ANESTHESIA FOR AWAKE CRANIOTOMY

Course overview

AWAKE CRANIOTOMY, ALSO KNOWN AS AWAKE BRAIN SURGERY, IS A TYPE OF PROCEDURE PERFORMED ON THE BRAIN WHILE THE PATIENT IS AWAKE AND ABLE TO TALK TO THE OPERATIVE TEAM. AWAKE CRANIOTOMY WAS INITIALLY USED FOR THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF EPILEPSY AND IS NOW MOST COMMONLY PERFORMED FOR THE RESECTION OF TUMORS. AWAKE CRANIOTOMY ALLOWS THE NEUROSURGEON TO MAXIMIZE TUMOR RESECTION WHILE PRESERVING NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION. THE CONCEPT OF AWAKE CRANIOTOMY MAY BE FRIGHTENING FOR THE PATIENT, SO THE ROLE OF THE OPERATIVE TEAM IS PARAMOUNT IN SELECTING THE PROPER PATIENT AND COUNSEL THE PATIENT SO THAT HE OR SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM HIM OR HER DURING SURGERY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE CONCEPT OF AWAKE CRANIOTOMY AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MAKING IT FEASIBLE AND SUCCESSFUL.