Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery, also known as brain surgery, is simply surgery of the nervous system. Prometeymed serves its patients by acting together with healthcare institutions and physicians who have achieved worldwide success in this field and have high treatment rates. We stand by our patients by mobilizing the most accurate health centers for all interventions in the brain region, which is undoubtedly the most important and sensitive part of the human body.
While providing answers to your questions about neurosurgery, we would like to remind you that we are just a message and a phone call away for all your questions in this field.
Most people think of neurosurgery as neurosurgery, but neurosurgery can include many different procedures. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of patients with injury or disease/disorder of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The specialty of neurosurgical care includes both adult and pediatric patients. Depending on the nature of the injury or disease, a neurological surgeon may provide surgical or non-surgical care.
Benign brain tumors
A benign (i.e. non-cancerous) brain tumor is a relatively slow-growing mass of cells in the brain.
Non-cancerous brain tumors tend to stay in one place and do not spread. In addition, if the entire tumor can be safely removed during surgery, the benign brain tumor usually does not return.
If the tumor cannot be completely removed, there is a risk that it will grow back. In this case, the tumor is closely monitored using various screening methods or treated with radiotherapy.
There are many different types of non-cancerous brain tumors, depending on the type of brain cells affected.
Examples of some types of benign brain tumors are shown below:
- Glioma – a tumor of the glial tissue that holds and supports nerve cells and fibers
- Meningioma – a tumor in the membranes covering the brain.
- Acoustic neuroma – A tumor of the acoustic nerve.
- Craniopharyngioma – A tumor that occurs near the base of the brain, most commonly diagnosed in children, teenagers and young adults.
- Hemangioblastoma – a tumor in the blood vessels of the brain.
- Pituitary adenoma – a type of tumor that occurs in the pituitary gland.
Brain tumors are graded from 1 to 4 according to how fast they grow and spread and how likely they are to grow again after treatment.
Non-cancerous brain tumors are grade 1 or 2 because they tend to grow slowly and are unlikely to spread.
Such tumors are not cancerous and can often be successfully treated, but any tumor is serious and can be life-threatening.
Malignant brain tumors
A malignant brain tumor can be defined simply as a cancerous growth in the brain.
The symptoms of a brain tumor depend on where in the brain it is located.
Common symptoms include:
- Headaches (usually worse in the morning and when coughing or straining)
- Having a seizure
- Feeling sick regularly (such as throwing up)
- Memory problems or personality changes
- Weakness, vision problems or worsening speech problems
If you have brain tumor symptoms that don’t go away, you may need to see a general practitioner. It is unlikely to be a tumor, but it is best to be sure.
There are many types of brain tumors and tumors have different names depending on where they are located in the brain.
They are also given a number from 1 to 4, depending on the nature of the tumor. The higher the number, the more serious a tumor is:
- Grade 1 and 2 brain tumors are slow-growing tumors that are not defined as cancerous (i.e. benign).
- Grade 3 and 4 brain tumors are fast growing, relatively difficult to treat and cancerous (i.e. malignant).
Brain tumors are also referred to as primary (starting in the brain) and secondary (spreading to the brain).
Parkinson’s surgeries
Brain surgery for Parkinson’s disease is done to stabilize activity in certain areas of the brain that control physical movement. The surgery may involve implanting a stimulating device or creating a surgical lesion (cut) in the brain.
The areas of the brain affected by Parkinson’s disease are very small and located in very deep areas of the brain. These procedures are done precisely and often with imaging guidance, so that your surgeon can see the structure of your brain in real-time pictures during surgery.
There are several types of Parkinson’s disease surgery. The right procedure for you will depend on your symptoms, response to medication, side effects, pre-operative tests and your preference.
Deep brain stimulation is the most common type of brain surgery to treat Parkinson’s disease.
During this surgery, a device that produces an electrical signal is implanted in the brain.
Peripheral nerve repairs
If a nerve is injured but not severed, the injury is more likely to heal. Injuries where the nerve is completely severed are very difficult to treat and recovery may not be possible in certain cases.
Your doctor will determine your treatment based on the extent and cause of your injury and how well the nerve heals.
If your nerve is healing properly, you may not need surgery. You may need to rest the affected area until it heals. Nerves heal slowly and maximum recovery can take months or years.
You will need regular check-ups to make sure your recovery is going well.
If your injury is due to a medical condition, your doctor will treat the underlying condition.
Depending on the type and severity of your nerve injury, you may need medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve your pain. Medicines used to treat depression, seizures or insomnia may be used to relieve nerve pain. In some cases, you may need corticosteroid injections for pain relief.
Your doctor may recommend physical therapy to prevent physical problems and restore nerve-related functions.
If your wound does not seem to be healing properly, your surgeon may use EMG testing to assess whether the injured nerves are healing. Performing an EMG test directly on the nerve is more accurate and reliable than performing the test on the skin.
Sometimes a nerve sits in a narrow space (like a tunnel) or is pinched by a scar. In these cases, your surgeon can widen the narrow space or free the nerve from the scar.
If a section of a nerve is completely cut or damaged beyond repair, your surgeon may remove the damaged section and reconnect healthy nerve endings (nerve repair) or implant a piece of nerve from another part of your body (nerve graft). These procedures can help your nerves to grow again.
If you have a particularly serious nerve injury, your doctor may recommend surgery to restore function to critical muscles by transferring tendons from one muscle to another.
