When is microscopic brain surgery needed?

Microscopic brain surgery is recommended when you are diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, brain arteriovenous malformation, brain and skull base tumours, epilepsy, cerebrospinal fluid build-up and skull fractures, to name a few. This type of surgery is preferred, but is only an option in particular cases.

It may be an option for the following neurosurgeries:

• Brain aneurysm clipping, where the surgeon will make a small incision on the skull and place a metal clip on the aneurysm’s neck to stop bleeding.
• Brain arteriovenous malformation resection, where the surgeon removes the arteriovenous malformation by cutting the blood supply and carefully removing it from the surrounding tissues.
• Brain and skull base tumour resection, where the neurosurgeon will carefully remove the tumours.

How is a microscopic brain surgery done?

During the procedure, the neurosurgeon will utilise an endoscopic microscope. This is a thin tube with a light and microscope at the end of it. Your neurosurgeon then looks through the eyepieces which are similar to binoculars, to view the internal structures. Dr Maharaj will insert the microscope through the nose and guide it towards the brain to allow him to locate and view the problem.  He will then pass surgical tools through the nose in order to perform surgery.