University Neurosurgery Unit: University of Cambridge

The University Neurosurgy Unit was founded in 1991 and is dedicated to advancing the care of patients with brain injury, trauma, haemorrhage, hydrocephalus and tumours. The Unit is fully integrated within the `A' block at Addenbrooke's, which provides a comprehensive neuroscience service for the whole of the East Anglia region (population: 2.7 million) and with the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre. They provide a neurosurgical physics service including multimodality bedside monitoring with appropriate advanced mathematical modelling techniques. Intracerebral microdialysis is supported by full neurochemical facilities. There are excellent opportunities for studying on the Neurointensive Care Unit, the largest of its type in the UK.

Key research areas

• Acute brain injury and disorders of CSF (Prof JD Pickard)
• Neurovascular (Mr P Kirkpatrick)
• Brain injury (Mr P Hutchinson)
• Neurosurgical physics (Dr M Czosnyka, Dr P Smielewski)
• Experimental programme (Dr H Richards)
• Neurochemistry (Dr K Carpenter)
• Spinal research (Mr R Laing)
• Functional neurosurgery (Mr C Watts)

Research collaborations

• They are closely linked with the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre and the Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair.
• The UK Shunt Registry, UK Shunt Evaluation Laboratory and the CSF Infusion Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Services are housed within Academic Neurosurgery, and are complemented by a tertiary referral CSF clinic.
• There are close links with the Department of Engineering and clinical departments in Cambridge and the Eastern Region, to provide integrated service frameworks.