Is brain tumor surgery safe? How have outcomes improved in recent times?

Yes, modern brain tumor surgery is much safer than in the past, thanks to advanced technology and techniques. We now use high-resolution MRI scans and sometimes CT scans to map the tumor before surgery, and during the operation we have tools like intraoperative ultrasound and neuro-monitoring and high precision Neuro Navigation to guide us. Advanced Microscopes and Instruments such as CUSA helps the surgeon deal with difficult scenarios. These advances help surgeons achieve near-total removal of tumors while protecting healthy brain tissue. In some cases, we perform “awake craniotomy” for tumors near critical brain areas – the patient is kept comfortable and pain-free, but awake enough to follow commands, so we can test their speech or movements during surgery. This technique allows precise mapping of important functions and helps avoid any damage while removing the tumor. Overall, outcomes have improved dramatically – patients tolerate brain surgery better and recover faster today than a few decades ago.