Reasons for Children’s Brain Surgery

For any parent who’s child struggles with a brain or spinal cord tumor, it can seem like there is little option for treatment. Through the whirlwind of diagnosis, doctor visits, confusion, pain and struggle, parents will need a specialist who understands the best course of action. If surgery is necessary, our team will ensure that parents understand the entire process before we begin.

A few of the possible reasons for brain surgery can include:

• The need to retrieve a biopsy sample in order to determine what type of tumor the doctors are dealing with
• An attempt to remove as much of the tumor as possible
• An attempt to help prevent and treat possible complications that are occurring because of the tumor

In any of these cases, the doctor is going to spend a great deal of time with the parents explaining to them the necessity of getting brain surgery. There is a deep understanding, and empathy, among brain surgeons who deal with children that parents are naturally going to be extremely stressed out by the potential of a child having to get brain surgery.

Reasons for children’s brain surgery: tumors

In many cases, the first step in a brain or spinal cord tumor treatment is for the neurosurgeon to perform surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Surgery alone, or a combination of surgery and radiation therapy, may work to control the growth of tumors, especially when it comes to children. Surgery can also help relieve some of the symptoms caused by a brain tumor, particularly if the tumor is causing increased pressure within the skull and leading to symptoms such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Blurred Vision

With infiltrating tumors, the surgery alone may not be sufficient. However, surgery can reduce the amount of tumor that we need to treat using radiation or chemotherapy. By performing the surgery, there is a potential for improving the results with these other treatments.

Reasons for surgery: CSF flow blockage

If we find that a tumor is blocking the flow of CSF within the child’s head, we may want to consider brain surgery in order to relieve this pressure. When the flow of CSF is blocked, it will result in increased pressure inside the skull, also known as inter-cranial pressure. Inter-cranial pressure can lead to a number of symptoms such as headaches, nausea, blurred vision and vomiting; also possibly leading to damage to the brain or becoming life-threatening. Surgery to remove the tumor can often help with this. There are a number of different brain surgery procedures that we can use in order to relieve the blockage to the flow of CSF.

Reasons for children’s brain surgery: ventricular access catheter

Another reason to consider brain surgery may be if there is a need to insert a ventricular access catheter, such as an Ommaya reservoir, which then can be used to deliver chemotherapy directly into the CSF at a later date.  In this procedure, a flexible tube is inserted into the surgically created hole until it reaches the CSF.

At the other end, there is a dome-shaped reservoir, which starts just under the scalp. Once we complete this procedure, doctors and nurses can use a thin needle to give chemotherapy drugs to the reservoir or to remove the CSF from the ventricular for testing.

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Surgery is a complex process. To discuss it further, call and schedule a consultation.