Craniotomy for Tumor

What is Craniotomy for Tumor?

Surgical excision of your brain tumor may require your neurosurgeon to create a bone flap and temporarily remove a piece of your skull to gain access to the tumor. Many factors will determine if a craniotomy is part of your tumor surgery:

• The type of tumor. Some tumors such as metastatic brain tumors, acoustic neuromas, and meningiomas more commonly will use a craniotomy.
• The size of the tumor. Large tumors which cause swelling of the brain and increased cranial pressure may require debulking (removal of the bulk of the mass) which may provide immediate relief of related symptoms.
• Location of the tumor. Some tumors are more easily reach through traditional surgery, while others might be deeper in the brain or too close to the eloquent parts of the brain. Other neurosurgical techniques such as super-focused radiation beams are used instead, for a bloodless procedure with less risk of infection.