Awake Craniotomy

An awake craniotomy is performed to operate on a part of your brain that is affected by a lesion or tumour that involves, or is close to, regions that control important bodily functions or your sensory and linguistic capabilities.

It is important that you are conscious for the entire procedure so that your surgeon can monitor vital functions during the operation. Although you will be awake, you will not feel any discomfort because a local anaesthetic will be applied to fully numb the area.

Your surgeon will accurately map out the critical regions of your brain so as to minimise the risk of damaging these important areas. Our surgical team will then remove a part of your skull to access the brain. During this stage of the procedure, you may be guided through a series of instructions or asked to respond to questions.

Communication with your surgeon is crucial for the team to assess the effectiveness of the surgery as it is progressing, and to ensure that important functions are not compromised.