Neuroendoscopy-A Minimally Invasive Way of Brain Tumor Surgery

What is Neuroendoscopy?

Neuroendoscopy is one of the most advanced minimally invasive brain surgery methods available today. This is a least invasive brain surgery method which is mostly used to successfully treat brain tumors in a person.

This minimally invasive surgical technique involves drilling a small (10-12 mm) hole in the skull through the nose (or mouth) instead of removing a large part of the skull to perform the required tumor removal and treatment for brain tumor.

This surgery is performed using a special surgical device known as an ‘Endoscope’. This consist of a small and flexible surgical tube which is attached with a small but high-definition video camera at one end and a viewing-port at the other end. This allows the surgeon to control the movement and direction of the endoscope and guide it to the correct spot inside the skull.

What is Neuroendoscopy useful for?

Neuroendoscopy is most useful in initially performing a biopsy on a suspected brain tumor using minimally invasive methods. The biopsy confirms or denies the existence of the brain tumor using detailed pathological study and analysis at the laboratory.

This least-invasive surgical method is also useful in treating various kinds of brain tumors, especially those that are seen growing in hard-to-reach places inside the skull or where there is high risk of brain damage due to the close proximity of the nerves in the brain.

What are the types of Brain Tumors treated with Neuroendoscopy?

These are the various types of brain tumors that are successfully treated using minimally invasive Neuroendoscopy methods:

• Ventricular tumors
• Skull-base tumors
• Rathke’s cleft cysts
• Pituitary gland tumors
• Pineal region tumors
• Metastatic brain tumors
• Acoustic neuromas

What are the advantages and benefits of Neuroendoscopy?

Neuroendoscopy is a comparatively safer and advantageous brain tumor surgical treatment than the traditional brain tumor removal methods. At times, certain brain tumors develop in close proximity to vital neurovascular systems (nerves) which increases the risk of damage and the resultant grave complications arising out of it. Although, the recent microscopic brain surgery method is mostly useful it still faces difficulties in treating brain tumors that are located in hard-to-reach places inside the skull as it provides live viewing of the surgical site.

The wider and clearer view provided by an endoscope as compared to a microscope is more advantageous in viewing the operational site in detail and avoid damaging the surrounding nerves or other brain structures.

These are the distinct benefits of a minimally invasive Neuroendoscopy surgery for brain tumor:

• Less painful
• Less scarring
• Quicker recovery
• Shorter hospital stay
• More accessible for surgery inside the skull
• Helpful in removing tumor without damaging surrounding healthy vital brain structures
• Improved viewing of operational site inside the cavities in the brain structure
• Better special surgical tools ensure decreased risk of complications from surgery 

Why choose Travcure for Brain Tumor Surgery in India?

Travcure offers the most extensive and convenient medical tourism packages in India. Travcure is connected to a large network of advanced and high-tech neuro-specialty hospitals and clinics across all major cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, etc for added convenience to patients flying into India from abroad for efficient medical treatment. Travcure offers every patient with the best and most affordable Neuroendoscopy treatment for brain tumor in India at the hands of the most experienced neurosurgeons in India.

You can send your queries at: info@travcure.com & https://travcure.com/contact-us/

Source: https://travcure.com/neuroendoscopy-a-minimally-invasive-way-of-brain-tumor-surgery/

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Radiation therapy: An Option for Brain Tumor Surgery

Radiation therapy for brain cancer

Radiation therapy is one of the methods used to eradicate brain tumor cells and to relieve symptoms, like discomfort and pain, caused by a tumor. The highly targeted radiation therapy delivers the dose and the radiation with great precision to the brain tumor while reducing damage to the neighbouring healthy brain tissue.
For brain cancer patients, radiation therapy is mostly used after biopsy or following surgical resection of a tumor, to destroy any tumor cells left behind. It might also be an option for metastatic brain tumors (tumors spreading to the brain from another part of the body) or unresectable brain tumors.
The specifics of the brain cancer radiation therapy plan is based on several factors, including the size and type of the brain tumor and the extent of the disease. External beam radiations are used for brain cancer treatment. The area that is targeted by radiation includes the tumor and the area surrounding the tumor. Sometimes, the radiation is given to the entire brain, in case of metastatic brain tumors.
Since lung cancer mostly spreads to the brain, some people with lung cancer receive radiation therapy as a prevention from metastatic tumors developing in the brain.

Addressing Side Effects of Brain Cancer Radiation Therapy

Depending upon the radiation dose, site, and other factors, radiation therapy for brain cancer can cause certain side effects. Edema (brain swelling), skin irritation, hair loss, and fatigue are common side effects of radiation for brain tumors.
When a patient receives brain tumour radiation therapy, the medical team will work proactively to manage any of the side effects. For example, the doctor may prescribe steroids to help reduce the swelling, or blood thinners to dissolve the blood clots and help prevent them from traveling into the lungs.
The patients will also receive integrated oncology services, like medicine, nutrition therapy, and naturopathic medicine, management of pain, oncology rehabilitation and mind and body medicine, to help fight the radiations’ side effect or other treatments the patient receives. These therapies will keep one strong so that they can continue the treatment while maintaining a quality of life.

What Is Radiation Therapy?

This therapy uses targeted energy (i.e. X-rays and other radioactive substances) to destroy the cancer cells, shrink tumors, and/or alleviate confirmed cancer-related symptoms. It is used as:

• A primary treatment to eradicate cancer cells
• To relieve symptoms of advanced cancer
• Before another treatment to shrink a tumor
• In combination with the other treatments to stop the growth of cancer cells
• After another treatment to pause the growth of remaining cancer cells, if any

Types of Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy has three delivery methods or types. They include:

• External Beam Radiation Therapy: In this therapy, a radiation is directed from a machine outside the body onto the cancerous cells present within the body. (E.g.: IMRT, IGRT, 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy, tomotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery)
• Internal Radiation Therapy: In this therapy, a radioactive material is placed (via a catheter or some other carrier) directly into or near the tumor. (E.g.: High dosage rate brachytherapy)
• Systemic Radiation Therapy: In this therapy, a radioactive substance which is either swallowed or injected travels through the blood to locate and destroy the cancerous cells. (E.g.: Radioactive Iodine Therapy)

Managing Radiation Side Effects

A typical radiation therapy may be damaging to the human body and may also cause unpleasant side effects, like nausea, fatigue, skin changes and other side effects, depending upon the part of the body being treated. During the radiation treatment, the team of physicians from a variety of integrated oncology services work with the patients to reduce the side effects and improve the patient’s quality of life.

Brain Tumor Surgery Cost

The cost of brain tumor surgery across different countries varies from $50,000 - $700,000. Stereotactic radiosurgery performed on brain tumors costs from $12,000 - $55,000. In case of additional treatments, the total cost can rise up to $100,000. For treating brain cancer like Glioblastoma, the cost goes up to $450,000 and the treatment for lifetime reaches $700,000. When comparing these costs with other countries like UK, USA the average cost for brain tumor surgery in India starts around $8000 - $9000.

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