• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Front Range Spine
and Neurosurgery
  • Bill PayRequest Appointment
    (303) 790-1800
Denver Hip & Knee Clinic
  • Home
  • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Surgeons
  • Conditions & Surgeries
    • Colorado Artificial Disc Institute
    • Cranial Conditions & Tumors
    • Minimally Invasive Surgery
    • Spine & Nerve-Related Conditions
    • Hip & Knee Conditions
  • Treatments
    • Hip & Knee Treatments
    • View All Treatments
  • Patient Resources
    • New Patient Forms
    • Opiod Consent Form
    • Post-Op Care
    • Preparing for Surgery
  • Contact & Locations
    • Lone Tree
    • Parker
    • Colorado Springs
    • Castle Rock – Trail Boss Drive
    • Castle Rock – Limelight Ave

Is a craniotomy a serious surgery?

November 1, 2019

There are a lot of surgical procedures performed every day. Some of them are more serious than others. In general, a surgery that involves the brain or spine is considered serious because these are critical components to our wellbeing and a procedural error could be catastrophic to our health.

A craniotomy is a brain surgery that involves the temporary removal of bone from the skull to make repairs in the brain. It is highly intensive and comes with certain risks, which make it a serious surgery. However, when performed by the right surgeon, a craniotomy is a safe procedure that can most definitely help save your life.

Let’s take a look at what exactly a craniotomy procedure entails.

The Purpose of Craniotomy Surgery

The purpose of a craniotomy is to give surgeon access to a patient’s head under the skull. In order to do this, a part of the skull (bone flap) is removed temporarily so the surgeon has access to parts of the head under it. A craniotomy can be performed for a variety of reasons, including to remove brain tumors or blood clots, fix arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), repair an aneurysm, drain brain abscesses, and to repair skull fractures and tears in the membrane lining.

A craniotomy may also be recommended as part of treatment for epilepsy and for the implantation of stimulator devices in the brain for patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

For precision, surgeons may use CT or MRI scans to guide them during a craniotomy surgery. This type of surgery is called a stereotactic or image-guided craniotomy.

Craniotomy surgery may be serious, but it is necessary for a lot of different procedures that could save you from life-threatening issues. While it is something you shouldn’t take lightly, there are highly qualified physicians who have a wealth of experience performing craniotomy procedures successfully. If you choose a well-qualified and experienced surgeon to perform your craniotomy, rest assured that you are in good hands.

Craniotomy Surgery Procedure

The first step is for an anesthesiologist to administer anesthesia and monitor your vitals throughout the procedure. Then, the nurse will shave the part of the head the surgeon will operate on. The surgeon will make an incision in the head to get access to the skull. Afterward, the surgeon will use a medical drill to burrow a hole in the skull and remove part of the bone to get access inside. The flap will be saved to be put back later on or replaced with an artificial bone. The dura matter will be separated from the skull bone to access the brain inside. At this point, the surgeon can make the necessary repairs and removals depending on your condition and needs. Once complete, the surgeon will sew the tissues together and reattach the bone flap or replace it with an artificial piece. Finally, the incision will be closed with sutures or staples and then bandaged.

After the surgery, you will be transferred to an ICU for monitoring, followed by a neurosurgical nursing unit and rehabilitation facility. A craniotomy requires a hospital stay for a few days. Patients who undergo craniotomy require rehabilitation after the procedure, which includes meeting with occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech therapists, if necessary.

Neurosurgeon Specializing in Craniotomy in Colorado

Our board-certified surgeons at Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of cranial conditions and tumors. We perform highly advanced minimally-invasive surgeries to treat a broad range of neurological conditions.

But more than our neurosurgery skills, we are above all, a compassionate, patient-centric practice. It is our belief that an informed patient is the best patient. We want you to be comfortable with your treatment and make sure you know all the details prior to making decisions about your health.

Conditions that affect the brain are serious and require medical attention as soon as possible. If you need surgery such as a craniotomy, we would love to help. Make an appointment with one of our highly qualified and experienced surgeons by calling (303) 790-1800 or request an appointment today.

Filed Under: Brain Surgery Tagged With: Brain Surgeon near me, craniotomy, Craniotomy Surgery, neurosurgeon colorado, neurosurgeon Colorado Springs, neurosurgeon near me

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Acupuncture
  • Arachnoid Cysts
  • Artificial Disc Replacement
  • Back Pain
  • Back Surgery
  • Brain Surgery
  • Brain Tumor
  • Chronic Pain
  • Concussion
  • Disc Replacement Surgery
  • General
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Lumbar Spine
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery
  • Neck Pain
  • Nerve Pain
  • Neurological Conditions
  • Neurosurgeon
  • Neurosurgery
  • Spinal Cord
  • Spinal Fusion
  • Spinal Surgery
  • Spine Surgeon
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Stroke
  • Tumor
  • Upper Back Pain
  • Workers Compensation
November 2019
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« Oct   Dec »

Tags

artificial disc replacement artificial disc replacement Colorado Springs CO artificial disc replacement Denver CO artificial disc replacement Lone Tree CO artificial disc replacement near me Artificial Discs artificial spinal disc replacement back pain back pain treatment near me Back Surgery Best Spine Surgeon near me Brain Surgeon in Colorado brain surgery Brain Tumor brain tumor symptoms Chronic Pain Concussion Front Range Spine & Neurosurgery Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery Lower Back Pain minimally invasive spinal surgery minimally invasive spinal surgery Colorado Springs CO minimally invasive spinal surgery near me Neurological Disorders neurologist neurosurgeon neurosurgeon colorado neurosurgeon Colorado Springs neurosurgeon Colorado Springs CO Neurosurgeon Denver CO Neurosurgeon experts Near Me neurosurgeon Lone Tree CO neurosurgeon near me neurosurgery neurosurgery Aurora CO spinal discs spinal disorders spinal fusion Spinal Surgery spine surgeon Lone Tree CO spine surgeon near me spine surgery spine surgery Aurora CO Spine Surgery near me traumatic head injury

Footer

Read Our Blog

Get the most up-to-date information about our practice and the latest advances in neurosurgery with our exclusive blog.

Learn More

Patient Education

Broaden your knowledge of the conditions we treat with our comprehensive patient education library.

Learn More

  • Home
  • Meet the Surgeons
  • Conditions & Surgeries
  • Treatments
  • Patient Resources
  • Contact & Locations
  • HIPAA Privacy Policy
  • ADA Disclaimer
  • Sitemap

Phone: (303) 790-1800
Fax: (303) 790-1809

Copyright © 2023 Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery. All Rights Reserved

iHealthspot Medical Website Design and Medical Marketing by iHealthSpot.com

The neurosurgeons at Front Range Spine and Neurosurgery specialize in Colorado Artificial Disc Institute, Cranial Conditions & Tumors, Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Spine & Nerve-Related Conditions.