Essen University Hospital: Neurosurgery department

Most often, patients come with the following diseases:

• Glioblastoma;
• Meningiomas;
• Cerebral metastases;
• Astrocytomas;
• Oligodendrogliomas;
• Aneurysms;
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage;
• Angiomas;
• Arteriovenous fistulas;
• Cavernomas;
• Acoustic neuroma;
• Tumors of the pituitary gland;
• Traumatic brain injury;
• Epidural and subdural hematoma;
• Stenosis of the spinal canal;
• Spinal injury.

Neurosurgery at the Essen University Hospital specializes in the following areas of treatment for children:

• Tumor diseases in childhood (medulloblastomas, pilocytic astrocytomas, germinomas, craniopharyngiomas);
• Malformations of the head and facial skull in childhood (craniosynostosis, premature suture synostosis);
• Arachnoid cysts of hydrocephalus, malformations of Arnold-Chiari and Dandy-Walker;
• Surgery of malformations and tumors of the spine in childhood (spina bifida, meningo- and lipomyelocele);
• Surgical interventions for epilepsy and spasticity.

Standard diagnostics include MRI of the skull with and without contrast agent. Additional studies are performed depending on the location of the tumor:

• Functional MRI – to display specific areas of the brain;
• PET-MRI examination – shows the activity of the tumor.

An interdisciplinary panel is assembled for each patient with suspected brain tumor. Doctors from different fields work together to choose the right therapy regimen.

In the case of surgical treatment, the tumor:

• Completely removed – if necessary, the operation is carried out in consciousness;
• Depending on the location of the formation – a sample is taken.

To ensure safe surgical removal during the operation, modern technologies are used:

• Surgical microscope;
• Electrophysiological monitoring;
• Ultrasonic aspirator;
• Neuronavigation;
• Fluorescence (for staining tumor tissue).

The resulting tissue is then analyzed for molecular pathology and a diagnosis is made based on genetic changes. Another MRI is performed within 72 hours after the operation to monitor the success of the operation.

Further treatment is carried out depending on the reaction of the body and will be discussed again in the tumor commission. A council of experienced doctors decides further tactics and gives recommendations.