Awake craniotomy: A patient’s perspective

OBJECTIVE: To report the personal experiences of patients undergoing awake craniotomy for brain tumor resection. METHODS: We carried out a qualitative descriptive survey of patients’ experiences with awake craniotomies for brain tumor resection. The survey was conducted through a standard questionnaire form after the patient was discharged from the hospital. RESULTS: Of the 9 patients who met the inclusion criteria and underwent awake craniotomy, 3 of those patients reported no recollection of the operation. Five patients had auditory recollections from the operation. Two-thirds (6/9) reported that they did not perceive pain. Five patients remembered the head clamp fixation, and 2 of those patients classified the pain from the clamp as moderate. None of the patients reported that the surgery was more difficult than anticipated. CONCLUSION: Awake craniotomy for surgical resection of brain tumors was well tolerated by patients. Most patients reported that they do not recall feeling pain during the operation. However, we feel that further work and exploration are needed in order to achieve better control of pain and discomfort during these types of operations.