Pediatric neurosurgery is a subspecialty in the field of general neurosurgery that focuses on the care of infants, children and young adults with surgically treatable diseases of the brain and spine.
Dr. Leslie J. Acakpo-Satchivi, pediatric neurosurgeon with the Springfield (Ill.) Clinic, provides the answers in this Q-and-A on pediatric neurosurgery.
Q. What is pediatric neurosurgery?
A. Pediatric neurosurgery is a subspecialty in the field of general neurosurgery that focuses on the care of infants, children and young adults with surgically treatable diseases of the brain and spine.
Q. Who do pediatric neurosurgeons treat?
A. Pediatric neurosurgeons generally treat patients from birth to age 21. My role at the Springfield Clinic is a bit unique in that it allows me the opportunity to practice both pediatric neurosurgery as well as a general "adult" neurosurgery; so, in essence, I can see just about anyone and everyone with a neurosurgical problem, regardless of age.
Q. How is pediatric neurosurgery different from adult neurosurgery?
A. The difference lies in the types of problems seen in children versus adults. The vast majority of problems treated by adult neurosurgeons are problems related to the spine (herniated disk and spinal instability, mainly). Conversely, the problem most often seen in children are those related to hydrocephalus ("water on the brain"). Having said that, there are many problems that children and adults have in common, including trauma, brain and spinal injuries, as also tumors of the brain and spine.
Q. Does this include tumors?
A. Yes, tumors of the brain and spine occur in both children and adults. There are significant differences nonetheless in the types of tumors seen in both these populations as well as in the particular location in which these different tumors typically grow.
For instance, the majority of brain tumors seen in children are found in the posterior fossa (the back part of the brain), while most adult tumors are found in the front part of the brain. Also, the most common type of brain tumor seen in adults are metastases (tumors that start in another organ and then spread, secondarily, to the brain); metastatic brain tumors are relatively rare in children.