What is Pediatric Neurosurgery?
Pediatric Neurosurgery is a specialized branch of neurosurgery focused on diagnosing, treating, and managing neurological conditions in infants, children, and adolescents. It involves surgical interventions for disorders affecting the brain, spine, and nervous system, often requiring delicate and highly specialized surgical techniques. A doctor who specializes in Pediatric Neurosurgery is called a pediatric neurosurgeon.
What Kind of Training Do Pediatric Neurosurgeons Have?
Pediatric neurosurgery is one of the most demanding yet rewarding medical specialties. Pediatric neurosurgeons undergo extensive training, requiring approximately 15-17 years of education and hands-on experience. Their training typically follows:
- Medical School: Four years of medical school education.
- Surgical Internship: One year of general surgery internship.
- Neurosurgical Residency: Seven years of residency training in neurosurgery.
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship: Dedicated one- to two-year fellowship training focusing on pediatric neurological conditions.
- Certification: Must pass certification exams from the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery.
What Conditions Does a Pediatric Neurosurgeon Treat?
Pediatric neurosurgeons are specially trained to treat a wide range of neurological conditions, such as:
- Spinal cord and brain tumors
- Head and spinal deformities
- Injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or nerves
- Problems with blood vessels in the brain
- Epilepsy
- Spasticity (involuntary muscle contractions)
- Neural tube disorders
- Intracranial infections
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disorders such as hydrocephalus (abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) and Chiari malformations
What Treatments Do Pediatric Neurosurgeons Offer?
Pediatric neurosurgeons provide specialized surgical and non-surgical treatments for brain, spine, and nerve disorders. Some of the key treatments they offer include:
Brain Surgery
- Hydrocephalus Treatment – Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement or Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- Brain Tumor Surgery – Removal of tumors through craniotomy, neuroendoscopy, or stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife, CyberKnife).
- Epilepsy Surgery – Procedures such as lobectomy, hemispherectomy, corpus callosotomy, or Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) for seizure control.
- Craniosynostosis Repair – Skull reshaping surgery, including cranial vault reconstruction or minimally invasive endoscopic repair.
- Chiari Malformation Decompression – Surgical removal of bone to relieve brainstem and spinal cord pressure.
Spine & Nerve Surgery
- Spinal Cord Tumor Removal – Microsurgical resection of benign or malignant tumors.
- Spina Bifida & Tethered Cord Surgery – Myelomeningocele repair (sometimes performed before birth as fetal surgery) and tethered cord release to improve mobility.
- Scoliosis & Spine Deformity Surgery – Spinal fusion with rods and screws to correct severe spinal curvature.
- Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) – Surgery to reduce muscle stiffness in children with cerebral palsy.
Trauma & Vascular Surgery
- Brain Injury & Hemorrhage Treatment – Craniotomy to relieve pressure or remove blood clots after head trauma.
- Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) Surgery – Removal of abnormal brain blood vessels to prevent strokes.
- Moyamoya Disease Surgery – Blood vessel bypass surgery to restore blood flow to the brain.
Advanced & Minimally Invasive Treatments
- Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) – Implantation of electrodes to treat movement disorders.
- Fetal Neurosurgery – In-womb surgery for spina bifida and congenital brain conditions.
- Neuroendoscopy – Camera-assisted brain and spine surgery with smaller incisions.
- Robotic & Image-Guided Surgery – Enhances precision in complex neurosurgical procedures.
Why Choose a Pediatric Neurosurgeon?
- They have specialized expertise in treating neurological disorders in children, whose developing nervous systems require different surgical approaches than adults.
- They work closely with pediatricians, neurologists, oncologists, and rehabilitation specialists to provide comprehensive care.
- They use minimally invasive and advanced surgical techniques, such as neuroendoscopy and intraoperative MRI, to ensure better outcomes with less trauma to young patients.
