PHOENIX (May 14, 2025) -- Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix today announced it has formally launched a new neurocritical service line for patients, which will include advanced and innovative treatment for strokes, traumatic brain and spine injuries, comas, seizures and status epilepticus, among numerous other conditions.
“Providing a one-stop-shop and true multidisciplinary approach for neurocritical care isn’t just convenient, it’s lifesaving,” said neurologist Dr. Khalid Alsherbini with Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, who is leading this new service line. “By centralizing our advanced services, we ensure faster diagnoses, seamless treatment, and the most cutting-edge care available all under one roof.”
One Phoenix man has already benefited from these services after suffering from refractory status epilepticus, which are seizures that can happen repeatedly without stopping.
Christopher Cathey has battled seizures much of his life. However, the 32-year-old first experienced his “back-to-back” refractory status epilepticus seizures in 2024. Then, in February 2025, things took a turn for the worst.
“Christopher was having continuous seizures that could only be treated and stopped by putting him into a medically induced coma,” said Dr. Robert Bina, a functional neurosurgeon at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, who helped treat Cathey.
Dr. Bina said Cathey’s condition was extremely difficult to treat and life threatening, but the team was committed to giving him the best outcome. That’s when the team suggested deep brain stimulation to treat Cathey’s relentless seizures.
“Deep brain stimulation is a tactic used when seizures don’t respond to medicine,” said Dr. Bina. “It works by sending small, controlled electrical signals to a specific part of the brain involved in triggering seizures. We placed thin wires, called electrodes, deep into the brain, and those wires connect to a device, kind of like a pacemaker, that's placed under the skin in the chest. The device sends steady pulses to help prevent the brain from going into seizure mode.”
After the surgery, Dr. Bina said they immediately saw an improvement in Cathey’s condition. Cathey’s mother, Anne Cathey-Spencer, soundly agreed.
“For the first time in 20 years, Chris is in a much better place, having less frequent and severe seizures,” Cathey-Spencer said. “His quality of life is improving and Chris can finally be happy again. Now we have hope.”
This new neurocritical care service line also treats post-cardiac arrest brain injury, nerve and muscle diseases, and spinal cord disorders.
“We’re so honored to have played a role in Chris’ recovery,” said Dr. Alsherbini. “We’re committed to bringing this same level of advanced care to every neurocritical patient we serve – this is a true team collaboration.”
Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix is a large teaching hospital that has provided medical care to Arizona and the Southwest since 1911. It is part of Banner – University Medicine, a premier academic medical network. The institution, which has trained thousands of doctors over decades as a teaching hospital, is the academic medical center for The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. The hospital, recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the nation’s best hospitals, specializes in heart care, cancer care, high-risk obstetrics, neurosciences, organ transplants, medical toxicology and emergency care, including a Level I trauma center. Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix is part of Banner Health, a nonprofit health care system with 33 hospitals in six states. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/universityphoenix.
Photos courtesy of Anne Cathey-Spencer.
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