Brain Tumor Surgery – Types & Recovery

Brain tumor surgery is performed to remove the tumor from the brain. In other words, it’s an operation done to reduce the pressure inside the brain. In case, if you are diagnosed with a brain tumor the primary treatment available to you is the brain tumor surgery. It is performed to remove the tumor, either wholly or as much it is possible. Usually, surgery is an initial step taken to treat the beginning stages and other malignant tumors. It is the widely approached treatment by all, where the tumor can be removed easily without any risk of neurological damage.

Types of Brain Tumor Surgery

Mentioned below are the common types of brain tumor surgery done till date.

1. Biopsy: A surgery performed to remove a sample of tumor tissue.

2. Craniotomy: An operation carried out to remove a portion of the skull. By doing so, it allows the neurosurgeon to find and delete the tumor as much as possible. The removed part is replaced after the surgery.

3. Craniectomy: It is similar to craniotomy. The only difference in this operation is that the portion of skull removed is not replaced.

4. Debulking: Surgery is done to reduce the size of the tumor.

5. Partial Removal: An operation carried out to remove only a part of the tumor (due to the risk of a neurological disorder)

6. Complete Removal: Surgery is done to remove the entire tumor.

7. Shunt: The insertions of drainage systems designed allows to move excess fluid from the brain to another part of the body.

8. Ommaya reservoir: A tiny container inserted under the scalp and is connected to a tube. The container is used to:

a) Give chemotherapy treatment to the brain and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding it.

b) Remove CSF to detect the presence of healthy cells.

c) Remove cystic fluid without the urge for surgery.

9. Skull Based Surgery: It belongs to the area of a tumor as well as the specialized technique used in the removal of tumors in this field.

10. Transsphenoidal Surgery: A surgery performed to operate on pituitary adenomas and craniopharyngiomas.

11. Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy: It is a minimally invasive method of ablating tissues with heat. It is an efficient and safest technique used till date. It is also considered as a minimally invasive option for new or recurrent primary and metastatic tumors anywhere in the brain.

Recovery Time for Brain Tumor Surgery

Recovery time depends on:

1. The entire operation done.
2. The part of brain where the tumor is located.
3. The areas of the brain affected by surgery.
4. Patient’s age and overall health.

Medical Disclosure:

The information contained in this article is presented for the purpose of educating the people. Nothing contained in this article should be construed nor is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider. Should you have any healthcare-related questions, please call or see your physician or other qualified health care provider promptly. Always consult with your doctor or another qualified healthcare professional before embarking on a new treatment, diet, or fitness program.

You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.