- The GENEUS initiative brings together seven centers from Spain, France, and Portugal with the aim of developing specific geriatric neurosurgery protocols to better preserve patient autonomy and functional capacity
- The Alicante Health and Biomedical Research Institute and the Doctor Balmis Hospital begin patient recruitment for this international study
Alicante (2026-08-23).- The Alicante Health and Biomedical Research Institute (ISABIAL) has started the patient recruitment phase for the European project GENEUS (Geriatric Neurosurgery), an international research study that aims to analyze, evaluate, and optimize care for patients over 65 who require neurosurgical treatment.
The study, funded with 1.2 million euros by the European Interreg SUDOE program, brings together seven hospitals and research centers from Spain, France, and Portugal. Its goal is to develop specific geriatric neurosurgery protocols to reduce complications associated with hospitalization and better preserve patient autonomy and functional capacity.
The aging population is one of the greatest challenges facing the current healthcare system. Patients over 65 who require neurosurgical care often present high clinical complexity, such as taking multiple medications or living with associated pathologies like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, or mild cognitive impairment.
The project’s principal investigator, Dr. Pablo González-López, stated that this situation “significantly conditions the hospitalization process. Currently, 60% of geriatric patients leave a hospital admission having developed a pathology or complication different from the one that prompted their admission.”
The long-term goal of the project is to lay the foundations for the recognition and development of geriatric neurosurgery as a clinical subspecialty, with specific protocols adapted to the needs of these patients.
Dr. González-López points out that the geriatric population also requires a coordinated multidisciplinary approach, alongside services such as geriatrics, internal medicine, or rehabilitation, “to preserve their functional health status during and, above all, after a surgical process.”
Research phases
The GENEUS project is currently in the diagnostic phase, which consists of a rigorous observational study analyzing the evolution of 300 patients to compare cognitive and physical status, as well as the level of independence, before and after the hospitalization period.
Starting in 2027, new measures will be implemented aimed at improving care in different phases of the care process, from preoperative and anesthetic assessment to surgical optimization, rehabilitation during admission, and follow-up after discharge. The final phase will allow for a scientific evaluation of whether these actions reduce complications and improve the functional recovery of patients.
As a major milestone in the development of the research, ISABIAL will host the GENEUS project general assembly on September 25. This international meeting will bring together the leading European figures in the field of geriatric neurosurgery in the city of Alicante.
During the working session, research teams from Spain, France, and Portugal will present the first findings from the diagnostic phase. Furthermore, the meeting will serve to share and coordinate future strategies that will ensure the optimal implementation of the new clinical protocols across the different hospital centers.