Sen, must carry over into the operating room OR. A tumor feels like a piece of meat. Along the way, you must be careful not to damage any blood vessels, which could cause a stroke , or nerves, which could cause blindness, deafness , paralysis, or other problems. To succeed, you must have a gentle touch—and the heart of a lion.
Once you are done with the operation, the brain must never know you were there. Is it any wonder that neurosurgeons speak so reverentially of this three-pound mass of pinkish-gray tissue about the size of a cantaloupe?
An organ whose makeup is 75 percent water, it generates , chemical reactions every second and enough electrochemical energy to power a watt lightbulb.
The brain contains billion neurons nerve cells , each connected—directly or indirectly—to as many as , others. Twelve pairs of cranial nerves, some of which control numerous parts of the head, and , miles of blood vessels crisscross its terrain.
Though pain is registered in the brain, the organ itself has no pain receptors and cannot feel pain. The brain demands 15 to 20 percent of the blood pumped from the heart. After 30 seconds or so, permanent brain damage may occur. In a single day, the brain gives rise to an estimated 70, thoughts, processing information at a rate of up to miles per hour. In a lifetime, it can retain 1 quadrillion separate bits of information.
The bony skull, or vault, is a quarter-inch thick at the top and even thicker at the base. The meninges, three layers of membranes that line the skull, shield the brain further. The brain is suspended in cerebrospinal fluid, which functions as a shock absorber, reducing the impact of sudden blows. Isolated from the bloodstream by a blood—brain barrier, the brain has a dutiful gatekeeper, admitting some nourishing elements and forbidding entrance to others, notably toxins.
As researchers learn more about the brain's function through magnetic resonance imaging, CT scans and other advances, neurosurgeons respond by developing new techniques to treat its disorders. Since the late 20th century minimally invasive surgeries using miniature instruments have become commonplace, and neurosurgeons use radical approaches such as skull-base surgeries to reach and remove previously inoperable tumors.
When a neurosurgeon successfully uses a new and experimental technique to correct a patient's condition, word of the technique -- with its potential risks and benefits -- quickly spreads throughout the neurosurgery community.
One important aspect of neurological surgery is the role neurosurgeons play in supporting the work of other physicians. For example, orthopedic surgeons often perform procedures on the spine to treat congenital deformities, traumatic injuries, cancers or other conditions. If the procedure involves the central nervous system, or if there's potential for nerve damage, a neurosurgeon might collaborate with the orthopedic surgeon during the planning stages or the procedure itself.
Vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists might also rely on the assistance of neurosurgeons when performing procedures with neurological implications. The neurosurgeon's specialized expertise can often help other physicians minimize or avoid nerve damage during their procedures.
Neurosurgery is not a lifestyle specialty. You can believe that after the grueling residency is over that it will be a piece of cake. This is false. It does get easier as you practice longer, because as you work through many complex life-threatening situations and lost causes, your comfort level improves. No matter how many years in practice, though, some days you will end up operating on people who have little chance of surviving and delivering devastating news in the wee hours of the morning to families who do not deserve it.
Call tends to go on until retirement and this can interfere with sleep, holidays, weekends, soccer matches, homework, and conversations with your spouse. Without stars on the items in the positive column above, this can be relatively taxing on the soul. Neurosurgeons are compensated very well for doctors. There are many specialists who would find that unfair.
However, see number one. Yes, the compensation is good, but if you do not love what you are doing, the intensity will quickly generate burnout. You want to impress people. Honestly, once I tell someone I am a neurosurgeon, they are not sure what to say. Among other women, there is some distancing that happens when you disclose that you are a neurosurgeon. I am not exactly sure the explanation for this. You should be prepared to accept that sometimes—hopefully rarely—things will go wrong and someone who was intact before surgery will be worse off afterwards.
Neurosurgery has honed my problem solving skills as well as improving my ability to spend long periods working towards a single outcome. Think carefully about the lifestyle you want and spend time with consultants to see what the reality of their job is; it may surprise you. You need to consider whether you want to spend your time on calls in the hospital operating as you get older, as it is a fact of life for consultant neurosurgeons.
You need to be prepared to keep learning and being reflective about your ability as there is a growing tendency towards subspecialisation. Shortened training time inevitably leads to less experienced consultants and this can be another stressful fact of life. I was definitely less experienced than those appointed 10 years before me and those appointed after me were less experienced than me. That being said it gave me the opportunity to travel the world working and studying so that was hugely worthwhile.
Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
Jerard graduated from the University of Aberdeen in
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