of cognitive abilities. Cognitive stimulation and guidance through exercises, strategies and therapy helps to guide the patient to maximise their brain's potential and participation in everyday life activities and work.

Dr. Charumati Raghavan (PhD, University of Oxford; MRes Brain Imaging & Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Birmingham) has 18 years of clinical and research experience in the area of neuropsychology.

Consultations are scheduled on an appointment basis only.

Neurology Specialites

Dr. Sudhir Kothari

Dr. Sudhir Kothari

D.M. (Neurology)

OPD Timing: Tues & Fri : 11.30am to 01.30pm

Dr. P.K. Sharma

Dr. P.K. Sharma

D.M. (Neurology)

OPD Timing: Thurs & Sat : 11.30am to 01.30pm

Dr.-Nilesh-Bhandari

Dr. Nilesh Bhandari

D.M. (Neurology)

OPD Timing: Mon : 11.30am to 01.30pm

Dr.-Vishal-Deshpande

Dr. Vishal Deshpande

DNB Neurology

OPD Timing: Wed : 11.30am to 01.30pm

Neuro Surgery Specialites

Dr.-Pradeep-Bafna

Dr. Pradeep Bafna

M.Ch (Neurosurg)

OPD Timing: Mon & Fri : 11.30am to 01.30pm

Dr.-Sushil-Patkar.

Dr. Sushil Patkar

M.Ch (Neurosurg)

OPD Timing: Tues,Thurs & Sat : 11.30am to 01.30pm

Dr.-Nikhil-Talathi.jpg

Dr.Nikhil Talathi

M.Ch (Neurosurg)

OPD Timing: Wed : 11.30am to 01.30pm