Awake Crainiotomy

Awake For Surgery - Ch2

The brain is a very vital organ and is responsible for all mental and physical functions of your body.

WKNI is responsible for its care and together, our expert Neuroscience Team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, nurses and technicians help your brain stay as healthy as possible. To help further your understanding, helpful information below and throughout the site has been provided for your convenience.

A Brain Tumor is a mass of cells within the brain that occupies space. These tumors may be benign (non-cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). Even if a brain tumor is benign, it can still be dangerous as the benign tumor may press upon brain tissue, causing unnecessary damage. Therefore, it is crucial that both benign and malignant tumors be treated as soon as possible.

Symptoms

Most brain tumors appear in the upper part of the brain. This is the region of the brain that controls thought, emotion, reasoning, and language.

These symptoms occur due to pressure on the brain created by the tumor. Symptoms typically include headaches, seizures, nausea, vomiting, or weakness/numbness in the arms or legs, and difficulty with speech or thought processing. To positively determine the exact cause of these symptoms, your Neuroscience team will perform diagnostic tests to determine if a brain tumor is present.

Types

Brain tumors are identified by the type of cell from which they arose or by the location in the brain where they occur.

Gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor. These arise from the connective tissue of the brain. Types of gliomas include astrocytomas, glioblastomas, oligodendrogliomas and ependymomas. These tumors make up approximately 50% of all primary brain tumors.

Meningiomas comprise approximately 25% of brain tumors, with pituitary tumors making up 10% and acoustic neuromas comprising 7.5%. Other tumor types, including chondrosarcomas, germinomas, hemangiomas, teratomas, and chordomas, make up the remaining 7.5%.