INTRODUCTION: Although variations in the technique of awake craniotomy (AC) have been widely reported, a key member of this interdisciplinary procedure is the healthcare professional performing assessments of neurological function during resection. The expertise of the latter will depend on the neurological function to be tested and on available resources of the institution. This report details our initial experience of an AC service utilizing the expertise of a speech and language therapist (SLT) and an experienced neuro-physiotherapist (NP) to monitor @entity1 function during @entity11 resection. METHODS: Forty-five @entity1 underwent 50 AC procedures for eloquently located @entity11 over a 3-year period. @entity1 with a @entity11 involving speech or sensorimotor areas were assessed preoperatively by the SLT/NP respectively. The same therapist monitored the @entity1 's neurological function intraoperatively and executed a rehabilitation program tailored to the needs of the @entity1 in the postoperative period. RESULTS: Three @entity1 underwent biopsy only, due to intraoperative @entity410 precluding intraoperative mapping (2 cases) or speech arrest on stimulation of a small recurrent @entity5 . The remaining 47 cases were suitable for repetitive neurological assessment "awake" during @entity5 debulking. One @entity1 with a large sensorimotor @entity5 developed @entity1269 due to outward @entity75 (which recovered postoperatively). Ten @entity1 developed a new or worsened @entity51 in the initial postoperative period (6 were detected intraoperatively), of which 5 eventually had resolution and returned to baseline function within 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: In our initial experience based anecdotally on a previous similar "non-awake" caseload, we have found AC with the input of the SLT/NP to be a key component in ensuring optimal functional outcomes for @entity1 with @entity11 in eloquently located areas.

Awake craniotomy for XXXX resection: Technical aspects and initial results in a single institution.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['Patients', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity410 :: ('MESH:D012640', 'Disease') :: ['seizures'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor'] @entity1269 :: ('MESH:D010291', 'Disease') :: ['intraoperative hemiparesis'] @entity75 :: ('MESH:D001927', 'Disease') :: ['brain herniation'] @entity11 :: ('MESH:D005910', 'Disease') :: ['glioma', 'gliomas'] @entity51 :: ('MESH:D009461', 'Disease') :: ['neurological deficit']
@entity11 :: (MESH:D005910,Disease) :: ['glioma']
