Craniotomy and Brain Tumor Resection

Surgery is the most common treatment for brain tumors, with our surgeons providing the top-level care and support you need. They carefully perform delicate procedures to remove the growths, using the latest technology to safeguard the brain’s sensitive areas.

While not every tumor is completely removable, even taking out a section can relieve symptoms and prepare the growth for other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation. Learn more about brain tumors. Or find out more about our partner, the St. Joseph’s Cancer Institute.

Brain Tumor Treatment at St. Joseph’s

We provide the best possible brain tumor care, centered on several key components:

  • Team Approach: Advanced brain tumor treatments are best delivered by a coordinated group of specialists, like those on our team:
    • Neurosurgeons
    • Neurologists
    • Oncologists
    • Radiation oncologists
    • Pathologists
  • Individualized Care: We tailor treatment to your specific needs, including:
    • The type, size and location of the tumor
    • Whether it is benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous)
    • Your overall health and preferences
  • Consideration of alternatives: Surgery is not the best choice for every tumor, and our team will help you weigh the options. Other treatments could include chemotherapy, radiation therapy or stereotactic radiosurgery. Learn more about our stereotactic radiosurgery for small and medium tumors.
  • Latest technology: A computer-assisted navigation system works like GPS — creating a pre-surgical 3D “map” of the tumor and nearby controls for language, movement and the senses, then guiding our surgeons when they insert instruments. Our surgeons also use a special, open (low-field) MRI during surgery (intraoperative) to check how much tumor remains.

Brain Tumor Surgery: What to Expect

While the exact type of procedure depends on the particular case, surgeries for a suspected brain tumor share several common steps:

  • You are put completely to sleep with general anesthesia.
  • We make a small, temporary incision (craniotomy) in the skull.
  • We take a sample of brain tissue (biopsy) for study under a microscope.
  • If cancerous cells are found, we remove as much of the tumor as safely possible, taking care to preserve healthy tissue and brain function.

Contact Us

For more information or for a physician referral, please call (813) 644-4322.