A craniotomy may be done for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, the following: Diagnosing, removing, or treating brain tumors. Clipping or repairing of an aneurysm. Removing blood or blood clots from a leaking blood vessel.

Is a craniotomy a serious surgery?

No surgery is without risks. General complications of any surgery include bleeding, infection, blood clots, and reactions to anesthesia. Specific complications related to a craniotomy may include stroke, seizures, swelling of the brain, nerve damage, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and loss of some mental functions.

What disease would require a craniotomy?

A craniotomy may be small or large depending on the problem. It may be performed to treat brain tumors, hematomas (blood clots), aneurysms or AVMs, traumatic head injury, foreign objects (bullets), swelling of the brain, or infection.