Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is a medical specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment and management of disorders affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and cerebrovascular system. Neurosurgeons are highly trained medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of conditions that may require surgical intervention.

What Does it Take to Become a Neurosurgeon?

The education and training to become a neurosurgeon is extensive and rigorous, and includes the completion of:

• 4 years of pre-medical education at a university or college
• 4 years of medical school culminating in a D.O. or M.D. degree
• 1 year of internship in General Surgery
• 5 to 7 years in a neurosurgery residency program
• Some neurosurgeons finish a fellowship following residency to specialize in a specific area
• Continuing education – this involves conferences, annual meetings, research, and scientific journals, to stay updated with the advances made in neurosurgery.

Neurosurgeons provide both surgical and non-surgical management (i.e., evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, rehabilitation, and critical care) of neurological conditions. Because neurosurgeons have extensive training and knowledge in the field of neurosurgery, emergency room physicians, internists, family physicians, and osteopaths often turn to them for consultations and solutions.

What are the Sub-Specialties of Neurosurgery?

As a result of its extensive nature, neurosurgery is categorized into different sub-specialties, including:

• General Neurosurgery – This involves most conditions that are neurological in nature, and specifically neurological traumas and emergencies, such as an intracranial hemorrhage.
• Neurovascular Surgery – In this sub-specialty, neurosurgeons work closely with interventional colleagues, dealing with complex conditions such as aneurysms and narrowed or abnormal blood vessels.
• Spine Neurosurgery – This involves the treatment of conditions affecting the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine; these issues include spinal cord compression by spondylosis or trauma and arthritis in the spinal discs.
• Pediatric Neurosurgery – This amounts to 10 to 15 percent of neurosurgery cases and involves treating children with congenital anomalies such as spinal and facial defects, hydrocephalus, and other rare conditions.
• Functional Neurosurgery – This involves the management of a wide variety of functional disorders, such as movement disorders, spasticity, and epilepsy.
• Oncological Neurosurgery – This involves the management of tumors in the brain, skull, and spine that may cause serious complications, such as vision and hearing loss, balance issues, loss of bowel or bladder control, pain and numbness, decreased motor skills, muscle weakness, and even paralysis.

What are the Conditions Treated by Neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery covers a broad range of conditions, including but not limited to:

• Brain Tumors: Removal or treatment of tumors located in the brain
• Spinal Disorders: Surgical intervention for conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or spinal cord injuries
• Cerebrovascular Disorders: Treatment of conditions affecting the blood vessels in the brain, such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and strokes
• Peripheral Nerve Disorders: Surgical management of conditions affecting the peripheral nerves, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or peripheral nerve tumors
• Functional Neurosurgery: Procedures to address neurological conditions through interventions like deep brain stimulation for movement disorders or epilepsy surgery
• Trauma: Surgical management of traumatic injuries to the head, spine, or peripheral nerves

Summary

Neurosurgery is a field of medicine that deals with surgery of the nervous system. Neurosurgeons work closely with neurologists, neuroradiologists, and other medical professionals to provide comprehensive care for patients with neurological disorders. The field requires extensive training, typically including medical school, a surgical residency, and often additional fellowship training in a specific neurosurgical subspecialty. Advances in technology and surgical techniques continue to shape the field of neurosurgery, allowing for more precise and minimally invasive procedures.