Department of Medicine

Neurology Section

The Neurology Section at AKU is home to the largest certified faculty of Neurologists in Pakistan. The diverse and comprehensive clinical and research faculty allows AKUH to offer excellence in clinical practice through maintaining the highest standards of diagnostic and therapeutic services.

Services

Services offered by the Neurology section include Clinical Neurology Inpatient and Outpatient Services, Clinical Neurophysiology Services, Neurology Specialty Programmes, Stroke Clinic, Epilepsy Clinic, Headache Clinic, Sleep Clinic and Neuromuscular Clinic.

Stroke Programme and Stroke Clinic

The section has established a comprehensive stroke programme (Programme Director: Dr Ayeesha Kamal and Co-director: Dr Mohammad Wasay). Our specialised Stroke Unit (first in Pakistan) provides comprehensive modern services for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with cerebrovascular diseases. Transcranial Doppler, which is a helpful tool in diagnosis of vascular blockage in stroke patients, has been added to this new service. In addition, the weekly stroke clinic run by stroke neurologists attends to the needs of stroke patients through a multidisciplinary team.

Epilepsy Programme and Epilepsy Clinic

The Neurology section also hosts an Epilepsy Programme with state-of-the-art Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. There is a well-established Video EEG monitoring service that is used for diagnosis and management of epilepsy and ‘undiagnosed spells’. This test is also used for Phase I evaluation of Epilepsy Surgery. The services are the first of their kind in the country. The Epilepsy Programme (Programme Director: Dr Mughis Sheerani and Co-director: Dr Fowzia Siddiqui) incorporates new modalities of treatment for epilepsy, including evaluation for epilepsy surgery.

Headache Programme and Headache Clinic

The Neurology Section’s Headache Programme (Director: Dr Aziz Sonawalla) offers neurological evaluation and therapy for common and complicated headache syndromes. Weekly headache clinics provide patients with access to our experienced headache specialist to allow a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to this common but often seriously disabling ailment.

Clinical Neurophysiology Services

The Clinical Neurophysiology services are equipped with state-of-the-art modern equipment. The special procedures offered include nerve conduction studies, electromyography, single fibre EMG, autonomic testing, evoked potentials, EEG, continuous EEG monitoring and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Intra-operative monitoring allows our orthopaedic and neurosurgeon colleagues to undertake complicated surgeries with greater safety.

Botulinum Toxin

EMG guided botulinum injection for dystonia and other movement disorders allow improved function of these disabled patients.

Sleep Laboratory

A well-equipped sleep laboratory routinely performs sleep studies for the diagnosis and management of sleep disorders including sleep apnoea. The multidisciplinary sleep programme ensures patients with sleep disorders receive best possible care through collaboration between neurologists, pulmonologists, ENT specialists, dental surgeons and psychiatrists. Appropriate equipment (e.g. CPAP machine) is made available to our patients to help them manage their condition.

Neuromuscular Programme

This is our newest programme (Programme Director: Dr Shahid Mustafa). Highly trained neurologists are working hard to ensure appropriate diagnosis and therapy for patients with neuromuscular diseases. The section is collaborating with Pathology department to ensure appropriate genetic testing is made available for the first time in Pakistan for the diagnosis of these conditions.

Research Activities/Programmes

The section’s research programme is directed by Dr Wasay. In 2006, more than 20 research papers were published in peer reviewed medical journals. In the same year, six international presentations were conducted by section members. Currently, there are about 22 ongoing research projects. The section is participating in two industry supported, multi-centre, international trials. Research projects planned or ongoing in 2007- 2008 include research studies on Memantine for TLE induced Memory Loss, Rositiglazone in Alzheimer’s disease, Anticoagulants in Acute Ischemic Stroke, The Karachi Intracranial Stenosis Study and Rapid Assessment of Cerebral Ischemia to Prevent Stroke Emergence.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Activities

The section is heavily involved in organisation of all national and international conferences in Pakistan related to neurology and stroke. Workshops and courses on headache, intracerebral haemorrhage, botox, epilepsy and sleep related disorders have been organised. Besides hosting the IBRO Neuroscience Conference in 2008, the section is starting a certificate course for neurology training for General practitioners and family physicians.

Educational Programmes/Undergraduate and Postgraduate Training

• Three-year Neurology Residency Programme;
• Two-year Clinical Neurophysiology and Electrodiagnostic Medicine Fellowship Programme;
• Two week rotation for Phase III medical students;
• Two months Neurology rotation for Internal Medicine residents.

Nephrology Section Aga Khan University