Awake Brain Surgery

Treatment of Children

Awake brain surgery can be performed in older children who are able to remain still during the procedure. At Mayo Clinic, children as young as age 8 have had awake brain surgery.

For younger children, an electrode grid is implanted on the brain in a first operation. The brain is then mapped over the next two to three days while the child is in the intensive care unit. Then the child's tumor or epilepsy is treated during a second operation, under general anesthesia.

Treatment Team

This treatment may involve specialists in Child and Adolescent Neurology, Pediatric Neurosurgery and Pediatric Anesthesiology.

Appointments

For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at 507-538-3270 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, or complete an online appointment request form.