Neurosurgery is the surgical discipline focused on treating those central and peripheral nervous system diseases amenable to mechanical intervention.

Definition and scope

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According to the U.S. Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME),

Training

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In the U.S., neurosurgeons undergo a rigorous training program, known as a residency, consisting of 5-7 years of postgraduate study in neurosurgery (following a mandatory one-year surgery internship). After completing their residency training, some neurosurgeons undertake advanced subspecialty training in programs known as fellowships which are typically one or two years in duration. Some examples of subspecialty areas in neurosurgery include cerebrovascular and skull base surgery, epilepsy, functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, neurosurgery trauma, spine surgery, and pediatric neurosurgery. Admission into advanced fellowship training programs is extremely competitive.

In the United Kingdom, competition is fierce for the senior house officer and specialist registrar posts leading up to a consultant qualificationChelvarajah R. Brain surgery... not rocket science. BMJ Career Focus 2004;328:95. Fulltext..

Conditions

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Neurosurgical conditions include primarily brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve disorders.

Conditions treated by neurosurgeons include:

• Lumbar disc herniation
• Cervical disc herniation
• Spinal stenosis
• Hydrocephalus
• Head trauma (brain hemorrhages, skull fractures, etc.)
• Spinal cord trauma
• Traumatic injuries of peripheral nerves
• Brain tumors
• Tumors of the spine, spinal cord and peripheral nerves
• Cerebral aneurysms
• Some forms of hemorrhagic stroke, such as subarachnoid hemorrhages, as well as intraparenchymal and intraventricular hemorrhages
• Some forms of pharmacologically resistant epilepsy
• Some forms of movement disorders (advanced Parkinson's disease, chorea, hemiballism) - this involves the use of specially developed minimally invasive stereotactic techniques (functional, stereotactic neurosurgery)
• Intractable pain of cancer or trauma patients and cranial/peripheral nerve pain
• Some forms of intractable psychiatric disorders
• Malformations of the nervous system

Reference

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External links

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• British Journal of Neurosurgery
• Congress of Neurological Surgeons
• American Association of Neurologic Surgeons
• American Board of Neurological Surgery
• Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
• Brain Surgery-Neurosurgery Patient Help Site
• European Association of Neurosurgical Societies
• Neurology Society of India
• University of Florida Department of Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery | Surgical specialties

Neurokirurgi | Neurochirurgie | Neurocirugía | Neurochirurgie | 신경외과 | Neurochirurgie | 脳神経外科学 | Nevrokirurgi | Neurochirurgia | Neurocirurgia | Нейрохирургия | Neurokirurgia | Neurokirurgi | 神經外科