Craniotomy is a major brain surgery that treats tumours, blood clots, and epilepsy. During the surgery, a neurosurgeon removes a part of your skull to access the brain and reapply the piece of your skull back.  

Why Do You Need a Craniotomy? 

You may need a craniotomy in case of: 

• A brain tumour. 

• A blood clot. 

• Abnormal collection of blood vessels or vascular malformations. 

• Enlargement of artery or aneurysm. 

• Tangled blood vessels or arteriovenous malformations. 

• Swelling in your brain. 

• Epilepsy. 

• Fracture in the skull. 

Are There Any Risks Associated with a Craniotomy? 

Any surgery involves certain risks and complications. Since, craniotomy is a major surgical procedure, the common complications include: 

• Pain. 

• Bleeding. 

• Seizures. 

• Stroke. 

• Haematoma. 

• Coma. 

• Headaches. 

• Infection. 

Although, at times craniotomy can also affect your ability to move, think, speak, and function properly. In rare cases, you may show the following long-term side effects: 

• Problems with balance and coordination. 

• Difficulty walking. 

• Change in your behaviour. 

• Trouble with speech and pronunciation. 

• Change in your appearance. 

What Happens During a Craniotomy? 

During a craniotomy, you will first receive an anaesthesia. The neurosurgeon will start the procedure by first shaving any hair at the incision site and sterilising your head to reduce the risk of infection. After this, an incision will be created on your skin and adjust or move muscles around your skill. 

Next, the surgeon will drill several holes and cut in between each hole with a medical saw to remove a piece of your skull. This piece would be secured to close your skull at the end of the surgery. 

After this, the surgeon will treat your condition, fit the skull back into place, and close up the incision in your skin. 

What Happens After a Craniotomy? 

A craniotomy may take up to 3 to 5 hours. After the procedure, you will be moved to an intensive care unit (ICU) to monitor your healing. You will likely stay in the hospital for up to a week after the surgery.  

You can expect complete recovery after six to eight weeks of the procedure. 

A brain aneurysm or cerebral aneurysm refers to a bulge in the weak area of an artery in or around your brain. A constant blood pressure around this artery causes the weak portion to protrude leading to a blister-like lump.  

Aneurysm can show a variety of symptoms if it puts pressure on the surrounding nerves or brain tissues. If the aneurysm leaks or bursts open, it can cause bleeding in your brain. A ruptured brain aneurysm can be life-threatening and may require emergency medical treatment.  

What is Aneurysm Clipping? 

Brain aneurysm clipping or aneurysm clipping is a type of microsurgery that involves closing off an aneurysm in the brain with the help of a surgical clip. This method is especially beneficial for patients with unruptured aneurysm. For a ruptured aneurysm, clipping can stop the bleeding and prevent another bleeding in the future. 

What are the Risks Associated with Aneurysm Clipping? 

A brain aneurysm is a critical surgery that may have certain risks, such as: 

• Pneumonia. 

• Brain swelling. 

• Seizure. 

• Blood clots. 

• Serious bleeding. 

• Infection. 

• Paralysis. 

What Happens During an Aneurysm Clipping? 

Before starting a procedure, you will receive anaesthesia through IV. After this, the surgeon will shave a small part of your hair where the aneurysm is located. A small part of your scalp would be cut to reveal a part of your skull. The surgeon will drill various holes in the skull and connect them to remove a bone flap. 

Next, the surgeon will open the protective covering around your brain and use a microscope to find the aneurysm. Once the aneurysm is detected, a tiny metal clip will be placed over the bulging part of your blood vessel. The surgeon will put the bone flap back and secure it with metal plates and screws. 

What Happens After an Aneurysm Clipping? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to an ICU and the team will monitor your vitals. You will likely stay in the hospital for up to a week after the surgery.  

You can expect complete recovery after six to eight weeks of the procedure. 

A brain biopsy is a diagnostic procedure during which a piece of your brain tissue or tumour is removed from the brain for examination under a microscope. This helps doctors diagnose brain illnesses and devise an accurate treatment plan. 

Depending on your condition, a doctor may recommend any of the below biopsies: 

• Stereotactic biopsy 

• Needle biopsy 

• Open brain biopsy 

Why Do You Need a Brain Biopsy? 

Your doctor may recommend a brain biopsy to diagnose a variety of brain illnesses including: 

• Brain tumour. 

• Infection or abscess. 

• Inflammation or encephalitis. 

• Demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. 

• Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. 

What are the Risks Associated with a Brain Biopsy? 

Brain surgeries are risky. Some types of biopsies such as needle or stereotactic biopsies are less invasive than open biopsies and have fewer complications. 

Regardless of the type, all types of biopsies cause little swelling or bleeding in the brain and may also lead to: 

• Infection. 

• Seizure. 

• Coma. 

• Stroke. 

What Happens During a Brain Biopsy? 

Before starting a brain biopsy, you will first receive anaesthesia. During the stereotactic and needle biopsy procedure, the neurosurgeon will use precise and advanced imaging techniques to guide a thin, hollow needle to the target area within the brain tissue. 

On the other hand, open brain surgery will follow a traditional surgical approach of removing a small section of your skull, accessing the brain tissue, and extracting a part of tissue for analysis. 

The tissue extracted will be sent to a laboratory for further analysis. 

What Happens After a Brain Biopsy? 

After a brain biopsy, you will be moved to a recovery room. Your doctor may conduct a CT scan after a few hours to check the status of your brain. Alternatively, you may also be required to stay in the hospital overnight for observation.  

Endoscopic brain surgery refers to a minimally invasive procedure that is used to treat brain tumours. The surgery allows the surgeon to access parts of your brain that would be difficult to reach with the help of a traditional surgical approach. 

Why Do You Need Endoscopic Brain Surgery? 

An endoscopic brain surgery may be needed to remove tumours in the areas near the base of the skull or brain. It can also be used to remove tumours at the top of the spine or treat problems related to the sinuses. 

What are the Risks Associated with Endoscopic Brain Surgery? 

Any major surgery carries a certain level of risk. The majority of people get through the surgery easily and heal without any problem. For the others, certain complications may develop, including: 

• Excessive bleeding. 
• Damage to veins, arteries, or nerves. 
• Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaking from the nose. 
• Infection including meningitis. 
• Blood clots. 
• Pneumonia. 
• Slow healing. 

What Happens During an Endoscopic Brain Surgery? 

Before starting the procedure, you will receive anaesthesia. Once the anaesthesia has set in, your neurosurgeon will thread a thin tube through your nose and sinuses to shine a light and a camera on the spot where the surgery must be done.  

Additionally, specially designed tools would be inserted through the nose to drill bone, stop any bleeding, and cut out and remove tumours or other problems. 

What Happens After an Endoscopic Brain Surgery? 

After the procedure, you will be moved to a recovery room. Your nose and sinuses will be packed with bandages and will be removed within a week of the surgery. In addition, you may also be required to stay in the hospital for 1 or 2 days.