Craniotomy
A guide for patients and carers
What are the possible after effects of craniotomy?
Problems that can occur shortly after the operation:
- Occasionally, a blood clot may form at the site of the operation. If this happens, depending on its size, you may need a second operation to remove
it. However, this is a rare complication. - After brain surgery there is a small risk of developing fits (epileptic seizures).To prevent this, anti-epilepsy medication is sometimes prescribed for some months following the operation.
Problems that can occur later on:
- During a craniotomy a small cut is sometimes made to the muscle that helps with chewing. As it heals after the operation, the muscle can become
slightly shorter, causing the jaw to feel stiff. Chewing gum helps to resolve this problem, which usually clears up after a couple of months. - As the wound in your head heals, it may feel painful at first. This gradually improves and is usually better by the time the stitches are removed, three to five days after the operation. Some surgeons use stitches that dissolve and do not need to be removed. Later on, the skin around the edges of the wound may feel a bit numb until the healing is complete. This numbness
may itself be painful or unpleasant for a while. Wound infection is not usually a problem and in order to prevent it, you will often be treated with
antibiotics around the time of the operation.
Contents
- Introduction
- What is a craniotomy?
- Why do I need a craniotomy?
- What happens during the operation?
- What will happen after the operation?
- What are the possible after effects of craniotomy?
- How long does recovery take?
- How will life be affected?
- Summary
- Other organisations that may be able to help