Neurosurgery is the department that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of surgical diseases of the brain, spinal cord and its extensions, and the peripheral nerves that are distributed throughout the body. The skull and spinal bones are also among the main topics of neurosurgery.
Brain diseases that require surgical treatment include skull fractures, skull bone tumors, brain hemorrhages, brain tumors, cerebrovascular diseases, fluid accumulation in the brain (hydrocephalus), congenital defects of the brain and skull, brain infections, movement disorders such as Parkinson’s, dystonia, essential tremor and epilepsy. Some of these conditions are treated medically, but when this treatment proves ineffective, surgical treatment may be needed. However, some diseases should only be treated surgically.
Spinal surgery includes spinal cord tumors, cysts in the spinal canal (such as arachnoid cysts), tumors of the spinal cord membranes, spinal cord infections, fluid retention in the spinal cord (syringomyelia and hydromyelia) and Deep Brain Stimulation surgeries on the spinal cord. Spinal diseases requiring surgical treatment include cervical and lumbar herniated discs, stenosis of various parts of the spinal canal, spinal fractures, deformities and curvatures of the spine such as scoliosis and kyphosis, spinal infections (such as tuberculosis, Pott’s disease), spinal tumors, tumors of the sacrum and congenital defects of the spine.
Surgical treatment of peripheral nerve diseases such as wrist, elbow, knee, ankle and peripheral nerves distributed throughout the body, as well as surgical treatment of nerve compression and tumors are also included in the field of neurosurgery.
Neurosurgery first examines the patient in detail to diagnose the disease. X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), angiography, electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG) and other diagnostic methods may be required.
Neurosurgery can sometimes work as a team with algology, neurology, physiotherapy, rheumatology, pathology, oncology for medication or adjunctive therapies.
Neurosurgery is a specialty of neurosurgeons and surgeries are important and delicate because of the sensitivity of the central nervous system tissue in the brain and spinal cord. For this reason, neurosurgeons are trained very hard and long to reduce the risk. In addition, they use advanced technology tools in their surgeries. They adjust their lives according to the cycle of these surgeries. In addition, neurosurgery residency is not only the longest residency, but also the specialty training is very demanding both physically and academically.
