Complications Arising Out Of Brain Cancer Surgery

Recovery from brain cancer may can be depressing if one is not prepared for it. Apart from causing swelling in the brain,

Picture of a patient being treated after brain cancer surgery

It may cause the following complications:

  • weakness
  • dizzy spells and headaches
  • poor balance or lack of coordination
  • personality changes
  • fluid coming from the incision
  • redness or swelling along the surgical incision (cut)
  • confusion
  • speech problems
  • vomiting
  • fits (seizures)

Mutism is part of a larger set of problems. It presents as syndrome. Some other symptoms that surface are:

  • changes in behaviour
  • emotional difficulties
  • cortical blindness: the eyes may work fine, but the brain isn’t seeing images
  • they may not be able to balance while walking
  • extreme irritability: they may kick and scream for hours, even though you try hard to calm them down

Other symptoms.

Neurological deficits

Surgery can result in weakness or problems with balance. Occupational therapists and physical therapists will be the right people to direct the patient here.

Hormone problems

For craniopharyngiomas, hypothalamic gliomas, and supracellular germ cell tumours, surgery can damage the pituitary gland. Damage to the pituitary gland can lead to hormone problems.

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