What is Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery?

Brain surgery is a common treatment for a brain tumour and many other conditions that affect the brain. But brain surgery is a major surgery and it requires a longer recovery period. With the advancements in technology and surgical instruments, brain surgery can be performed using smaller and less invasive methods than using the traditional method. This is called minimally invasive brain surgery. Using this, brain tumours and several other conditions related to the brain can be treated by making smaller incisions.
What Conditions Can Be Treated with Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery?
The brain is the complex organ in the body and it is responsible for controlling several functions in the body. If a tumour develops in the brain due to abnormal growth of brain cells, it can slow down blood flow in the brain. This can be treated using minimally invasive brain surgery. Minimally invasive brain surgery can also treat stroke and epilepsy.
But most of the minimally invasive brain surgeries are performed to treat brain tumours. There are several types of brain tumours, both cancerous and non-cancerous. Whether they are cancerous or non-cancerous, surgery is considered as a major option. With minimally invasive brain surgery, no incisions are made to perform the procedure and the tumours are accessed through natural openings such as mouth, and nostrils.
Minimally invasive brain surgery is effective at treating the following conditions:
- Brain tumour
- Brain cysts
- Stroke
- Epilepsy
- Brain aneurysms
- Pituitary tumours
- Sinus carcinomas
- Hydrocephalus
Is Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery a Better Choice than Traditional Brain Surgery?
In traditional brain surgery or open brain surgery, a few incisions are made on the area of the brain that requires treatment. Then a hole is made in the brain to access the brain and remove the portion of the affected area to treat the condition. This procedure can be painful and poses more risks to the patients. The recovery is also longer due to incisions.
With minimally invasive brain surgery, all the risks of traditional brain surgery get eliminated. A minimally brain surgery operates the brain through a keyhole incision and it does not affect the delicate areas of the brain such as the nerves. The blood loss is also minimal and you can go back home after 2 or 3 days of the procedure.
Who Can Undergo Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery?
Not all the patients who have brain tumours can undergo minimally invasive brain surgery. For instance, tumours in the upper portion of the brain can be effectively treated with traditional open brain surgeries. Minimally invasive brain surgery is considered in following cases:
- To treat tumours at the skull base
- Tumours that are near the bottom of the head
- Tumours behind the eyes, ears, and nose
Before determining the best treatment approach, the neurosurgeon will consider various factors such as your health, age, signs, type of tumour, and its location.
Types of Minimally Invasive Brain Surgeries
The following are the different types of minimally invasive brain surgeries:
- Endoscopic surgery: During this surgery, the neurosurgeon makes use of an endoscope that has a light and camera. The endoscope along with some other instruments are inserted through body openings such as the nose or eye socket or by making small incision.
- Endonasal surgery: To perform endonasal surgery, the endoscope is inserted through the nose. By using the video generated from an endoscope, the surgeon inserts some specialized instruments to repair the condition. It is used to treat pituitary tumours, skull base tumours, chordomas, normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), etc.
- Transorbital surgery: It is used to treat tumours in the skull base and the tumours behind the eyes. To perform this surgery, an incision is made in the eyelid crease.
- Keyhole craniotomy: A keyhole craniotomy procedure allows the surgeon to access the tumours through small, keyhole sized openings. It is performed by making a keyhole incision in the eyebrow. It can be used to treat tumours that are near the front of your brain.
- Laser ablation: Laser ablation kills the tumours using laser light and is guided by MRI. It is effective at treating tumours that are in areas which cannot be accessed through traditional surgical methods.
Meet Dr Vishwak Sena Reddy for Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery
If you are looking for the best neurosurgeon in Hyderabad, then Dr Vishwak Sena Reddy is your right stop. Minimally invasive brain surgery requires a specific set of surgical skills, training and experience and Dr Vishwak Sena Reddy has over 12 years of experience in it. He offers the highest quality compassionate care for his patients using the latest in technology. To know more, call us or drop us an email.