Clinical Trend of the Week (January 8-15): Awake Craniotomy
The psychological trauma associated with an important procedure may have found its match. According to a study in the January issue of Neurosurgery, hypnosedation may aid in "awake craniotomy," a surgery in which patients are sedated but conscious in order to communicate with the surgeon during the procedure. This is done so that the neurosurgeon can avoid damaging the "eloquent cortex," which are the critical areas of the brain responsible for language and movement. Hypnosis, beginning a few weeks before surgery, was found to reduce the impact of unpleasant events during surgery. Nobody is suggesting giving up anesthesia for dangling pocket watches, but interest in a potential means to alleviate trauma during such a daunting procedure remains high.
For more in-depth clinical information, see Craniotomy Periprocedural Care.
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Cite this: Ryan Syrek. Clinical Trends for January 2016 - Medscape - Jan 08, 2016.
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