Brain surgery encompasses a myriad of procedures designed to treat an equally diverse set of conditions and associated symptoms, including tumours, blood clots, epilepsy and aneurysms. Neurosurgeries can range from minimally invasive procedures such as a biopsy, whereby a needle is inserted into the brain to collect cells for analysis, to extensive operations that expose the brain to treat blood clots and for tumour removal.
Like any other tumour, a brain tumour is an abnormal mass of cells and tissue that wedges itself somewhere in the brain. There are two categories of tumour: benign and malignant. While benign tumours can grow large, albeit slowly, they don't typically invade surrounding tissue or spread around the body. A malignant tumour, on the other hand, grows much faster, invades other tissue and can spread around the body. All in all, 120 different types of tumour can form in the brain alone.
For both benign and malignant brain tumours, a common course of intervention is a craniotomy and resection, whereby a surgeon removes a portion of the skull to expose the brain and hopefully cut away the tumour. To help guide them through the brain and keep tabs on where surgical instruments are during operations, surgeons use neuronavigation systems that are connected to their equipment.
"One of the biggest challenges is distinguishing between normal brain tissue and tumour tissue, which requires extensive training and experience," says Pietro D'Urso, a consultant neurosurgeon at Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester. "The location of the tumour is another big challenge, particularly if a tumour is in very important parts of the brain, called 'eloquent areas', that control speech and motor functions."
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 192-Ausgabe von How It Works UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 192-Ausgabe von How It Works UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
RESCUE IN SPACE
Fortunately, space emergencies are a rare occurrence, but astronauts and space agencies need to be prepared for any eventuality that might arise
NEANDERTHAL LIVING
Why our prehistoric cousins were pioneers, not clueless apes
BUILDING ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
One World Trade Center rose from the ashes of the Twin Towers. Now, as the tallest building in New York City, it looks to the skies and the future. Here's how this sustainable and secure record-breaker was built
BECOME A SMARTPHONE SCIENTIST
Amazing tips and tricks to transform your smartphone into a bug-finding, star-spotting, data-gathering device
LIFTING THE LID ON ANTARCTICA
What was the coldest continent like without ice?
URBAN WILDLIFE
How wild animals have evolved to thrive alongside humans in towns and cities
WHAT IS SUNBURN?
How solar rays can leave us red, sore and irritated
ALL ABOUT FAT
Fat is a complex, active organ. Here's how genetics, evolution, lifestyle and diet dictate how much we have beneath our skin
The Space Force is launching lasers into orbit
The Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true centre using lasers on GPS satellites, slated to launch in 2025. A set of Laser Retroreflector Arrays, or LRAS, will be installed onto two GPS III satellites, SV9 and SV10, as part of NASA's Space Geodesy Program. The lasers are designed to make precise sub-centimetre measurements using a technique called Satellite Laser Ranging, which will allow researchers to more accurately determine Earth's centre.
Eating too much sugar may accelerate cellular ageing
A nutrient-rich diet with few added sugars may slow the rate of biological ageing in women. Scientists found that middle-aged women who ate more foods packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants had 'younger looking' cells than those who consumed less nutrient-rich diets.