Surgery Surgery is the front line treatment for primary brain tumors. The goal of surgery is to
confirm the diagnosis and remove as much of the tumor as possible without causing a loss of neurologic function. Some tumors can be completely removed and the patient cured, but surgery alone is not sufficient to cure a patient with a malignant tumor and other forms of treatment will be required. Surgically reducing the size of the cancer may improve the efficiency of other therapies.
The surgical removal of tumors can improve a patient's neurological condition. Increased intracranial pressure is usually reduced and a focal neurological deficit may improve or resolve. The frequency of seizures may also be reduced. Tumors can block the fluid pathways in the brain, leading to buildup of fluid, called hydrocephalus, which can be associated with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. To relieve these symptoms, it is sometimes necessary to place a permanent shunting device into the fluid cavities to divert the fluid to another part of the body where it can be absorbed.
Specialized equipment used during surgery includes a microscope to magnify the operative field, an ultrasonic aspirator that helps break up the tumor, lasers that vaporize tumor tissue , ultrasound localizing equipment and computer-based navigational equipment to help the surgeon define the tumor boundaries.
Specialized techniques are used to remove a tumor located near speech or motor brain regions. The surface of the brain can be stimulated with an electrical current to obtain clues about the function of a particular part of the brain. This is referred to as speech or motor "mapping." The process is painless and produces only mild speech disturbance or twitching of the part of the body served by that area of the brain. A decision can then be made
