Dr. Sunil Jeswani, a neurosurgeon at Sharp Grossmont Hospital for Neuroscience, recently made headlines when he successfully performed the first cerebral bypass by a nonacademic, community hospital in the San Diego region.
A cerebral bypass — also called revascularization — is a delicate microsurgery used for patients who may have a blocked or narrowed artery, putting them at risk of stroke. Think of it as the brain’s equivalent to a coronary bypass for the heart.
The surgeon begins by taking a blood vessel from outside the brain, for example, from under the scalp. That vessel is then placed inside the brain to reroute blood flow around the problem artery by connecting it to a healthy vessel, restoring normal blood flow.
During this rare and complex surgery performed last month, a specific dye was used, which the team can see using a microscope with a special filter. This allows them to confirm that the blood is flowing adequately through the bypass.
The procedure is often used for patients with a condition called moyamoya disease, as was the case with this patient. In moyamoya disease, the arteries supplying blood to the brain narrow over time, reducing oxygen flow and increasing the risk of stroke.
“Our patient had already had a stroke and was at risk for another,” says Dr. Jeswani. “Having the tools and a multi-disciplinary team to offer patients this advanced type of stroke prevention procedure at a nonacademic hospital is a testament to Sharp’s commitment to neuroscience expertise for San Diego.”
Dedicated to neuroscience expertise
That commitment to world-class neurosurgical and neurological care was cemented in 2025 with the opening of Sharp Grossmont Hospital for Neuroscience on the main hospital’s campus in La Mesa. The specialty hospital is the county’s only comprehensive center for patients with conditions that affect the brain, nerves and spine. This includes cancers of the head, neck and spine; movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor; and stroke. The center also offers its own inpatient and outpatient rehab facility to follow patients through their recovery.
“Being able to offer this type of surgery, as well as the aftercare the patient needs — delivered by a specialized team of caregivers inside of the neuroscience hospital — demonstrates how we are able to provide the highest level of care to some of the most complex neurological and neurosurgical problems,” Dr. Jeswani says.
More information about the Sharp Grossmont Hospital for Neuroscience can be found here.
