Thanks to advances in imaging technology and surgical instruments, skilled neurosurgeons can now perform minimally invasive procedures (also called keyhole craniotomies) to remove brain tumors. These procedures offer many benefits for patients over surgeries with larger incisions that require parts of the skull to be removed.

Benefits include:

• Faster recovery time
• Lower risk of pain
• Lower risk of bleeding
• Lower risk of infection
• Smaller scars

For your minimally invasive surgery, your neurosurgeon will select the best way to approach your tumor based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of your brain. They may be able to perform the surgery through an incision beneath your eyebrow, through your nostrils, behind your ear, or through other small incisions in your skull.

Our experienced neurosurgeons perform minimally invasive and endoscopic brain tumor resections using the latest imaging technology. We use these advanced approaches whenever possible to improve your treatment and recovery.

Who Is a Candidate?

Your neurosurgeon will talk to you about possible minimally invasive approaches to your surgery. Whether or not you can have one of these procedures depends on many factors, including the location and size of your tumor. Your physician will help you choose the treatment option that is right for you.

What to Expect

For your surgery, you will be under general anesthesia (asleep). Once you are asleep, your neurosurgeon will make a small incision in the chosen location for your surgery.

Your surgeon will use an MRI to guide specialized tools to your tumor. He or she will then cut out the tumor and remove it through the incision. Your surgeon will try to remove as much of the tumor as possible without damaging other areas of your brain.

Once the tumor is removed, your surgeon will stitch up the incision. You will need to stay in the hospital overnight but may be able to return home the day after your surgery. You should be able to return to all normal activities within a few weeks.

Why Choose Us?

Groundbreaking brain tumor treatment. Experts from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and UHealth make up one of the largest and most complete teams for brain tumor treatment in the United States. Through multi-disciplinary cooperation, our team employs innovative procedures like awake craniotomies, Gamma Knife® radiosurgery, and many other techniques. We use the least invasive neurosurgical techniques on both adults and children, which reduces recovery time and makes a significant difference in your quality of life.

Dedicated brain tumor experts. Your care team consists of specialized physicians and researchers who are committed to brain tumor care. Your team may include neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists, neuropathologists, and other physicians who focus solely on treating brain tumors. Their years of experience and expertise help you find the right treatment for you.

Innovative research that changes the future of brain tumor care. As the only academic medical center in the area, we are on the cutting edge of brain tumor treatment and research. As a patient at UHealth, you also have access to the innovative research and the latest in clinical trials. Our ongoing translational and clinical research has spawned promising treatments like the heat shock protein vaccine and targeted therapies designed for your specific type of brain tumor.

International leaders in brain tumor care. We play a vital role in the community, thanks to our groundbreaking research and patient care for people in Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. We’re turning Miami into the healthcare capital of the Americas. We’re creating one of the premier brain tumor centers in the country.

Surgical expertise. We perform thousands of brain tumor surgeries every year and care for more brain tumors than any other health center in Florida. Our skilled neurosurgeons are consistently pioneering new treatments. From minimally invasive spine surgeries to awake craniotomies, we offer unique surgeries you cannot find anywhere else in the region.

Concierge service. Patients do not have to figure it all out alone at UHealth. Patients are assigned a concierge coordinator who is there for you and your family while you are in our care. They connect you with other providers you may need, walk you through the surgery process, and can answer any questions you or your family may have.