• Garry Brydges, Roxanne Atkinson, Monie James Perry, Darline Hurst, Travis Laqua, and John Wiemers.
• Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA. gbrydges@mdanderson.org
• AANA J. 2012 Feb 1;80(1):61-8.

AbstractCraniotomies are a common neurological intervention for intracranial tumor resections. Anesthesia techniques allow surgeons to aggressively and optimally resect neoplastic tissue while sparing normal cerebral tissue. Awake craniotomies are surgical techniques that enable surgeons to avoid damaging normal cerebral regions and allow real-time patient feedback. Such surgical interventions would not be possible without anesthesia. The role of anesthesia providers is critical in gaining the trust and motivation of the patient. Preoperative evaluation, regional anesthesia, general anesthesia, and monitored anesthesia are necessary to achieve a successful surgical intervention with awake craniotomy. As awake craniotomy gains more popularity, dependable anesthesia techniques remain critical. A discussion follows of the role of anesthesia providers in awake craniotomy during the entire perioperative continuum.

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