Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jul 2013
Review Meta AnalysisAwake craniotomy for brain tumor resection: the rule rather than the exception?
Awake craniotomy (AC) has seen an expanded role in brain tumor surgery over the past few decades. AC allows intraoperative cortical mapping and the continuous assessment of neurophysiological parameters, which are otherwise unattainable under general anesthesia (GA). The ability of AC to analyze eloquent brain areas makes it a powerful method for reducing the risks associated with tumor resection, especially in motor and language cortex. We present a review of the literature to examine the benefits and limits of using AC over GA. ⋯ Given the effectiveness of AC for resection of eloquent tumors, the data suggests an expanded role for AC in brain tumor surgery regardless of tumor location.