Neurosurgery (or neurological surgery) is the medical specialty
concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation
of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including
the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial
cerebrovascular system.
Neuroradiology methods are used in modern neurosurgical diagnosis and
treatment, including computer assisted imaging computed tomography
(CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography
(PET), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and thestereotactic surgery. Some
neurosurgical procedures involve the use of MRI and functional MRI
intraoperatively.
Microsurgery is utilized in many aspects of neurological surgery.
Microvascular anastomosis are required when EC-IC surgery is performed.
The clipping of aneurysms is performed using a microscope. Minimally
invasive spine surgery utilizes these techniques. Procedures such as
microdiscectomy, laminectomy, and artificial discs rely on microsurgery.
Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery is utilized by neurosurgeons.
Techniques such as endoscopic endonasal surgery is used for pituitary
tumors, craniopharyngiomas, chordomas, and the repair of cerebrospinal
fluid leaks. Ventricular endoscopy is used for colloid cysts and
neurocysticercosis. Endoscopic techniques can be used to assist in the
evaculation of hematomas and trigeminal neuralgia. Repair of
craniofacial disorders and disturbance of cerebrospinal fluid
circulation is done by neurosurgeons, and depending on the situation,
maxillofacial and plastic surgeons. Conditions such as chiari
malformation, craniosynostosis, and syringomyelia are treated. This is
called cranioplasty.
Other conditions treated by neurosurgeons include:
- Spinal disc herniation
- Cervical spinal stenosis and Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Hydrocephalus
- Head trauma (brain hemorrhages, skull fractures, etc.)
- Spinal cord trauma
- Traumatic injuries of peripheral nerves
- Infections
- Tumors of the spine, spinal cord and peripheral nerves
- Intracerebral hemorrhage, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, interdepartmental, and intracellular hemorrhages
- Some forms of drug-resistant epilepsy
- Some forms of movement disorders (advanced Parkinson’s disease,
chorea) – this involves the use of specially developed minimally
invasive stereotactic techniques (functional, stereotactic neurosurgery)
such as ablative surgery and deep brain stimulation surgery
- Intractable pain of cancer or trauma patients and cranial/peripheral nerve pain
- Some forms of intractable psychiatric disorders
- Vascular malformations (i.e., arteriovenous malformations, venous
angiomas, cavernous angiomas, capillary telangectasias) of the brain and
spinal cord
- Moyamoya disease