Neurosurgery

Our neurosurgeons care for the brain, spine and peripheral nerves. Some people need major surgery, such as an operation to remove a brain tumour or to ease pressure on the spine. For many others the answer is not surgery, and the neurosurgeon may treat the problem another way.

What is neurosurgery?

Neurosurgery is the surgical care of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Neurosurgeons treat problems such as a slipped disc pressing on a nerve, a brain tumour or a build-up of fluid in the brain, and they manage many of these without an operation as well as with one. Neurology and neurosurgery overlap here: a neurologist diagnoses and treats nerve conditions with medicines and therapy, while a neurosurgeon operates when surgery is the answer.

When should you see a neurosurgeon?

Book an appointment if you notice:

• Back pain that spreads down your leg
• Neck pain with numbness or tingling in your arm
• Weakness in an arm, hand or leg
• Pins and needles or numbness in your hand
• A persistent or worsening headache
• Sudden, sharp pain on one side of your face

Losing control of your bladder or bowels, or numbness around your back passage or genitals, can be a sign of a spinal emergency. So can new weakness in both legs. Seek emergency care or call 998 for an ambulance straight away.

Some people reach a neurosurgeon after a scan picks up an aneurysm or a tumour before it causes any symptoms. In the UAE, you'll usually see a family doctor or a neurologist first, and they'll refer you on if surgery might help.

What to expect

At your first appointment, the neurosurgeon asks about your symptoms and checks how your arms and legs move. They also ask about your general health and what has been tried already. Most people have had an MRI or CT scan, or are sent for one. Nerve tests may be added to check how a nerve is working, and the surgeon uses the results to explain what's going on.

Surgery is only part of the picture. Many spine and nerve problems settle without an operation. The neurosurgeon often tries painkillers, physiotherapy or an injection first, before considering surgery. When an operation is the answer, your surgeon talks you through it and agrees the next step with you. Recovery and follow-up are part of the plan, and you'll know who to contact if your symptoms change.

Neurosurgery at Mediclinic

We provide neurosurgery in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Our surgeons operate on the brain, spine and peripheral nerves, and they care for many people without any surgery at all. This care is for children as well as adults. In Dubai, a neuroscience centre brings neurosurgery, neurology and imaging together in one place.

Where it suits your condition, we use minimally invasive spine surgery and endoscopic approaches, with image-guided techniques that help the surgeon work precisely. For some aneurysms we can work through a blood vessel rather than opening the skull. We also treat trapped nerves and ease spine pain with targeted injections when an operation is not the right step.