Craniotomy What is a craniotomy? Although you don't have to be a neurosurgeon to change a light bulb, you do if you want to do a craniotomy. A neurosurgeon is a special doctor who operates on the brain. A craniotomy is surgery that removes part of the skull to get to the brain. This is usually done to remove a brain tumor or to fix a blood vessel problem like an aneurysm. When the bone that is removed during the surgery is replaced by a metal plate, it's called a craniectomy. Why does a craniotomy need to be done? Brain tumors can cause all sorts of symptoms ranging from headaches, visual changes, seizures, weakness and even death. A craniotomy may be done to remove the tumor. A craniotomy may also be done to fix a brain aneurysm. An aneurysm is when a blood vessel balloons out at a specific point. The ballooned area is weak and at risk of bursting. This could lead to a serious stroke or death. How is a craniotomy performed? The patient's head is shaved before the operation. After putting the patient to sleep under general anesthesia, the surgeon makes some incisions around the head or neck, then cuts the skull bone. The surgeon then operates on the brain. Although this may sound shocking, sometimes the patient is awake for this part of the surgery. When everything is finished, the bone is put back in place or a metal plate is used to close the skull. How long does the procedure take? The surgery is long and can take many hours. Most patients stay in the hospital for several days to recover. You often need to take medicine after the surgery to prevent seizures. What are the risks? The amount of risk depends on the area that is being operated on. There may be a risk of losing some brain function. Bleeding and infection are possible at the incision. Following the surgery, seizures and headaches are possible. There's also a risk of death during the operation. Sources: American Association of Neurological Surgeons American Brain Tumor Association American Cancer Society National Brain Tumor Foundation National Institutes of Health (NIH)
This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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