Neurosurgery in Minnesota

Services

The Department of Neurosurgery is a major referral center for all types of neurosurgical problems. Many patients are directed to Mayo Clinic because their problem is unusual or extremely complex. Referrals may come from the patients themselves, from their physicians, or from their neurosurgeons.

Thousands of patients from around the world come each year to Mayo Clinic for treatment relating to a brain tumor. Brain tumors are both diagnosed and very successfully treated at Mayo Clinic by a team of highly-skilled doctors, including one of ten staff neurosurgeons. Depending on the type of tumor, other team members could include radiologists, neurologists, oncologists, otorhinolaryngologists (ENTs), radiation oncologists, and/or endocrinologists, all working together to maximize the expertise and treatment options available to the patient. The team of physicians works with the patient to determine the best course of treatment based on that individual's needs.

Many patients with either simple or very complex brain tumors are referred to Mayo Clinic by other doctors, including neurosurgeons around the world; others choose to come to Mayo Clinic on their own. Some patients have already had one or more surgeries elsewhere. However, those who choose to come to Mayo Clinic for their first surgery may experience particular benefit from the substantial experience of our neurosurgical staff, who perform more than 1,000 brain tumor surgeries each year. This depth of experience in a team of doctors, nurses, and support staff from all relevant medical disciplines can make a substantial difference in patients' outcomes.

Some areas of special expertise include: