What Are the Common Risks of Brain Tumor Surgery?

Brain tumor surgery poses both general and
specific risks. The general risks apply to anyone
going through surgery for any reason and are not
limited to brain tumor surgery. These include:
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Pneumonia
• Blood pressure instability
Risks specific to brain tumor surgery depend
greatly on the particular location of the tumor.
Particular areas of the brain control functions
such as vision, hearing, smell, movement of the
arms and legs, coordination, memory, language
skills, and other vital functions. The process of
operating on the brain always includes some risk
that nerves or blood vessels serving these areas
will be damaged. This could result in partial or
complete loss of sensation, vision, movement,
hearing or other functions. When a tumor is
located deep within the brain it increases the
risk and range of possible complications.
Additional risks, while generally rare, are also
possible. These brain surgery risks include:
• Seizures
•Weakness
• Balance/coordination difficulties
• Memory or cognitive problems
• Spinal fluid leakage
• Meningitis (infection causing inflammation of
membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)
• Brain swelling
• Stroke
• Hydrocephalus (excessive fluid in the brain)
• Coma
• Death