Accidents that injure the head, spinal cord, or nerves require neurosurgical treatment.
Neurosurgeons also care for patients with tumors of the brain or spinal cord.
Patients threatened by a serious stroke may have neurosurgery to increase the blood supply to areas of the brain and spinal cord. Removal of arteriosclerotic debris that has clogged neck arteries is a common neurosurgical procedure to restore normal circulation to the brain. Children may be born with a brain or spinal cord malformed at birth or abnormal spinal fluid circulation. Neurological surgery may be performed to help these children live a more normal life. Perhaps the most common condition that neurosurgeons treat is pain in the neck or lower back spreading to the arm or leg due to a ruptured disc.