POST CRANIOTOMY HEADACHE

Course overview

A CRANIOTOMY IS A NEUROSURGICAL TECHNIQUE, WHEREBY PART OF THE SKULL IS OPENED OR REMOVED FOR INTRACRANIAL ACCESS TO TREAT CONDITIONS SUCH AS BRAIN TUMORS, ANEURYSMS, AND ARTERIOVENOUS MALFORMATIONS. POST-CRANIOTOMY HEADACHES (PCH) ARE ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED ADVERSE EVENTS AFTER CRANIOTOMY, PRESENTING IN OVER TWO-THIRDS OF PATIENTS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE THE PROCEDURE. PCH FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF SECONDARY HEADACHES AND CAN PRESENT UNIQUE CHALLENGES IN DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CURRENT LITERATURE ON POST-CRANIOTOMY HEADACHES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ENSURING APPROPRIATE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.