From your first consultation to the day of surgery, we will help you understand the process and personalize your experience so that you feel as comfortable and confident as possible. Awake craniotomy is an innovative way to tailor your surgery to your unique needs. With the right prep, you can get the best possible results. Here’s what you should do before surgery.
What to Expect Before Surgery
Before your awake craniotomy, you’ll meet with your neurosurgeon and neuroanesthesiologist. Our experts explain the entire procedure, including what you can expect step by step. This information is extremely important since you’ll be conscious during the procedure.
Your appointment is the ideal time to ask questions about your awake craniotomy. Many of our patients ask, “But won’t that hurt?” Good news: It won’t hurt. We numb the area outside your brain (muscles, skin, and bone) to ensure you don’t feel pain as we access your brain. Brain tissue doesn’t contain pain fibers. As we perform your procedure, it’s common to experience some pressure or feel a vibration but not pain.
Your appointment helps us plan and customize your surgery better. During your presurgery visit, we ask about your lifestyle, interests, and goals. With this information, we have tools to keep you engaged during your awake craniotomy. Another aspect of your presurgery consultation is viewing images or text on a screen or cards. We note your answers to our questions before surgery, which will help with the next step: Surgery.
Staying Involved During Surgery
On the day of your surgery, be ready to converse with us for the entire procedure. As you talk with us and answer questions, we map important areas of your brain. Your participation in the process allows our neurosurgeons to remove tumors or other masses without removing functional and healthy brain tissue.
Awake craniotomy offers impressive results. Patients who have awake craniotomy have shorter (or no) ICU stays after surgery, and they have far fewer neurological deficits after surgery. In addition, an average hospital stay with an awake craniotomy is 1.7 days versus nine days for a general anesthesia craniotomy.
Schedule a Consultation With Dallas Neurosurgeons
If you’re preparing for an awake craniotomy, we’re here to help. Call us at Texas Neurosurgery LLP at 214-823-2052 or reach out online. We’re here to answer your questions and guide you through the process with the utmost care and compassion.
