What to expect from brain tumour surgery for meningioma

A meningioma grows from tissues around the brain rather than from brain cells. Your neurosurgical team reviews scans to plan an approach that reaches the tumour while protecting nearby brain tissue, nerves and blood vessels. Surgery may aim to remove as much as is safely possible, or to obtain tissue when complete removal would carry too much risk. The operation is performed with anaesthesia and may include hair and scalp preparation, an opening in the skull, and closure with stitches or staples. The exact route depends on the tumour’s position, size and relationship to important structures.

After surgery, staff check alertness, movement, speech, vision and symptoms such as headache or nausea. Some people need close monitoring before moving to a ward. A laboratory examines removed tissue, and the result helps guide whether observation, further treatment or additional imaging is appropriate.

Before admission, share your medicines, allergies and any history of seizures or bleeding problems. Arrange help at home, transport for discharge and a plan for rest. Follow the hospital’s instructions about eating, drinking and medicines before the operation. Recovery can include tiredness, scalp tenderness, swelling or temporary difficulty with balance, concentration, speech or movement. Take medicines exactly as prescribed, keep the wound clean as instructed, and increase activity gradually. Attend follow-up visits so your neurological examination and scans can be reviewed.

Contact your surgical team promptly for a worsening headache, repeated vomiting, fever, increasing redness or drainage from the wound, new weakness, confusion, a seizure, or a noticeable change in speech or vision. Seek emergency help for a seizure that does not stop, loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulty or sudden weakness. Use the discharge number if you are unsure whether a change is expected.

Ask where the meningioma is located, what the operation is intended to achieve, which functions are close to it, how long monitoring may last, when pathology and scan results will be discussed, and which symptoms should trigger an urgent call.