CRANIAL SURGERY

BRAIN TUMOURS

A tumour, also known as a neoplasm, is an abnormal growth of cells. Brain tumours, whether benign or malignant, may need to be removed if they affect the functioning of the nervous system.
When a brain tumour is cancerous, you may have various doctors and specialists in your medical team, working together towards a treatment plan.

Treatment of brain cancer will largely depend on the type of brain tumour as well as the following aspects:

• The size and location of the tumour
• Whether or not the tumour is putting pressure on vital parts of the brain
• Whether or not cancer has spread to other tissues or organs
• The effects of the tumour on your cognitive functioning and nervous system
• The patient’s preferences and overall health

Considering all these factors, your doctor will talk with you about how soon treatment should start after diagnosis as the type of tumour diagnosed may be slow-growing or fast-growing. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery, or a combination of these approaches.

TREATMENT

Surgery is often the first step in treatment. A craniotomy is the most common type of surgery for a brain tumour, however, Dr Setati also performs keyhole brain surgery in suitable cases.

Surgery for a brain tumour may be challenging due to the delicate nature of the brain and spinal cord, but the aim is to remove as much of the tumour as possible without impairing brain functioning. With the use of intraoperative neuronavigation, Dr Setati can plan the removal of a tumour with intense detail, enhancing the precision and safety of surgery. Sophisticated brain mapping tools with intraoperative electrophysiology (otherwise known as brain monitoring) allow him to avoid damage to the vital areas of the brain such as speech or movement while performing a biopsy, debunking, gross total resection.