Welcome to the Awake Brain Surgery Clinic at Emirates Hospitals Group, where we provide advanced, safe, and personalized care for patients requiring brain surgery. Awake brain surgery, also known as intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring, is a specialized procedure that allows surgeons to perform brain surgery while the patient remains conscious. This innovative approach enables precise tumor removal, treatment of brain lesions, and other complex brain conditions while preserving critical brain functions.
What is Awake Brain Surgery?
Awake brain surgery is a technique in which the patient is kept awake and responsive during the procedure. This type of surgery is typically used for brain tumors, epilepsy surgery, and other brain lesions that are located in areas responsible for speech, movement, or cognition. By keeping the patient awake, surgeons can interact with the patient in real-time, ensuring the safe removal of the tumor or lesion while preserving essential brain functions such as motor skills, language, and sensory perception.
Why is Awake Brain Surgery Performed?
Awake brain surgery is primarily performed to treat brain tumors or other conditions that are located in critical areas of the brain. The main benefits of awake brain surgery include:
- Precise Tumor Removal: Surgeons can monitor and map brain function during surgery, allowing for more accurate tumor removal while avoiding damage to important brain regions.
- Minimizing Risk of Brain Damage: By ensuring that brain functions such as speech and motor skills are not impaired, the risk of permanent damage to vital brain areas is minimized.
- Patient Feedback: The patient’s responses during surgery allow the surgical team to verify that important brain functions are intact as the tumor is removed or treated.
Procedure Overview for Awake Brain Surgery
- Preparation: Prior to the surgery, the patient will be given local anesthesia to numb the area where the surgeon will make the incision. Sedatives may also be administered to help the patient relax.
- Mapping the Brain: During surgery, the neurosurgeon uses brain mapping techniques to identify critical areas of the brain involved in speech, motor skills, and other functions. The patient may be asked to perform simple tasks, such as moving their fingers, speaking, or identifying objects, to help the surgeon locate vital brain regions.
- Surgical Removal: Once the areas of concern are identified, the surgeon carefully removes the tumor or lesion while closely monitoring the patient’s responses to ensure there is no damage to essential brain functions.
- Post-Surgery Care: After the procedure, the patient will be closely monitored in a recovery area. Follow-up imaging tests will be conducted to assess the outcome and recovery.
Benefits of Awake Brain Surgery in Dubai
- Enhanced Precision: By interacting with the patient during surgery, the surgeon can ensure that critical brain areas are preserved.
- Reduced Risk: Awake brain surgery offers a lower risk of complications when compared to traditional brain surgery, as the patient’s cognitive and motor functions are tested in real time.
- Quicker Recovery: In many cases, patients experience a faster recovery and are able to resume normal activities sooner than with traditional brain surgery.
Conditions Treated with Awake Brain Surgery
Awake brain surgery is most commonly used for:
- Brain Tumors: Especially those located in areas of the brain responsible for speech, movement, or other critical functions.
- Epilepsy: To remove brain tissue responsible for recurrent seizures.
- Brain Lesions: Removal of abnormal tissue or malformations in critical areas of the brain.
Recovery After Awake Brain Surgery
Recovery time after awake brain surgery can vary depending on the complexity of the procedure and the patient’s overall health. At Emirates Hospitals Group, we offer comprehensive post-operative care to help patients recover effectively:
- Hospital Stay: After the procedure, patients may need to stay in the hospital for observation. The length of stay depends on the nature of the surgery and recovery progress.
- Pain Management: Our medical team ensures effective pain management through medication and other techniques to ensure comfort during recovery.
- Rehabilitation: For patients who have undergone surgery near areas responsible for motor functions or speech, rehabilitation therapies (physical therapy, speech therapy, etc.) may be recommended to support recovery.
- Follow-Up Care: Regular follow-up visits and imaging tests are essential to monitor recovery progress and detect any potential complications early.