Indications for craniotomy are many but the most common indication is a brain tumour. Watch this video by Dr Nigel, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai to know about the indications for craniotomy.

A craniotomy is performed to remove a brain tumour. It can also be done for removing clots in the brain. In case of any infection such as brain abscess, even if the patient has had a head injury, the craniotomy is performed. And if there is a diffuse swelling in the brain either because of traumatic brain injury or following any infection, then we remove a large section of the skull and we do not put that back till the swelling goes down and that is called craniectomy.

The most common indication for craniotomy is to remove a brain tumour. Brain tumours are of two types – cancerous and the non-cancerous tumour. The non-cancerous type, the commonly encountered one is called the meningioma.

Again in the cancerous type, there are two types of brain tumours – one arising in the brain itself called glioma, and the second type which spreads from the other parts of the body to the brain called metastasis. So, brain tumours are the commonest indications for craniotomy.