Muscular and Neuromuscular Disorders
CERCA (Caribbean Center for rare Muscular and Neuromuscular Diseases) is the following step after a Neuromuscular Center created in 1993. The CERCA has been successfully graduated (2006) as one of the only 11 French National Reference Centers dedicated to rare either muscular or neuromuscular disorders. In 2011, CERCA has been confirmed as one of the major French Center by a National Evaluation by the French Health Authorities. CERCA is based at the University Hospital of Martinique (CHU de Martinique) taking care of patients from the French Caribbean Islands (including Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barth) as well as French Guyana, St-Lucia, Dominica and beyond. The coordinator is Dr Rémi BELLANCE, MD, who acts as Neurologist and Neuropathologist.►What are our main goals?
- Provide an expert diagnosis in all the Caribbean for very rare and complex disorders of the Muscles, the Nerves, the Central Nervous system that affect Adults and Children. The Center has a deep experience in rare Diseases such as Duchenne Myopathy, Congenital Myopathies, Hereditary peripheral Neuropathies, Huntington Disease, Cerebellar Ataxia and more
- Provide high level of Care in the field of Dysmorphology and Pediatric genetic
- Evaluate any disorders of the elastic tissue such as Marfan Disease and Ehler-Danlos Syndrome
- Provide an expert evaluation of the effects of each disease on the whole body with a multidisciplinary approach
- Organize specific Medical Cares and Innovative Treatments
- Organize Prevention by the Genetic Counseling which is the process, by which patients or relatives, at risk of an inherited disease, are advised of the consequences and nature of the disorder, the probability of developing or transmitting it, and the options open to them in management or family planning
- Promote this difficult field of Medicine by meetings and trainings
- Perform Epidemiology studies giving accurate informations to the Authorities for Public Health
►What about Our Team?
- The CERCA Team works as an association of many Specialists Physicians, all experts in their own field of activities
- Thus, the Center involve 3 Neurologists, 1 Pediatric Neurologist, 1 rehabilitation Specialist, 1 specialist in Lung Diseases, 1 Genetic Counselor, In addition many others paramedics are involved in the Center including specialized Technicians, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Neuropsychologist and Social Worker.
- As direct effect of some diseases on the Heart or the Spine, CERCA works in direct collaboration with Adult and Pediatric Cardiologists, Orthopedic Surgeons…
►The CERCA is structured in 2 Departments
- A Clinical Department with Consultations for Children and Adults
- A laboratory of Reference for the entire Caribbean area providing muscle biopsy study with enzymology, muscle’s proteins analysis, DNA extraction (and molecular biology in collaboration)
►What can CERCA provide?
- Consultations of Myology and multidisciplinary staff
- Consultations of Neurogenetic and multidisciplinary staff
- Consultations for rare Peripheral Neuropathies, and multidisciplinary staff
- Consultation for Recklinghausen Disease and others Phacomatosis and multidisciplinary staff
- Consultations for Marfan Disease and others Elastopathies
- Muscle biopsy with modern standards
- DNA extraction and molecular biology (in collaboration)
►Where are We and How to contact Us?
- Hôpital Pierre-Zobda-Quitman, CHU de Martinique
- 1st underground (Level minus 1)
- Fort-de-France, Martinique, FWI
- Phone : +596 596552264
- Fax : +596 596755266
- Head of the Unit Email Adress : remi.bellance@chu-fortdefrance.fr
Under Construction
Contact us
For urgent request, it is advisable to contact the 24-hours Call Center Service:
International Tel Number:
+596 596 751575
International Fax Number:
+ 596 596 755980
And to follow instructions in the Contact Us box
Heavy medical support with extra fee can be offered with a short notice for retrieval of critically sick patients.