What is Craniotomy?

Craniotomy is a neurological surgical procedure that involves removing part or all of the skull bones to access the brain. This procedure is performed for a variety of medical reasons, including removing brain tumors, treating traumatic brain injuries, treating brain bleeding, removing damaged brain tissue, as well as for other surgical procedures involving the brain.

Based on the medical equipment used, craniotomy can be divided into several types, namely:

Stereotactic craniotomy: A craniotomy that involves a CT scan or MRI to examine the condition of the brain in the form of three-dimensional images. This type of craniotomy allows the surgeon to distinguish healthy brain tissue from that which is not. Apart from that, other uses of stereotactic craniotomy are for biopsy of problematic brain tissue, fluid aspiration (abscesses, hematomas, or cysts), and gamma knife radiosurgery.
Endoscopic craniotomy: Through this procedure, after making a small hole in the skull bone, the doctor can insert an endoscope (a thin tube equipped with a camera) to diagnose or treat disorders of the brain, such as brain aneurysms.
A number of medical conditions that can be followed up with a craniotomy procedure are as follows:

Trauma or injury to the brain.
Cancer or brain tumor.
Brain aneurysm.
Hydrocephalus.
Brain abscess.
Epilepsy.
Installation of a special device (deep brain stimulation) to treat Parkinson's disease.
Strokes.
Hematoma or blood clot in the brain.
After surgery, the doctor will monitor the patient's condition and administer medication to reduce the risk of complications. The doctor will also examine the patient's nervous system and brain to ensure that these organs can function properly after surgery.

Once the body's condition is stable, the patient will also undergo physiotherapy to support the body's recovery process and facilitate the patient's daily activities.

During the recovery period at home, patients are advised to get plenty of rest, consume foods high in fiber, drink enough water, and regularly see a doctor.

Patients also need to pay attention to the activities they do. Avoid driving a car, lifting heavy weights, having sex, as well as consuming alcohol and smoking, if not recommended by a doctor.

Craniotomy is a complex and high-risk surgical procedure, and often requires intensive postoperative care. Patients undergoing craniotomy will be cared for by a medical team specially trained in the care of neurological patients. The main goal of this procedure is to treat medical problems related to the brain and minimize the risk of additional damage to brain tissue.