When Might Pediatric Brain Surgery Be Needed?

Understanding that pediatric neurosurgeons perform pediatric brain surgery allows parents to feel more confident should their child ever need this type of procedure. Pediatric neurosurgeons focus on minimally invasive options and they use the latest tools to perform pediatric brain surgery. Ready to learn more?

Pediatric neurosurgeons provide consultations

Scheduling a consultation appointment with an experienced pediatric surgeon lets parents understand the details of their child's current health situation. It also lets them know whether or not their child is in need of surgery. The fact that pediatric neurosurgeons provide comprehensive surgical care for children makes them the go-to medical professional for children who are experiencing health problems that are affecting their brain.

According to the American Pediatric Surgical Association, pediatric surgeons operate on children whose development ranges from the newborn stage through the teenage years.

When pediatric brain surgery is recommended

For children who are in need of brain surgery because they have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, the goal is to remove as much of the tumor and as safely as possible. Brain surgery is also performed to learn more about what kind of tumor a child has, which is important when it comes to choosing the right type of treatment.

The information below includes three reasons why a child might need to undergo brain surgery.

To relieve pressure

When a pediatric neurosurgeon determines that a child is in need of surgery in order to relieve any pressure being placed on their brain, they will insert a plastic tube into the necessary part of the brain in order to relieve the pressure. This surgical procedure is more commonly used to treat children who have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Some of the signs associated with a buildup of pressure include headaches, vomiting, irritability, and seizures.

To restore blood flow

Sometimes, it is necessary to restore blood flow to the brain in children who are being treated for a stroke. Endovascular procedures are often used to restore blood flow to a child's brain, which requires neurosurgeons to use special small instruments and a small catheter to perform the surgical procedure. Since there are a few surgical procedures for restoring the blood flow to a child's brain, neurosurgeons will inform parents on which procedure will be used. The procedure is often performed in order to lower a child's risk of experiencing a future stroke.

To repair weak blood vessels

Pediatric brain surgery may be required to repair any weak blood vessels a child has in or around their brain area. These blood vessels can be repaired using special surgical tools and must be performed when it is determined that a child's brain is not getting the oxygen it needs. A lack of oxygen causes brain cells to die and repairing weak blood vessels helps the brain to once again get the oxygen it needs to properly function.

The bottom line

When parents have children who are experiencing brain-related medical problems, it is a difficult time for all members of the family. When a child is in need of medical treatment, understand that pediatric neurosurgeons have undergone extensive education and training to perform any necessary brain surgeries.

Get more information here: https://www.drloudonpediatricneurosurgery.com or call Dr. William G. Loudon, Pediatric Neurosurgery at (714) 677-9463

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