The Butler Health System along with the PA Brain and Spine Institute recently began offering specialized neurosurgical treatments, including surgery of the brain and spine.

That specialty brought a woman from Ecuador to Butler to have her surgery done at Butler Memorial Hospital, according to a news release from the health system.

Herlinda Elizabeth Heres-Montenegro traveled more than 2,700 miles from Ecuador to meet with Dr. Michael Horowitz and Dr. Richard Spiro, who specialize in treating Hemifacial Spasm, a neuromuscular disorder involving frequent spasms on one side of the face caused by blood vessels around the cranial nerve pressing down or causing pressure on the nerve.

Flores-Montengro sought help after eight years of suffering and was referred to a neurologist in Ecuador who knew of Horowitz and Spiro.

This month a Microvascular Decompression was performed on her at Butler Memorial, the first of its kind at the hospital.

Microvascular Decompression is a microscopic surgical procedure where the blood vessels causing pressure on the cranial nerve are separated and padded to relieve the pressure.

Following the surgery, Flores-Montengro said that this surgery helped her to accomplish her goal of having no symptoms and looks forward to a better quality of life.

Horowitz and Spiro are with the PA Brain and Spine Institute.