For more than 20 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized UCLA’s Neurosurgery program as one of the nation’s best.
Although the prospect of surgery may seem frightening, you can breathe easier knowing we successfully perform more than 500 brain tumor surgeries each year. Our depth of experience allows us to successfully operate on tumors that were previously thought to be inoperable.
Highlights of our program include:
We use advanced imaging and sophisticated surgical techniques to perform the safest, most effective surgery for the tumor. These capabilities, many of which were pioneered at UCLA, are part of what make our program one of the best in the country.
Our advanced neurosurgery capabilities include:
We use an imaging technique known as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to create a road map of the tumor in relation to critical function areas. This approach helps us avoid disrupting these areas during surgery. Physicians at UCLA helped pioneer fMRI. Learn more about the UCLA Brain Mapping Center.
If a tumor is located near a critical function area, such as speech, we may wake you during surgery for testing while we remove the tumor. Neurosurgeons at UCLA pioneered awake craniotomy. This technique allows us to carry out your procedure with minimal discomfort and a high level of precision.
We perform awake craniotomy with the help of anesthesiologists who specialize in brain surgery procedures (neuroanesthesiologists). You will be asleep and not be able to feel any sensation during the non-testing portion of your procedure.
Brain surgery is often the first step in treating a brain tumor. You may need surgery to:
Learn more about preparing for surgery.
After your procedure, you may recover in our specialized neuro intensive care unit (ICU). Here, an elite team of neuroscience nurses, respiratory therapists and brain monitoring technologists deliver around-the-clock-care. Learn more about our Neurocritical Care Program.
Call us at (310) 825-5111 or send an email to [email protected] to request more information or make an appointment. You can also search our physician directory.