What is an “awake craniotomy”/”awake brain surgery”?
An “awake craniotomy” is a neurosurgical procedure that involves the use of specialised equipment to make a bony opening (craniotomy) in a part of the skull of a patient who is awake during some part of the operation. HOWEVER, the patient is NOT AWAKE for any potentially uncomfortable parts of the operation (e.g., not awake for the scalp incision or bony opening). A sophisticated operating microscope is used during an awake craniotomy, as are specialised equipment and surgical techniques for, say, brain tumour removal or aneurysm clipping or AVM disconnection [these features distinguish “awake craniotomy” from other important but “NON-microsurgical” or “functional” procedures such as brain electrode or brain stimulator placement (e.g., for Parkinson’s disease) where the patient is also awake].
