Neurosurgery is surgery of the nervous system. A neurological surgeon, or neurosurgeon, is a specialist who is trained in surgery of the nervous system, and can perform surgery on the brain, spinal cord, or other parts of the nervous system. This specialist is sometimes called a brain surgeon. The neurosurgeon also works with patients to diagnose, evaluate, and treat diseases or disorders of the nervous system, and aids in critical care of patients before, during and after surgery.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Stenosis, Spinal Injury, Herniated Disc, brain tumors, stroke, Spinal Cord Tumors, Scoliosis, epilepsy, Spinal Infection, Spinal Discectomy, Spinal Deformity, brain tumor, coma, seizure, Alzheimer's disease, cerebral palsy, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Disc Disease / Surgery, Back / Spine Surgery , Invasive Disc Surgery, Kyphosis Surgery, Laminectomy, Deep Brain Stimulation, endoscopic surgery, craniotomy, stereotactic radiosurgery, microsurgery, Endoscopic management, Cordotomy, transphenoidal surgery, and radiation implants.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including MRI Scan of the Brain, MRI Scan of the Spine, CAT Scan of the Brain, CT Scan of the Brain, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Myelogram, Spinal Tap, Lumbar Puncture (LP), Electromyography (EMG), Cerebral Angiogram, Electroencephalography, Electronystagmography (ENG), Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV), Spinal Puncture, Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan), Myelography, Ocular Pressures, Evoked Potentials Studies, and Myogram.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Kentucky has 117 practicing neurosurgeons. Broken out by city, neurosurgery doctor density in Ashland is 3, in Bowling Green is 3, in Covington is 1, in Crestview Hills is 4, in Cumberland is 1, in Cynthiana is 1, in Edgewood is 3, in Elizabethtown is 6, in Florence is 2, in Fort Campbell is 1, in Frankfort is 1, in Harlan is 1, in Hazard is 2, in Hopkinsville is 1, in La Grange is 1, in Lexington is 31, in London is 1, in Louisville is 53, in Madisonville is 1, in Mc Dowell is 1, in Morehead is 1, in Owensboro is 5, in Paducah is 5, in Pikeville is 2, in Shelbyville is 1, in Somerset is 4, in West Liberty is 1, and in Whitesburg is 1.

Kentucky is known for its thoroughbred horses, tobacco and bourbon, but there’s much more. The Kentucky parks system draw thousands of visitors each year for swimming, boating, hiking, biking, and picnicking. The capital city is Frankfort, and has many historic homes and sites to visit, including the Old Governor’s Mansion, the Capital City Museum, and the Liberty Hall Historic Site. Visitors can explore a cave in Mammoth Cave National Park, or when in Louisville, hear authentic bluegrass music. Famous people born in Kentucky are former president Abraham Lincoln, fighter Muhammad Ali, and actor Johnny Depp.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Kentucky has a population of 4,173,405. Of this population, 959,891 are under the age of 18 and 522,811 are at or above the age of 65.