Awake brain surgery, also called awake craniotomy, is a type of procedure performed on the brain while the person is awake and alert. Most of the brain surgeries involve general anesthesia wherein the patient is completely sedated and paralyzed and his/her breathing is controlled by the ventilator. Awake brain surgery involves keeping the person awake and alert during surgery so as to be able to monitor his/her brain function while a surgical procedure is being performed on the brain.
Awake brain surgery is used to treat some brain tumors that are in close proximity to important functional areas of the brain such as the speech area and motor area. Patient’s responses help the surgeon to ensure that the functional area under consideration is preserved, thus preserving function. The procedure also lowers the risk of damage to functional areas of your brain that could affect your vision,…
