Publication

Abstract : Functional impairment due to a neurological deficit is one of the most dreaded complications in neurosurgery. Both the patient and the neurosurgeon arrive at a decision on whether to proceed with surgery, and if so, in what form based on the likelihood of a functional deficit.Such a decision involves careful consideration of the anatomical substrates involved, clinicoradiological differential diagnosis, the alternative efficacy of empiric or adjuvant treatments, and finally the technical capabilities of the surgical team. Today’s neurosurgeon must build his or her armamentarium to tackle lesions of eloquent cortex where maximal surgical excision can benefit the patient. As current evidence favors extensive resections to improve outcomes for many tumors and epileptogenic foci, a neurosurgeon must make every attempt to avoid compromising the extent of resection while simultaneously preserving the function.