What Happens During Brain Surgery

Brain surgery is different for each person. Sometimes the surgical team needs to shave part of your head to operate, or they may just shave a tiny area to make an incision (cut). Your head won’t need to be shaved at all for most minimally invasive surgeries.

Some procedures require general anesthesia, which means you’re completely unconscious. But other procedures only need sedation, meaning you’re partially asleep but can still respond to certain stimuli. During certain surgeries, you may even be awake during surgery. This is the case for some tumors, epilepsy or neurological conditions.

During an awake craniotomy, you receive anesthetic on your head, so you don’t feel pain from the incision. You also receive sedation to put you into a light sleep. But your surgeon and anesthesiologist wake you up during the surgery and ask you to perform tasks. You may need to speak, move a body part, look at objects or remember information. Prior to surgery, they may monitor your brain function using a functional MRI. Providers call this interoperative brain mapping. This process helps your surgeon avoid important areas of the brain during surgery.

Brain surgery can take anywhere from two to nine hours or more, depending on the complexity of your surgery.

Treatments

Types Of Brain Surgery
There are several different types of brain surgery. The type used depends on the problem being treated. Craniotomy: A craniotomy involves making an incision in the scalp and creating a hole known as a bone flap in the skull. The hole and incision are made near the area of the brain being treated. During open brain surgery, your surgeon may opt to: • remove tumors • clip off an aneurysm • drain blood or fluid from an infection • remove abnormal brain tissue When the procedure is complete, the bone flap is usually secured in place with plates, sutures, or wires. The hole may be left open in the case of tumors, infection, or brain swelling. When left open, the procedure is known as a craniectomy. Biopsy: This procedure is used to remove a small amount of brain tissue or a tumor so it can be examined under a microscope. This involves a small incision and hole in the skull. Minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery: This type of surgery allows your surgeon to remove tumors or lesions through your nose and sinuses. It allows them to access parts of your brain without making an incision. The procedure involves the use of an endoscope, which is a telescopic device equipped with lights and a camera so the surgeon can see where they’re working. Your doctor can use this for tumors on the pituitary gland, tumors on the base of the skull, and tumors growing at the bottom part of the brain. Minimally invasive neuroendoscopy: Similar to minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery, neuroendoscopy uses endoscopes to remove brain tumors. Your surgeon may make small, dime-sized holes in the skull to access parts of your brain during this surgery. Deep brain stimulation: As with a biopsy, this procedure involves making a small hole in the skull, but instead of removing a piece of tissue, your surgeon will insert a small electrode into a deep portion of the brain. The electrode will be connected to a battery at the chest, like a pacemaker, and electrical signals will be transmitted to help symptoms of different disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Laser ablation: Some conditions may be too deep in the brain for safe access through a craniotomy. In these cases, use of a laser probe, passed through a tiny hole in the skull may allow destruction of a tumor, radiation injury or epileptic tissue. View

Types Of Brain Surgery

There are several different types of brain surgery. The type used depends on the problem being treated.

Craniotomy:

A craniotomy involves making an incision in the scalp and creating a hole known as a bone flap in the skull. The hole and incision are made near the area of the brain being treated.

During open brain surgery, your surgeon may opt to:

• remove tumors
• clip off an aneurysm
• drain blood or fluid from an infection
• remove abnormal brain tissue

When the procedure is complete, the bone flap is usually secured in place with plates, sutures, or wires. The hole may be left open in the case of tumors, infection, or brain swelling. When left open, the procedure is known as a craniectomy.

Biopsy:

This procedure is used to remove a small amount of brain tissue or a tumor so it can be examined under a microscope. This involves a small incision and hole in the skull.

Minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery:

This type of surgery allows your surgeon to remove tumors or lesions through your nose and sinuses. It allows them to access parts of your brain without making an incision. The procedure involves the use of an endoscope, which is a telescopic device equipped with lights and a camera so the surgeon can see where they’re working. Your doctor can use this for tumors on the pituitary gland, tumors on the base of the skull, and tumors growing at the bottom part of the brain.

Minimally invasive neuroendoscopy:

Similar to minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery, neuroendoscopy uses endoscopes to remove brain tumors. Your surgeon may make small, dime-sized holes in the skull to access parts of your brain during this surgery.

Deep brain stimulation:

As with a biopsy, this procedure involves making a small hole in the skull, but instead of removing a piece of tissue, your surgeon will insert a small electrode into a deep portion of the brain. The electrode will be connected to a battery at the chest, like a pacemaker, and electrical signals will be transmitted to help symptoms of different disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease.

Laser ablation:

Some conditions may be too deep in the brain for safe access through a craniotomy. In these cases, use of a laser probe, passed through a tiny hole in the skull may allow destruction of a tumor, radiation injury or epileptic tissue.

View

What Happens During Brain Surgery
Brain surgery is different for each person. Sometimes the surgical team needs to shave part of your head to operate, or they may just shave a tiny area to make an incision (cut). Your head won’t need to be shaved at all for most minimally invasive surgeries. Some procedures require general anesthesia, which means you’re completely unconscious. But other procedures only need sedation, meaning you’re partially asleep but can still respond to certain stimuli. During certain surgeries, you may even be awake during surgery. This is the case for some tumors, epilepsy or neurological conditions. During an awake craniotomy, you receive anesthetic on your head, so you don’t feel pain from the incision. You also receive sedation to put you into a light sleep. But your surgeon and anesthesiologist wake you up during the surgery and ask you to perform tasks. You may need to speak, move a body part, look at objects or remember information. Prior to surgery, they may monitor your brain function using a functional MRI. Providers call this interoperative brain mapping. This process helps your surgeon avoid important areas of the brain during surgery. Brain surgery can take anywhere from two to nine hours or more, depending on the complexity of your surgery. View

What Happens During Brain Surgery

View