Neuromuscular Disease Patient Care

Through Feinberg-affiliated care sites, our faculty see patients with a variety of neuromuscular conditions, including ALS, frontotemporal dementia and ALS (ALS/FTD), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), spinal muscular atrophy, the hereditary spastic parapareses (HSP), the muscular dystrophies, peripheral neuropathies, myasthenia gravis, autonomic disorders and muscle diseases in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. In the ALS and Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) multidisciplinary care clinics, there is close collaboration with colleagues in pulmonology and sleep medicine, speech pathology, neuropsychology and others to provide optimal care for patients with these diseases.

• Lois Insolia ALS Clinic serves patients with ALS and other motor neuron diseases through a multidisciplinary team approach in which specially trained personnel provide diagnostic, rehabilitative and supportive services. It was established in 1986 with funds from the James V. Insolia family and the Les Turner ALS Foundation.
• The Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinic uses also a multidisciplinary team approach to patients with diverse neuromuscular diagnoses since 1992.
• The Peripheral Neuropathy Clinic provides comprehensive care for patients with peripheral neuropathy, traumatic nerve injury, neuralgic amyotrophy (Parsonage Turner syndrome), CIDP, GBS, radiation plexopathy, small fiber neuropathy and other peripheral nerve disorders.
• The Charcot Marie Tooth Center of Excellence incorporates a multidisciplinary approach, including genetic counseling and physical therapy for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with hereditary neuropathy.
• The general neuromuscular clinic is open to patients with all types of neuromuscular disorders that include myasthenia gravis, muscle diseases, peripheral neuropathy and phrenic nerve injuries.
• The electrodiagnostic testing center includes an AANEM-accredited nerve conduction and electromyography suite as well as an autonomic laboratory dedicated to the diagnosis of neuromuscular and autonomic disorders. In addition, peripheral nerve ultrasound is available for patients with peripheral nerve injuries, neural sheath tumors and other nerve disorders.
• Small fiber neuropathy testing with skin biopsies of the leg measuring intraepidermal nerve fiber density are also performed in the neuromuscular clinic.