The Rush Approach to Brain Surgery

We know you don't take brain surgery lightly, and neither do we. Our philosophy is to address your needs and goals safely — and with the fewest side effects.

If, for example, you have a skull base tumor attached to a nerve, we talk with you about the risks of different approaches to remove it. Our goal is to help you avoid lifelong complications that could come from removing all of the tumor — but, in the process, risk nerve damage.

Or, if you have epilepsy or Parkinson's disease that doesn't respond to medication, we can offer solutions that provide relief and are minimally invasive.

We also strive to see you quickly. We are able to see most patients within one week, and sooner in emergency situations. We welcome second opinions.

Rush Excellence in Brain Surgery

• Brain surgery leaders in the Chicago area: Neurosurgeons at our downtown Chicago location consistently perform the highest number of brain surgeries in the Chicago area. That means Rush neurosurgeons — and our operating room staff — have extensive experience treating everything from common to complex cases.
• Locations for your convenience: While we realize no brain surgery is considered "routine" by you and your loved ones, some are less complex than others. Rush offers brain surgery at locations in Aurora, Oak Brook and Chicago. That gives you the option to stay closer to home for "routine" surgeries where you can recover near loved ones. And, as needed, you can go downtown to Chicago for more complex surgeries.
• More options for your surgery: Rush neurosurgeons in Chicago can perform some endovascular surgeries "awake" using conscious sedation vs. general anesthesia. And, they can perform cerebrovascular surgery using traditional "open" surgery or an endovascular method, in which they use a catheter and go through blood vessels to reach your brain. Having expertise in different options allows them to tailor treatment to your needs.
• Virtual reality surgery pre-planning: Rush neurosurgeons in Chicago use a 3D virtual reconstruction of your brain to plan for surgery. This gives them a deeper understanding of what your tumor or aneurysm looks like before surgery. This helps them create a more detailed plan for surgery with fewer surprises.
• Dedicated neuroscience ICU: Rush has dedicated neuroscience intensive care units (ICU) in our Aurora/Fox Valley and Chicago hospitals. That means patients recovering from brain surgery have hospital teams who have expertise with these surgeries. They know how to care for your specific after-surgery needs and how to guide you through recovery.
• Continual innovation in diagnosis and surgery: Rush neurosurgeons continually research more effective, safe and less invasive ways to achieve successful outcomes. We were the first in Chicago to use a robotic system during cerebral angiography that allows us to better assess your brain’s anatomy during diagnostic procedures. We also offer clinical trials of new devices and options that aren't widely available. These include focused ultrasound for parkinsonian and essential tremors and multiple types of deep brain stimulation for movement disorders, epilepsy and obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD.