About Functional Disorders

A functional disorder refers to a medical condition that impairs normal function. Such disorders frequently arise in children with congenital disorders such as spina bifida and cerebral palsy, after injuries at birth to the brachial plexus (nerves of the arm) or later injuries to the nervous system, and after alterations to the nervous system by a condition such as a tumor or stroke.

FUNCTION Program

The Division of Pediatric Neurological Surgery participates in FUNCTION, a multidisciplinary program created to provide treatments that assist in normalizing the functioning of the neurological, muscular, skeletal and urological systems.

Our Unique Approach

FUNCTION is a multidisciplinary group of specialists created in 2014 to provide treatment and support to children and adults. FUNCTION is staffed with community practitioners who treat functional disorders of the neurological and muscle-skeletal systems. Our group of specialists in neurological surgery, orthopedics, rehabilitation medicine and urology come together weekly to see patients who may benefit from treatments to improve any functional disabilities. Patients seen at FUNCTION are followed by the group with repeated visits on an ongoing basis throughout their lives, as needed.

Treatments offered through FUNCTION include the following.

  • Neurological surgery
  • Orthopedics
  • Rhizotomies
  • Tenotomies and other tendon surgeries
  • Neurectomies
  • Osteotomies
  • Baclofen pumps
  • Joint surgeries
  • Brachial plexus 
  • Scoliosis surgeries
  • Chiari decompressions
  • Spinal cord detethering
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Rehabilitation medicine
  • Urology
  • Botox
  • Bladder augmentation
  • Alcohol injections
  • Urinary diversion
  • Bracing
  • Vesicostomy
  • Adaptive equipment
  • Antegrade continence enema (ACE) procedure
  • Servicing of baclofen pumps

Select Neurectomies

FUNCTION has been actively investigating the use of selective neurectomies—the surgical cutting of nerve branches connected to muscles whose function is impaired by an abnormally elevated tone. This simple procedure can be used to permanently duplicate the beneficial effects seen after Botox injections into muscles whose hypertonia impacts and degrades function. Our patients have been pleased with the reduction in muscle discomfort and need for continued Botox injections.