Brain surgery

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Before and after hematoma repair

Overview

Recovery

Risks

Brain surgery

Definition:

Brain surgery treats lesions of the brain and its surrounding structures through an opening (craniotomy) in the skull (cranium).

Alternative Names:
Craniotomy; Surgery - brain; Neurosurgery
Description:

text continues below

The hair on part of the scalp is shaved. The scalp is cleansed and prepared for surgery. An incision is made through the scalp and a hole is drilled through the skull. A piece of the skull is removed (usually temporarily) and the surgery is performed, after which the bone is replaced and secured in place.

Indications:

Brain surgery may be needed to treat:

brain tumors
bleeding (hemorrhage) or blood clots (hematomas) from injuries (subdural hematoma or epidural hematomas)
weaknesses in blood vessels (cerebral aneurysms)
arteriovenous malformations (AVM; abnormal blood vessels)
damage to tissues covering the brain (dura)
pockets of infection in the brain (brain abscesses)
severe nerve or facial pain (such as trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux)
trauma to the skull and repair of skull fractures