Brain surgery is a procedure that treats neurological conditions affecting the brain and the structures around the opening of the skull. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says that brain surgery treats various disorders such as brain tumors, blood clots, weak or abnormal blood vessels, damaged brain tissue, infections, skull fractures, and brain damage caused by strokes and seizure disorders. At times, doctors use brain surgery when electrical devices must be implanted in the brains of people suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Before Surgery
People undergoing brain surgery must be physically prepared for this medical procedure. The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health says that doctors give patients thorough physical examinations before surgery, including laboratory tests and X-rays. People tell their doctors if they are pregnant, what prescription and non-prescription drugs, supplements, vitamins and herbs they are taking, and whether or not they drink excessive alcohol.
In the days before surgery, patients stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen, warfarin or other blood-thinning drugs. Doctors may tell patients to stop taking prescriptions drugs that lead to bloating. People should stop smoking as well. Doctors can provide smoking cessation help. Stop eating or drinking 8 to 12 hours before the time of surgery.
Scalp Preparation
The University of Maryland Medical Center describes this complicated medical procedure. Before people go in for brain surgery, their scalps have to be prepared for the surgery. Nurses shave the hair at the incision site, depending on the area of the brain being treated. Once the area is shaved, the scalp is cleaned in preparation for surgery.
In Surgery
Surgeons pull the scalp up, create a hole in the skull, and remove bone in the area where the procedure will be performed. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that surgeons use special microscopes or endoscopes to perform brain surgery procedures such as clipping off aneurysms to stem blood flow, removing tumors for biopsies, draining blood, and removing infection or brain abnormalities. They attach monitors to the patient's brain to make sure a person stays stable while under anesthesia. Surgeons use computers to scan the brain, decreasing surgical complications. Surgeons place metal plates, sutures and wires on the area where bone was removed.
Risks and Complications
Despite the technological advances that have made brain surgery less dangerous, people face risks associated with treating brain injuries. Some of the risk factors, such as reactions to anesthesia and breathing difficulties, occur with any surgical procedure. Risks specifically associated with brain surgery include speech, muscle, balance and vision problems, brain bleeding, seizures, strokes, comas, infections in the brain or wounds, and swelled brains.
After Surgery
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health outlines the brain surgery recovery process. Intensive care unit medical personnel stabilize patients before transferring patients to hospital rooms, where doctors and nurses continue monitoring brain function by checking eyes' reaction to light and observing how patients complete simple tasks. Some patients need oxygen for a few days. Patients keep their heads elevated to reduce swelling of the face and head, and take pain relievers. The hospital stay ranges from 3 to 7 days, depending on recovery and the part of the brain treated. Patients need rehabilitation once they return home.
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