Feasibility and Challenges of Awake Craniotomy in a 5-Year-and-9-Month-Old Child: Our Experience

A bstract Awake craniotomy is the preferred procedure to excise lesions in the eloquent cortical areas. Awake craniotomy in adults is a versatile and well-adapted procedure in many centers but in the pediatric age group, it is less common and relatively more challenging. It requires tremendous effort and preparation on the part of the medical team and more importantly cooperation from the child. To the best of our knowledge, our patient is the youngest child to date to undergo awake resection of a tumor near the eloquent cortex. We report our experience regarding the challenges of awake craniotomy in such a small child and the tremendous motivations and meticulous preparation required for the success of this surgery.