Neurosurgery is a highly specialized branch of surgery that studies and deals with surgical treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. In a broader sense, these concepts mean diseases of the brain and spinal cord, as well as traumatic lesions of the nerves. In addition, consultation with a neurosurgeon will be needed in case of vascular pathologies of the central nervous system and hydrocephalus, which is most often found in children.
The emergence and gradual development of neurosurgery
Neurosurgery stood out as a separate area from neurology in the 20s of the twentieth century, which was dictated by the complexity of treating polytrauma and waging wars. During its inception, science was engaged in a rather limited range of diseases, in addition, the diagnosis and methods of surgical treatment were very modest. However, at the end of the last century there was a sharp breakthrough in the development of the industry, which was due to the widespread use of microscopic optics and contrast minimally invasive examination methods. Currently, neurosurgery is a specialty that has good prospects and is constantly evolving.
The nervous system and the needs of neurosurgery
The nervous system is a large number of conductors and analysis centers that work as a whole. Therefore, for the correct restoration of their integrity, an accurate and low-traumatic comparison of them is necessary, which is possible only with the use of microscopy. Contrast study allows you to clearly visualize structural and functional changes in the vascular wall of the brain and spinal cord, which is not available for conventional X-rays and ultrasound. It is these new studies that allow the specialist to timely identify and correctly treat aneurysms, thromboses and congenital malformations of the brain.
Neurosurgery diseases
The doctor issues a referral to a neurosurgeon when there is a suspicion of benign or malignant neoplasms in the central nervous system. Benign tumors include meningiomas, dermoid, hemangioblastomas, colloid cysts, astrocytomas, neuromas. Malignant tumor formations are represented by various forms of astrocyte and glioblastoma. In the case of purulent processes, and in particular brain abscesses and purulent meningitis, the help of a neurosurgeon is also needed. Brain neurosurgery became especially widespread in the 21st century, and more of its division is neurovascular surgery, which treats aneurysms and hemorrhages, constrictions and pathological dilatations of blood vessels, thromboses and arteriovenous malformations.
Quite often, patients with discogenic radiculitis, compression and stenosis of the spinal cord, and spinal hernia enter the neurosurgery department. If a nerve fiber is torn or even bruised, it is also necessary to visit a neurosurgeon. Injuries to the head and spine are part of polytrauma, therefore, in such injuries, in addition to a traumatologist, a specialist in the field
neurosurgery. A relatively new division involved in brain neurosurgery is functional and stereotactic surgery. She effectively treats epilepsy,
Parkinson's disease, tremors,
chronic pain syndrome and neuralgia of the fifth and ninth pairs of cranial nerves.
Congenital malformations of the brain and spinal cord are also treated by a neurosurgeon, however, a pediatric profile. This includes hydrocephalus, the surgical treatment of which is carried out in children almost more often than all other CNS pathologies.
When should you contact a neurosurgeon?
We give indicative symptoms that will allow the patient to understand if there is a need to visit a specialist. Spinal neurosurgery most often has
dealing with spinal hernias, which, depending on the location and size, have different symptoms. So, in particular, with a hernia of the cervical region,
numbness of the fingers, pain in the shoulder, dizziness, frequent changes in blood pressure are noted. When localizing a hernial protrusion in the thoracic region, the patient mainly notes a constant pain syndrome in the sternum and symptoms of intercostal neuralgia. If you have a hernia of the lumbar, then numbness of the toes of the feet, aching pain in the legs, and difficulty in walking and turning the body are more often noted. Traumatic brain injury has relatively stable symptoms and is more often manifested by loss of consciousness, nausea, headache, the appearance of discoordination of movements and tinnitus. Neurosurgery of the brain often encounters precisely this pathology. Traumatic injuries of the extremities in case of a nerve dysfunction mainly manifest as numbness or discoloration of the skin segment, which is innervated by this conductor. Tumor pathologies can usually have a variety of symptoms, so CT and MRI occupy an important place here.
Neurosurgery. Operations
Surgical interventions in this area of surgery can be divided into radical and palliative. The term "radical" means that with their help you can completely cure the patient. This, in particular, applies to most traumatic injuries, spinal cord
hernias and some vascular pathologies. Palliative interventions are aimed at easing symptoms, but do not eliminate the underlying problem. Such operations include interventions for malignant tumors and some variants of hydrocephalus.
Neurosurgery is, like cardiac surgery, a highly accurate industry that uses modern technology and the latest examination methods. This need for accuracy is due to the complexity of the structure and the powerful blood supply to the central parts of the nervous system. Therefore, the neurosurgeon must perform high-precision manipulations in order to prevent possible complications and their consequences.
Neurosurgery specialist training
After completing six years of study at a medical university, a student who has expressed a desire to become a neurosurgeon must undergo an internship that lasts 2-3 years, or residency (in Western Europe and America) for 6 years. This length of training is due to the complexity of both the discipline itself and the difficult methods of treating diseases of the brain and spinal cord. During the specialization, the physician must master the methods of proper diagnosis and be able to determine the tactics of treatment, which is especially urgent in neurosurgery. Doctors should also have excellent practical skills. This is achieved by personal operations in the learning process.
Neurosurgery in our country
The rapid development of medicine, especially microscopic optics, contributed to the opening of neurosurgical departments not only abroad, but also in our country. In large cities, there are a number of neurosurgical clinics that are adapted to provide highly specialized care to various groups of patients. In modern neurosurgical institutions, an effective treatment of epilepsy, trigeminal and glossopharyngeal neuralgia is carried out using stereotaxis. In addition, some reconstructive interventions after injuries and tumors are being actively studied, spinal neurosurgery has achieved significant development.
Neurosurgeon Tips
Here are some valuable tips that neurosurgery provides. These are recommendations that may be needed both for a healthy person and for a patient in the neurosurgical department. In particular:
- Always follow safety rules and use personal protective equipment during various games or public events. A motorcycle driver should always wear a helmet to prevent serious brain injuries.
- The athlete's training should take place according to the previously outlined program and take into account the characteristics of his body. The load on individual muscle groups should be intense, but not allow the state of "overtraining" or significant depletion.
- Healthy sleep should be an average of 8 hours.
- The effectiveness of rehabilitation after an injury or removal of a hernia most depends on the patient, namely on compliance with the doctor’s recommendations. Systematic, however, regular exercise therapy and physiotherapy sessions give the best results.