Brain surgery, or neurosurgery, is an operation on the brain. It treats health issues, injuries, or differences in the brain. It can be used to treat a range of issues, such as:

• Brain tumors
• Vascular problems
• Movement disorders
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Epilepsy
• Hydrocephalus
• Craniosynostosis

We perform many types of brain surgery. Our brain surgeons and neurologists work with you to tailor care to your needs. The best option for you depends on your condition and your surgeon. 

In many cases, our brain surgeons also use sophisticated tools and state-of-the-art technology. This may include surgical robots and precise imaging tools. This achieves the best possible outcome for you at the lowest possible risk.

There are many different reasons you may need brain surgery. Maybe you’ve been in a bad car accident or had a stroke. You may need it if you're dealing with unrelenting seizures that haven’t stopped with less invasive epilepsy treatments. Reasons include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Movement disorders
• Vascular disorders
• Brain or pituitary tumors or cysts
• Chronic pain in the face
• Epilepsy that doesn't respond to medication

Your doctor may refer you to a brain surgeon if you have these or other brain issues. The surgeon can review your records and talk about whether brain surgery is an option for you.

Brain surgery covers a broad spectrum of procedures. Each one targets different parts of the brain and treats different brain issues. 

Your care team will include experts in multiple types of brain surgery. No matter your care needs, we have an expert who can help.

Cerebrovascular surgery

Surgery on the blood vessels in the brain is cerebrovascular surgery. Health issues that involve the brain’s blood vessels include:

• Aneurysm
• Arteriovenous malformation
• Cavernoma
• Stroke
• Brain bleeds (Intracerebral hemorrhage)

Our cerebrovascular surgeons are experts in endovascular surgery. This involves inserting tiny instruments through the blood vessels to access the brain and spine. This allows them to treat these health issues without needing large incisions. They're also experts in treating blood vessel problems that require operations through the skull.

Functional brain surgery

Functional brain surgery, also called functional neurosurgery, changes how the brain works. It’s used to treat movement disorders, chronic facial pain, and epilepsy. These include:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Tremors
• Dystonia

Our functional brain surgeons are experts in deep brain stimulation, which helps regulate abnormal brain signals. This helps improve motor function and quality of life for patients with movement disorders.

Skull base surgery

Skull base surgery, or skull base neurosurgery, treats tumors and other health issues that develop at the base of the skull. These include:

• Pituitary growths
• Cysts
• Brain tumors

These complex surgeries often require a team with wide-ranging expertise. They use innovative approaches to access hard-to-reach areas while keeping the brain working.

Trauma brain surgery

Trauma brain surgery is an operation done on the brain in an emergency, for instance, after a car crash. It's also called trauma neurosurgery. These surgeries aim to:

• Stabilize the patient
• Relieve pressure on the brain
• Stop bleeding in the brain
• Repair damaged brain tissue
• Prevent further damage to the brain

These can be lifesaving if the brain tissue is swelling or bleeding after an injury.

Peripheral nerve surgery 

Peripheral nerve surgery treats conditions where nerves get compressed, injured, or are growing abnormally. These procedures help reduce pain, restore movement, or protect nerve function. These include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Ulnar nerve entrapment
• Peripheral nerve tumors
• Traumatic nerve injuries
• Brachial plexus injuries

Pediatric brain surgery

Children with brain disorders require expert care. Our pediatric brain surgeons treat brain-related health issues in children and young people. These include:

• Brain differences they’re born with
• Brain tumors
• Epilepsy
• Hydrocephalus
• Arachnoid and other cysts
• Craniosynostosis

Our expert teams ensure they receive the best care tailored to their needs.

Brain cancer surgery

Brain cancer surgery is also known as oncologic neurosurgery or neurosurgical oncology. These surgeons remove tumors from your brain and spinal cord. They use precise imaging and advanced techniques to get the cancer out with less impact on the healthy brain tissue.

Brain surgery can seem like a drastic option, but we're here to guide you every step of the way. New technologies have made this care safer, easier, and faster recovery.

Here’s a general overview of what to expect before, during, and after surgery:

Before surgery

Before surgery, you'll have a wide range of tests. This may include imaging tests, blood work and visits with your brain surgeon and the doctor who puts you to sleep during surgery. 

This helps ensure you're in the best health possible for the surgery. It also ensures that these treatments are a good option for you. It also helps the surgical team plan for the delicate work of operating on your brain or its blood vessels. 

A nurse navigator will help you book the visits and tests you need. 

During surgery

We use a wide swath of surgical technologies to improve outcomes after surgery. Your surgeon will explain the best approach for you.

Your operation may be an open surgery or one of the many less and even noninvasive options. Less invasive procedures involve much smaller incisions or sometimes none at all. This means shorter recovery times. 

Some of the types of brain surgery we use include:

• Minimally invasive brain surgery: These procedures allow surgeons to access the brain with smaller incisions. This reduces recovery time and lowers risk.
• Endovascular approach: This is a less invasive surgery for treating vascular disorders. The surgeon uses a very thin wire to reach the brain through the blood vessels. This neurointerventional radiology is a way to treat aneurysms and strokes.
• Endoscopic endonasal surgery: This is a less invasive surgery. Surgeons reach the skull base and upper spine through the blood vessels of the nose and sinuses. They can use this to treat tumors and fix damaged tissue.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery (CyberKnife): This is a noninvasive treatment with no incisions. Surgeons use precise radiation beams to target tumors and abnormal brain tissues.
• Minimally invasive brain access (NICO BrainPath): This allows brain surgeons to safely access deep parts of the brain. It reduces damage to the nearby healthy tissue.
• Focused ultrasound: This is a noninvasive treatment for Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor. It uses sound waves to target and treat brain areas that cause movement issues. It can also be used to treat some patients with brain tumors.
• Robotic surgery (ROSA robot): This helps surgeons do delicate procedures faster and more precisely. It's used to place a deep brain stimulation device or treat epilepsy.
• MRI-guided laser ablation (Visualase): This noninvasive treatment uses lasers to destroy problem areas of the brain. Our surgeons use it to treat brain tumors under the guidance of MRI imaging. It helps save as much healthy tissue as possible.
• Microsurgery: Our brain surgeons use highly precise tools to perform delicate surgeries. This reduces damage to healthy brain tissue.
• Open brain surgery: In some cases, traditional open surgery is the most effective option. 

After surgery

After surgery, you'll spend time in recovery. Your care team will monitor you closely. Depending on how complex your surgery is, recovery can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. 

When you leave the hospital, we'll give you details about your post-operative care. Your recovery may include physical therapy and follow-up visits.