Children are not merely young adults. Childcare calls for specialized expertise, more so in the field of neurosurgery. The department of neurosciences has left no stone unturned in its efforts in providing world-class paediatric neurosurgical care. Around one-tenth of the approximately 45,000 surgeries performed by the directors of the department, are paediatric cases. All-encompassing, comprehensive care is provided to all the children and ensures exhaustive evaluation, accurate diagnosis and world-class surgical and post-surgical care to the patients. It also ensures the patients receive proper post-surgical adjuvant therapy (radiation/chemotherapy), when indicated, in liaison with oncological centres in the city and elsewhere. The procedures performed to run the gamut from simple to the most complicated conditions, with specialized expertise provided by the Neuromuscular Clinic in Bangalore. These include:
Congenital Brain and Spine Conditions
Congenital hydrocephalus - It is a build-up of excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain at birth. The extra fluid in the baby’s brain causes brain damage and mental and physical problems. Congenital hydrocephalus is caused by an imbalance between how much fluid the brain makes and how well the body is able to process it. The major symptom of congenital hydrocephalus is a head that is larger than normal which you may notice when the baby is born or within the first several months of life. Treatment includes creating an alternate pathway for drainage of CSF, which is done mostly endoscopically through a small hole in the skull. The procedure is called endoscopic third ventriculostomy.
Skull deformities - Also known as craniosynostosis.
Arnold - Chiari malformations.
Neural tube defects - Encephaloceles, meningoceles, meningomyelocele, lipomyelomeningocele, tethered cord.
Congenital spine deformities - Congenital atlanto-axial deformities (AAD) kyphosis, scoliosis, kyphoscoliosis. The spine team is headed by Dr. Satish Rudrappa has considerable experience in managing complex spinal deformities with excellent results.
Split cord malformations
Arachnoid cysts - Both brain and spine
Brain tumours:
Common ones include gliomas, pilocytic astrocytomas, medulloblastomas, and ependymomas
Epilepsy
SWH is one of the few recognized epilepsy surgery centers in the country. The department has the best paediatric neurologist in Bangalore who offer one of the most comprehensive epilepsy care programs called EPIC.
Vascular conditions
Cerebral aneurysms
Cerebral and spinal arteriovenous malformations
Moya moya disease - Moyamoya disease is a rare blood vessel disorder in which the carotid artery in the skull becomes blocked or narrowed, reducing blood flow to the brain. It may cause a ministroke (transient ischemic attack), stroke or bleeding in the brain. There are certain risk factors associated with the condition such as Down syndrome, sickle cell anaemia, neurofibromatosis type 1 and hyperthyroidism.
Treatment consists of creating a bypass between the scalp and brain blood vessels to ensure the re-establishment of blood flow to the brain. The surgery most commonly done is called STA- MCA bypass whereby a connection is established between the scalp artery and the brain blood vessel. It is a technically demanding procedure done in few centres in the country and Dr. Swaroop Gopal is a stalwart in this field with results comparable to international standards.
Traumatic spine injury: cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine fracture with or without cord injury
Being the top pediatric neurosurgery hospital in Bangalore, the department of paediatric neurosurgery at Sakra is a tertiary care centre in the private sector managing the whole spectrum of paediatric neurosurgical cases with excellent results, at par with international standards.
Pediatric neurosurgery is a specialized field of medicine that focuses on the surgical treatment of neurological conditions in children, ranging from infants to adolescents. It involves addressing disorders affecting the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves in the pediatric population. For comprehensive care, including the management of related conditions, families often seek support from a Neuromuscular Clinic in Bangalore, which provides specialized services for children with neuromuscular disorders.
Pediatric neurosurgery addresses a variety of conditions, including congenital anomalies (such as spina bifida), brain and spinal cord tumors, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, craniosynostosis, vascular malformations, and traumatic brain injuries in children. Specialized expertise in Pedratic Neuro Surgery in Bangalore ensures that young patients receive optimal care tailored to their unique needs and conditions.
Pediatric neurosurgery is recommended when conservative treatments are insufficient or inappropriate for managing a child's neurological condition. Common indications include the presence of tumors, malformations, congenital defects, or conditions requiring surgical intervention for optimal outcomes.
Pediatric neurosurgery at the Neuro Surgery Hospital in Bangalore differs from adult neurosurgery due to the unique anatomy, physiology, and developmental considerations of children. Pediatric neurosurgeons undergo specialized training to address these differences and provide age-appropriate care.
