Frequently Asked Questions
Brain and Cranial Neurosurgery Information... What can I expect?
We understand's that having neurosurgery, or an operation on your brain, can be a confronting and scary experience for patients and their families. Although we would all like to avoid surgery, unfortunately for some people it will be necessary in order to best manage your condition. The following information serves to provide a general outline of what you can expect when undergoing cranial or brain surgery, and also serves to allay any fears or misconceptions you may have about the experience. Dr Oehme and his staff are very experienced in the process from beginning to end and will support you through your recovery.
Will I be in pain after brain surgery?
It is common to have some discomfort around the wound following surgery, however, this is usually easily controlled with simple pain medication. Some patients can also have a headache as the linings of the brain can be irritated by blood products and air. Interestingly, the skull and brain do not contain pain nerves, so surgery on the head is not as painful as many patients might imagine.
How long will I be in hospital following surgery?
Most patients are in hospital between 3 and 5 days following cranial surgery. Dr Oehme and his experienced staff will not discharge you home unless you are absolutely safe and at no risk. Sometimes patients might need some time in rehabilitation prior to going home.
Will my hair be shaved?
Dr Oehme performs minimal or no head shaves for his cranial procedures. He will also try and position the wound, as much as is safely possible, to minimise any cosmetic concerns you might have.
Where will my incision be?
The location of your incision will depend on the procedure you are having and the location of the problem. Dr Oehme will always minimise the size of the incision and attempt to place the incision in a cosmetically favourable position.
Will I have a scar?
If you have surgery there will always be a scar. Dr Oehme will always minimise the size of the incision and attempt to place the incision in a cosmetically favourable position so that the scar is not obvious. Fortunately the scalp heals very well so scars tend not to be that visible. It is very unusual to have an incision on your face so your facial features should not be afffected.
What medications will I need to take during my hospital stay?
Dr Oehme and his experienced staff will advise you about what medications you will need to take around the time of surgery. Common medications used in cranial surgery include:
What medications will I need to stop before my surgery?
Dr Oehme and his staff will advise you on medications which are safe to continue during your operation and those that need to be stopped. Most medications are safe to continue, however, those that affect blood clotting or wound healing are generally stopped prior to surgery. We will advise how long you must be off the mediation before it is safe to have surgery. Medications we typically ask you to stop taking are:
What radiology scans will I need to have?
Most patients will need to have a new MRI scan within 24 hours prior to surgery. This is used as a planning scan and to ensure nothing has changed with your condition before your operation. If you are unable to have an MRI generally a CT scan is sufficient. It is important that you bring all of your previous radiology films with you to hospital.
At which hospitals does Dr Oehme perform cranial operations?
Dr Oehme currently operates at the following hospitals in Melbourne.
Please note that Dr Oehme does not perform all procedures at all hospitals. Complex brain and spine procedures are typically performed at St Vincent's Public and St Vincent's Private Hospital in Melbourne. See our locations page for more information.
Will I need rehabilitation?
Most patients are in hospital between 3 and 5 days following cranial surgery. Dr Oehme and his experienced staff will not discharge you home unless you are absolutely safe and at no risk. Sometimes patients might need some time in rehabilitation prior to going home.
What are the costs of Dr Oehme performing cranial neurosurgery?
Please contact Dr Oehme's rooms for detailed information about our surgical fee structure for private patients. Dr Oehme is an AMA member. The out-of-pocket expense will depend on the procedure to be undertaken, the patient's health fund and level of cover. Patient's may also have to pay a hospital excess depending on their level of private insurance cover. In addition, there is generally an out-of-pocket anaesthetic fee. Patient's will be advised of all fees prior to surgery.
WorkCover and TAC patients require approval of all procedures by the relevant body prior to surgery. There is no out-of-pocket expense to the patient following approval.
DVA patients are not subject to out of pocket fees.
Public patients will be operated at St Vincent's Public Hospital and there is no out of pocket charge as this is covered by Medicare.
Self-funded patients will be given a quote for the surgical, anaesthetic, hospital and equipment costs prior to surgery.
Informed financial consent will be obtained from all patients prior to their procedure.
What are the risks of having brain surgery?
With modern techniques most cranial neurosurgical procedures can be performed without any serious complications. However, like any surgical procedure there are risks associated with the anaesthetic and the procedure itself.
Risks of Anaesthesia
Risks of anaesthesia will be discussed with you by your anaesthetist prior to surgery. It is important that you inform us of your correct age and any past medical problems, as this can influence the risk of anaesthesia. Risks include:
General Risks of Craniotomy
Although surgery is generally safe, there are some risks whenever performing a craniotomy. These include:
Specific Risks of Craniotomy
The specific risks depend on your condition and will be discussed with you in detail prior to surgery. Whether or not you have had previous surgery and other factors can also influence surgical risks but may include:
Will I be in pain after brain surgery?
It is common to have some discomfort around the wound following surgery, however, this is usually easily controlled with simple pain medication. Some patients can also have a headache as the linings of the brain can be irritated by blood products and air. Interestingly, the skull and brain do not contain pain nerves, so surgery on the head is not as painful as many patients might imagine.
How long will I be in hospital following surgery?
Most patients are in hospital between 3 and 5 days following cranial surgery. Dr Oehme and his experienced staff will not discharge you home unless you are absolutely safe and at no risk. Sometimes patients might need some time in rehabilitation prior to going home.
Will my hair be shaved?
Dr Oehme performs minimal or no head shaves for his cranial procedures. He will also try and position the wound, as much as is safely possible, to minimise any cosmetic concerns you might have.
Where will my incision be?
The location of your incision will depend on the procedure you are having and the location of the problem. Dr Oehme will always minimise the size of the incision and attempt to place the incision in a cosmetically favourable position.
Will I have a scar?
If you have surgery there will always be a scar. Dr Oehme will always minimise the size of the incision and attempt to place the incision in a cosmetically favourable position so that the scar is not obvious. Fortunately the scalp heals very well so scars tend not to be that visible. It is very unusual to have an incision on your face so your facial features should not be afffected.
What medications will I need to take during my hospital stay?
Dr Oehme and his experienced staff will advise you about what medications you will need to take around the time of surgery. Common medications used in cranial surgery include:
- Steroids (Dexamethasone) to reduce swelling
- Anti-seizure medication to reduce the incident of seizures such as Keppra and Dilantin.
- Pantoprazole or other medication to protect from stomach ulcers
- Clexane to prevent blood clots in the legs (DVT)
- Paracetamol for pain relief
What medications will I need to stop before my surgery?
Dr Oehme and his staff will advise you on medications which are safe to continue during your operation and those that need to be stopped. Most medications are safe to continue, however, those that affect blood clotting or wound healing are generally stopped prior to surgery. We will advise how long you must be off the mediation before it is safe to have surgery. Medications we typically ask you to stop taking are:
- Aspirin
- Clopidogrel
- Warfarin
- Dabigatran (Pradaxa)
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
- Heparin
- Methotrexate
What radiology scans will I need to have?
Most patients will need to have a new MRI scan within 24 hours prior to surgery. This is used as a planning scan and to ensure nothing has changed with your condition before your operation. If you are unable to have an MRI generally a CT scan is sufficient. It is important that you bring all of your previous radiology films with you to hospital.
At which hospitals does Dr Oehme perform cranial operations?
Dr Oehme currently operates at the following hospitals in Melbourne.
- St Vincent's Public Hospital in Melbourne (brain, spine and peripheral nerve surgeries)
- St Vincent's Private Hospital in Melbournem (brain, spine and peripheral nerve surgeries)
- St John of God Private Hospital in Berwick (spine and peripheral nerve surgeries only)
- Waverley Private Hospital in Mount Waverley (peripheral nerve surgeries only)
- Eastern Health - Box Hill Public Hospital (spine and peripheral nerve surgeries only)
- Epworth Hospital in Richmond (brain, spine and peripheral nerve surgeries)
- Warringal Private Hospital in Heidelberg (spine and peripheral nerve surgeries only)
Please note that Dr Oehme does not perform all procedures at all hospitals. Complex brain and spine procedures are typically performed at St Vincent's Public and St Vincent's Private Hospital in Melbourne. See our locations page for more information.
Will I need rehabilitation?
Most patients are in hospital between 3 and 5 days following cranial surgery. Dr Oehme and his experienced staff will not discharge you home unless you are absolutely safe and at no risk. Sometimes patients might need some time in rehabilitation prior to going home.
What are the costs of Dr Oehme performing cranial neurosurgery?
Please contact Dr Oehme's rooms for detailed information about our surgical fee structure for private patients. Dr Oehme is an AMA member. The out-of-pocket expense will depend on the procedure to be undertaken, the patient's health fund and level of cover. Patient's may also have to pay a hospital excess depending on their level of private insurance cover. In addition, there is generally an out-of-pocket anaesthetic fee. Patient's will be advised of all fees prior to surgery.
WorkCover and TAC patients require approval of all procedures by the relevant body prior to surgery. There is no out-of-pocket expense to the patient following approval.
DVA patients are not subject to out of pocket fees.
Public patients will be operated at St Vincent's Public Hospital and there is no out of pocket charge as this is covered by Medicare.
Self-funded patients will be given a quote for the surgical, anaesthetic, hospital and equipment costs prior to surgery.
Informed financial consent will be obtained from all patients prior to their procedure.
What are the risks of having brain surgery?
With modern techniques most cranial neurosurgical procedures can be performed without any serious complications. However, like any surgical procedure there are risks associated with the anaesthetic and the procedure itself.
Risks of Anaesthesia
Risks of anaesthesia will be discussed with you by your anaesthetist prior to surgery. It is important that you inform us of your correct age and any past medical problems, as this can influence the risk of anaesthesia. Risks include:
- Heart problems, such as heart attack (AMI) or arrhythmia
- Lung problems, such as infection (pneumonia) or blood clots
- Urinary tract infection
- Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
- Eye or visual problems
- Pressure wounds
- Stroke
- Small risk of significant life-threatening event
General Risks of Craniotomy
Although surgery is generally safe, there are some risks whenever performing a craniotomy. These include:
- Infection 1-2%
- Seizures which can require taking medication. Rarely this can lead to epilepsy requiring longterm medication.
- Bleeding. This can occur at the time of surgery and may necessitate a blood transfusion. It can also occur at some time after surgery. The bleeding may be present in the brain or adjacent to it. Sometimes another operation is required to drain the bloodclot and stop the bleeding.
- Stroke
- Brain fluid leak (CSF leak)
- Small risk of significant neurological injury causing paralysis, coma or death.
Specific Risks of Craniotomy
The specific risks depend on your condition and will be discussed with you in detail prior to surgery. Whether or not you have had previous surgery and other factors can also influence surgical risks but may include:
- Loss of smell
- Damage nerves in the brain (cranial nerves) resulting in facial numbness, weakness of the face, loss of vision or double vision.
- Weakness or numbness in the limbs
- Speech disturbance
- Paralysis (stroke like symptoms).
- Cognitive impairment and memory problems
- Incomplete removal
- Recurrence of your condition
- Requirement for further treatment with radiotherapy