Any surgical treatment done for the head, spine, and nervous system, including the spinal cord and brain, is known as neurosurgery. Various nervous disorders and diseases are treated with surgical procedures, but a neurosurgeon also provides non-surgical treatments. After diagnosing the patient, your neurosurgeon will suggest either you require surgical treatment or the non-surgical methods will treat you.
Causes Lead to Neurosurgery
If your neurosurgeon recommends surgery, then it might have various reasons behind it. Certain conditions lead to neurosurgery. Multiple brains, neck, and head disorders could only have a surgical treatment option left for the patients. The most common causes that lead to neurosurgery are mentioned below.
- Seizure disorders, including epilepsy
- Brain, nerve, and spine cancer
- Injuries to the head, neck, and spine
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Aneurysms and strokes involving bleeding in the brain
- Hydrocephalus
- Cervical spine disorders
- Multiple Surgical Procedures for Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is a broader term that involves various surgical procedures. The surgeon will choose the most suitable surgical option according to the patient's condition. Among many available options, the following are the most used surgical procedures for neurosurgery.
Open Surgery/Craniotomy
A craniotomy is also referred to as open brain surgery. This type of surgery involves removing a piece of the patient's skull to access the targeted brain area. After doing surgery, this removed skull part is replaced by your brain surgeon. Open surgeries are preferable to remove tumors, blood clots, and epileptic tissues to reduce pressure on the brain.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
As the name suggests, minimally invasive neurosurgery is less invasive as compared to open surgery. Laparoscopic devices with remote-controlled manipulation are used to treat certain diseases by making fewer incisions. This type of surgery causes less pain and offers accuracy. Moreover, you have to stay less at the hospital because of a small surgical site and fewer infection chances.
Endoscopic Surgery
By endoscopic surgery, neurologists get access to hard-to-reach areas of the brain and spine. This is another minimally invasive approach that is used in cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve surgery. No incisions are needed in this surgery, so the patient doesn't have to stay longer in the hospital and feels less pain.
Radio Surgery
Radio surgery is mainly chosen for benign and malignant brain tumors. High-frequency radio waves damage the genetic material of cancerous cells. As a result, the cancer virus cannot reproduce, and the tumor will eventually reduce to the end. Radiation beams are used to treat brain, neck, and spinal tumors and other disorders of the nervous system.
Endovascular Neurosurgery
Catheters and radiology combine uses to diagnose and treat nervous system disorders. It is also a minimally invasive approach which is done through needle puncture and sheath. With this surgery, your neurosurgeon can treat lesions of arteries and veins in the nervous system. Less discomfort and small lesions are the benefits this surgery offers.
Micro Surgery
For micro-neurosurgery, the high-power microscope is used to target special areas of the nervous system showing disorders or disease symptoms. Your surgeon handles the lesions that can be localized into any nervous system region. This kind of neurosurgery has various benefits, including less operative trauma and lesser hemorrhage.
Potential Risks Involving Neurosurgery
The rate of complications and risks of neurosurgery vary depending upon various factors. The type of surgical procedure and patient's characteristics are the most common factors influencing surgical risks. According to a study complication rate of neurosurgical procedures is around 14%. The following risks or complications can be seen in different patients but keep in mind it's the rate and intensity of risks is different in each patient.
- Severe bleeding that requires transfusion
- Need for mechanical ventilation
- Intracranial hemorrhage
- Hyper perfusion syndrome
- Cranial nerve palsies
- Ischemia
- Seizures
- Leakage of cerebrospinal fluid
- Aseptic meningitis
Dr. Baker—An Experienced Neurosurgeon from Texas
Dr. Baker is a renowned neurosurgeon in Sherman, and Plano, Texas, who performs spinal reconstructive neurosurgical surgery procedures to treat nervous system disorders. He has performed hundreds of surgeries and is famous for his minimally invasive neurosurgeries. You can contact him at (469) 947-7463. Book your appointment through a phone call or physically visit his offices. He is amongst the best surgeons for the brain and spine in Texas.
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