Brain Tumor Surgery In Faridabad, Rohtak and Gurgaon

• What is a brain tumor?
• What are the warning signs I may be having a brain tumor?
• Are there different types of brain tumors?
• Is surgery the treatment option for brain tumors?
• What are the goals of surgical treatment for brain tumors?
• What are the types of surgeries which can be done for removal of brain tumors?
• What are the possible risks to undergoing a brain surgery?
• How much would surgery for a brain tumor cost?
• What is the post procedure care for brain tumor surgery?
• How does radiotherapy help with brain tumors?
• Brain Abscess

What is a brain tumor?

A brain tumor is the abnormal growth of cells within the brain tissue. A brain tumor can originate directly from brain tissue, called a primary brain tumor, or result from cancer cells spreading to the brain from elsewhere, called secondary brain tumors.

Post operative Brain Tumour patient In middle and his son on left, Total removal of grade 2 oligodendroglioma. Radiotherapy completed.

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What are the warning signs I may be having a brain tumor?

• Headache – if it becomes persistent, increases in severity or is present on waking up, you need to make sure you see a doctor.
• Paralysis or weakness of the muscles.
• Difficulty in walking and maintaining balance.
• Nausea, vomiting and dizziness.
• Impaired speech with changes in voice.
• Impaired vision.
• Impaired sense of smell and taste.
• Presence of seizures, which can be full blown convulsions or mild events such as twitching of muscles or transient loss of awareness.
• Altered level of consciousness with periods of increased drowsiness or loss of consciousness.
• Change in personality of an individual with increased irritability.

Are there different types of brain tumors?

All brain tumors can be divided into two types, benign or malignant. Benign tumors are those which contain cells that are very similar to the brain tissue, they don not grow very rapidly and do not invade the surrounding brain matter, instead they increase in size by pushing on the adjacent brain tissue, which can lead to health problems. Malignant tumors consist of highly abnormal cells that multiply rapidly and invade the surrounding tissue as they grow. They can also break away from the primary tumor and spread to other parts of the brain and spinal cord. The 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System is the most widely accepted standard.

Amongst the primary benign brain tumors the common types we see in the adult population are Astrocytoma, Meningioma, Oligodendroglioma, Glioblastoma, Acoustic Neuroma, Pituitary adenoma, Craniopharyngioma. In children the common types of benign brain tumors we come across are Medulloblastoma, Low grade astrocytoma, Ependymoma and Brain stem glioma.

Is surgery the treatment option for brain tumors?

The types of treatment available for brain tumors are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The treatment combination depends on tumor type, size, location, and patient factors, including age, overall health, and specific medical conditions.

The first step in deciding the treatment option is to stage and grade the brain tumor. Staging of a cancer gives you an idea of the extent of the cancer, the size of it and how far into the brain tissue it has spread. Doctors also grade brain cancers based on the cell type in the tumor. They classify them into four groups according to how quickly the cells grow and invade nearby tissue. Grade 1 tumors have cells that look almost normal and grow very slowly. In Grade 2, the cells are less normal than in Grade 1 but also grow slowly, so Grades 1 and 2 are called low-grade tumors. Grade 3 tumors contain cells that look distinctly abnormal and are actively growing. By contrast, Grade 4 cells appear very abnormal and grow at a rapid rate.

In the case of benign tumors surgery remains the mainstay, because surgical removal of the tumor is curative. For malignant tumors, patients may require surgery plus radiotherapy or chemotherapy, depending on the tumor’s size, spread, and severity.

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What are the goals of surgical treatment for brain tumors?

The goals of surgical treatment is to remove as much of the tumor as possible, and relieve the buildup of intracranial pressure. Most disability results from increased intracranial pressure caused by extra tissue growing within the confined space of the skull. Therefore by relieving the pressure, we are able to reduce the symptoms the patient is experiencing and improve quality of life. Opening up the cranial cavity during surgery also helps with the implantation of internal chemotherapy and radiation therapy agents as well as the option of performing hypertherapy laser surgery.

What are the types of surgeries which can be done for removal of brain tumors?

There are several different types of surgical interventions available for the treatment of brain tumors currently, with the advancement of technology. The type of surgery used depends on the tumor’s exact location, its size, and the tumor’s stage and grade.

The surgical options available are:

• Biopsy – Surgeons perform this procedure to obtain a tumor sample so a pathologist can examine it under a microscope and determine the cell type. This process, called tumor grading, can be done using either an open biopsy or a needle biopsy. An open biopsy involves exposing the tumor completely and then removing a small part of it. A needle biopsy involves drilling a small hole in the skull in order to insert a thin needle and drawing out a sample of the tumor. Needle biopsy are usually done under the guidance of imaging procedures such as CT or MRI.
• Craniotomy– The most commonly used surgical procedure for brain tumors is a craniotomy. Surgeons perform the procedure under general anesthesia or, in some cases, as an awake craniotomy, keeping the patient conscious to test brain functions through tasks like reading, ensuring critical areas stay intact. Before surgery, you may receive a special solution that tumor cells absorb, helping the surgeon differentiate them from normal brain tissue. The procedure involves making an incision in the scalp and removing part of the skull over the tumor. In a conventional craniotomy, surgeons replace the bone and immediately suture the scalp. If they expect brain swelling, they delay replacing the bone, performing a craniectomy instead.
• Neuroendoscopy – The procedure involves making a small skull incision to insert an endoscope, allowing the surgeon to view the cranial cavity. Using special instruments attached to the endoscope, the surgeon can remove all or part of the tumor, such as a colloid cyst.
• Endonasal endoscopy – For pituitary tumors, craniopharyngiomas, and skull base tumors, surgeons use an endoscope passed through the nose and sinuses, avoiding a skull incision. Guided by imaging, they navigate the endoscope to remove the tumor or perform a biopsy.

What are the possible risks to undergoing a brain surgery?

As with undergoing any invasive procedure, there are risks associated with brain surgery as well. These include:

• Developing an allergic reaction to anesthesia.
• Brain tissue damage can cause impaired memory, speech, vision, coordination, or partial paralysis, depending on the affected area.
• Swelling/edema of the brain or build of fluid in the skull.
• Formation of blood clots or bleeding into the brain.
• Development of seizures.
• Infection of the brain or surgical site.
• Rarely Lapsing into a coma.

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How much would surgery for a brain tumor cost?

Brain tissue damage can cause impaired memory, speech, vision, coordination, or partial paralysis, depending on the affected area. The cost can approximately vary from $5,000 to $12,000. Benign tumors which are easily accessible and small will cost less.

What is the post procedure care for brain tumor surgery?

You may need rehabilitation therapy, such as physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy, to support your recovery. Ensure the surgical site stays clean and dry at home, and avoid strenuous activities for 2–3 months after surgery.

How does radiotherapy help with brain tumors?

Radiotherapy is the use of high energy radiation, given to destroy the cancer cells. Radiotherapy is delivered in two forms: external radiation or internal implantation of radioactive material. It shrinks tumors before surgery, destroys leftover tumor cells after surgery, or treats brain tumors that surgery cannot remove.

Brain Abscess

An abscess is a collection of pus that forms following an infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. A brain abscess occurs when these organisms reach the brain, either through a head wound or via the bloodstream from other body parts. This infection causes brain swelling from pus, resulting in fever, chills, vision, speech, movement problems, altered consciousness, neck stiffness, and light sensitivity.