Brain and Nerve Surgery

Brain and Nerve Surgery

Brain and nerve surgery (neurosurgery) is a specialty focused on the surgical treatment of disorders including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

What is Brain and Nerve Surgery (Neurosurgery)?

Brain and nerve surgery, also known as neurosurgery, is a specialty focused on the surgical treatment of disorders affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Brain operation surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures addressing conditions ranging from brain tumors to spinal injuries. The aim of the surgery is to ensure comprehensive care for patients with complex neurological issues.

What is Neurosurgery Used For?

Brain and nerve surgery types are performed by neurosurgeons who can diagnose and treat conditions such as brain tumors, spinal disorders, traumatic brain injuries, congenital anomalies, cerebrovascular disorders, epilepsy, peripheral disorders, etc.

The diagnosis, treatment, and management options for neurological disorders may vary. Therefore, it is important to seek medical help if patients observe symptoms.

If you have symptoms that are listed below, you can contact our clinic located in Turkey.

  • Severe headache
  • Neck pain
  • Muscle malfunction
  • Changes in sensation
  • Fainting, confusion, or delirium
  • Disturbances of smell and taste
  • Visual hallucinations

What Kind of Surgeries Do Neurosurgeons Do?

Brain and nerve surgery can be challenging for most of the patients. You need to be mentally prepared for the treatment. Your surgeon may recommend seeing a psychologist for psychological assistance so that you can get through the process in a healthier way. 

Some of the neurosurgery treatment types can be listed as follows:

Craniotomy

Craniotomy involves opening the skull to access the brain for surgical repair of abnormalities like tumors, aneurysms, or brain injuries. During this neurosurgery, your surgeon removes a bone flap to access the brain, performs the necessary repairs, and then replaces the bone flap.

Lastly, the brain surgery recovery period varies according to the general health of the patient. However, after staying a few days at the hospital, you may be expected to rest at home for a few weeks.

Brain Tumor Surgery

After diagnosing the brain tumor with CT scans and MRIs, your doctor may perform benign or malignant brain tumor surgery. The process involves the removal of brain tumors.

During the brain tumor removal surgery, your neurosurgeon aims to minimize damage to the surrounding brain tissue. After a successful surgery, your recovery period starts, which may take from weeks to months. You should note that the recovery period highly depends on the tumor’s size and surgery complexity.

Aneurysm Repair

Aneurysm repair is a neurosurgery type targeting cerebral aneurysms that are bulging, weak areas in the wall of an artery in the brain. After diagnosing your neuro-health through cerebral angiography, CT scans, and MR, your surgeon may recommend surgery.

Brain aneurysm repair can be performed using two techniques: aneurysm clipping and endovascular repair. According to your general health, your surgeon will inform you about which technique will be performed.

Epilepsy Brain Surgery

Brain surgery for epilepsy aims to remove or alter the area of the brain causing seizure activity in epilepsy patients. After a detailed evaluation, including an EEG, MRI, or PET scan, your surgeon will identify the seizure focus.

Brain surgery for seizures might involve techniques including lesionectomy, lobectomy, or disconnective procedures to control seizures. After the surgery, you may need several weeks to recover.

Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s (DBS)

Deep brain stimulation surgery involves implanting electrodes in specific brain areas to treat movement disorders. After diagnosing the disorder type through imaging studies and neurological evaluation, your surgeon starts the treatment process.

During DBS, electrodes connected to a pacemaker-like device send electrical impulses to the brain. After the treatment session, you may need to stay at the hospital for a few days. After several weeks, you may fully recover from the treatment.

Spinal Surgery

Spinal surgery is a surgical process addressing conditions affecting the spinal columns, such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or spinal injuries. After diagnosing a specific spinal issue through MRI, CT scans, and X-rays, your surgeon may inform you that surgery is required.

To treat your specific spinal issue, your surgeon may perform open or minimally invasive spinal surgery. You should note that spinal surgeries are generally performed by a group of surgeons, such as neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, physiotherapists, cardiologists, and other experts.

Peripheral Nerve Surgery

This surgery type focuses on repairing damaged peripheral nervous system. This damage may cause pain, weakness, or numbness. After an evaluation based on your symptoms, your surgeon may diagnose your disorder through EMG, nerve conduction studies, and imaging tests.

Surgical procedures for peripheral nerve damage may include nerve repair, grafting, or decompression to restore function. After the surgery, you might need several weeks to fully recover.

Stereotactic Surgery

Stereotactic surgery is a minimal form of surgery using three-dimensional coordinates to locate small targets within the brain. The treatment process may involve biopsy, tumor removal, or treatment of functional disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Management

TBI management addresses severe brain injuries from impacts by managing bleeding, swelling, or damaged brain tissue. After CTI scans and an MRI, your doctor detects the severity of the injury. The brain surgery process removes clotted blood, relieves pressure, and repairs skull fractures. Healing from brain surgery for a specific trauma may take a few months to years, depending on the injury’s severity.

Functional Neurosurgery

Functional neurosurgery is performed to enhance and restore brain function through procedures targeting brain circuits. Techniques that are tailored to the patient’s condition may include DBS, lesioning, or gene therapy.

Shunt Surgery in the Brain

Shunt surgery is performed to treat hydrocephalus, which is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. The aim of the surgery is to divert fluid from the brain to another body part.

The shunt surgery involves implanting a shunt system to drain excess fluid and relieve pressure on the brain. After the surgery, the patient may need to spend a few days at the hospital. The full recovery may take several weeks.

 

Faq

How long is recovery after brain surgery?

Recovery after brain surgery varies, with less invasive procedures requiring a few weeks and open brain surgery needing several weeks to several months for recovery. Patients are closely monitored post-surgery, and rehabilitation may be necessary to restore functions like strength, mobility, and speech. To conclude, the exact recovery timeline is personalized, depending on the surgery type and individual patient needs.

 
Can you live a normal life after a craniotomy?

Yes, it is possible that you can live a normal life after a craniotomy. But you should note that every patient is unique. Recovery time may vary depending on the overall health of the patient and the specific condition being treated. The initial recovery involves hospitalization. After staying a few days at the hospital, patients may need several weeks of healing. To learn more about surgery types, neurosurgery cost, recovery time, and getting through the disease, you can contact our clinic in Turkey.

 
What is surgery for the brain and nervous system?

Brain and nerve surgery is known as neurosurgery. This surgery type encompasses a broad range of procedures aimed at treating disorders affecting peripheral nerves, the brain, and the spinal cord. This specialty goes beyond brain surgery. For example, conditions ranging from back pain to neurological diseases are addressed in neurosurgery.

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