BRAIN TUMOUR SURGERY

BRAIN TUMOUR SURGERY

What is brain tumor?

Brain tumors can mainly be divided into two types: tumors originating mainly from the brain and tumors formed in another tissue and spread to the brain. Another classification of brain tumors is known as benign and malignant brain tumors. Benign brain tumors are usually not spread to the surrounding tissues and do not recur after surgery. Malignant brain tumors tend to grow rapidly and spread to surrounding tissues. It is more common in males and white races. It can be seen at any age, although it is more common in patients over 70 years. The cause of brain tumors is not fully understood. Familial history and long-term exposure to radiation are known risk factors in brain tumors.

Symptoms of brain tumors

The most common manifestations are headache, numbness in the arms and legs, memory problems, impaired walking and balance, while the brain tumor symptoms varies depending on the size of the tumor, the region and tumor type in the brain. Apart from this, nausea, vision and speech problems, tremors and twitches, personality changes and emotional fluctuations can be seen in patients with brain tumors.

Treatment of brain tumors

In brain tumors, the treatment usually applied as surgical removal of the tumor. With new brain surgery methods, almost every region of the brain can be reached and tumors can be cleared. The surgical procedure used for brain tumors varies according to the patient, the course of the disease, findings at the stage of preparation to the operation, and the type and size of the tumor. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are non-operative treatment methods that can be applied in brain tumors.

Brain tumor surgery

The main treatment of brain tumors is surgery. Once the brain tumor operation is decided, the brain surgeon should give detailed information about the operation and receive the patient’s informed consent form. Before the brain tumor surgery, the laboratory and imaging methods are evaluated by the anesthesiologist. The patient who is eligible for brain tumor surgery is treated with the most appropriate surgical procedure to be selected by the brain surgeon. If the patient does not have any additional ailments, it is sufficient for him to be hospitalized the day before the brain tumor operation. The duration of brain tumor surgery may vary depending on the location and size of the tumor.

Microscopic tumor excision with neuronavigation:

The neuronavigation system is a treatment method that precisely detects the location of the brain tumors and allows the safest way to access the tumor tissue. With this method, it is enough to open a small way to reach the tumor in brain tumor surgery. Thanks to the microscope used in this method, the tumor area can be zoomed by up to 20 times and a precise operation is provided. In the treatment of tumors located in some special areas of the brain, it is possible to remove the tumor without damaging the brain by entering from a small area with the method called endoport method.

Endonasal endoscopic approach:

In this method, brain tumor surgery is performed with the help of a camera system placed through nostrils. It is more comfortable because it does not need to open the skull.

Stereotactic radiosurgery:

Another treatment for brain tumors is stereotactic radiosurgery where the tumor is destroyed with high dose radiation without the need for general anesthesia and without harming normal brain cells.

After brain tumor surgery

The most common complaints after brain tumor surgery are headache, fatigue and listlessness. Patients may have a seizure (epileptic attack) after the operation. In this case, appropriate antiepileptic drug therapy should be started. Patients with brain tumor surgery must take precautions in this regard as they may experience difficulties in demanding works, such as driving. After brain tumor surgery, it can rarely be seen more severe cases such as paralysis and severe intellectual dysfunction. Death after surgery is very rare. After brain tumor surgery, the patients are discharged within about 3-5 days and sutures are removed about 10-15 days later.