Craniotomy for childhood brain tumours

A neurosurgeon may perform a craniotomy for brain tumours in children to remove as much of the tumour as is safely possible

When possible, the neurosurgeon will try to remove all of the tumour, or as much of your child’s tumour as is safe to. During surgery a ‘bone flap’ will be removed from your child’s skull. This type of operation is known as a ‘craniotomy’. It allows the neurosurgeon to see into your child’s brain and to remove the tumour.

It is the most common type of surgery for brain tumour patients and it is used to remove all or part of the tumour.

You may hear the complete removal of the tumour being called ‘total resection’. Or removal of part of the tumour as ‘partial resection’ or ‘de-bulking’.

The aims of removing the tumour include:

• increasing the chances of a cure
• slowing the tumour’s growth
• improving symptoms e.g. to reduce pressure on vital nerves within the brain, such as the optic nerve
• helping other treatments to work better, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy

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Craniotomy procedure

1. Your child will be given a general anaesthetic to fall asleep
2. A small area of their head may be shaved and they may be given an local anaesthetic to part of their scalp
3. An incision (cut) is made in their scalp and a small part of their skull (‘bone flap’) will be removed
   Your child will not experience any pain during this as they will be under anaesthetic
4. As much of the tumour as is safely possible will be removed
5. The bone flap will be replaced and the wound closed using stitches or metal clip
6. They are likely to be given steroids to help with any swelling

Not all brain tumours can be operated on. If the tumour is too near a sensitve area of the brain, such as the brain stem which controls breathing; or if it is slow growing and causing relatively minor symptoms, then trying to remove the tumour is likely to cause more harm than not operating. If this is the case, your child will be actively monitored. (This is sometimes called ‘watch and wait’.)

What happens during surgery?

Our Jake animation can help you and your child understand what happens during neurosurgery.

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More information

Neurosurgery for children factsheet – PDF

Find more information about neurosurgery for children in the full fact sheet – including when they can return to activities, such as sport or travel, and longer-term effects.

Neurosurgery for children – Clear print factsheet – PDF

Find more information about Neurosurgery for children in the full fact sheet – Clear print version,designed to RNIB guidelines – including when they can return to activities, such as sport or travel, and longer-term effects.

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