Neurosurgical procedures

Brain surgery is a surgical procedure that treats many medical conditions that affect the brain and its associated structures.

What does brain surgery involve?

The symptoms, causes and nature of neurological conditions can be diverse. This means a neurosurgeon must adapt surgery to each person’s circumstances.

A neurosurgeon can do surgery the traditional way or use minimally invasive techniques. Minimally invasive techniques generally begin with the neurosurgeon performing a fine incision. The neurosurgeon then uses special microsurgical instruments. This can shorten the time it takes a patient to recover from an operation and reduce the risk of complications. However, minimally invasive techniques are not suitable for every operation.

After a person has surgery, a speech pathologist or occupational therapist may give them certain exercises to do. This will help them heal. Sometimes, a medical team will form a rehabilitation program to help the person return to strength.

What are the types of brain surgery?

There are many types, including:

• craniotomy
• decompressive craniectomy
• neuroendoscopy
• paediatric craniofacial surgery

A brain surgeon will choose which procedure to use based on the condition and where it is in the brain.

What conditions can brain surgery treat?

Some medical conditions that it can treat are:

• brain tumours
• cerebral aneurysms
• hydrocephalus
• Chiari malformations
• traumatic brain injuries