Dr. Franklin Epstein is a neurosurgeon at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. There, Dr. Franklin Epstein oversees surgical interventions for a variety of neurosurgical conditions and injuries, including swelling of the brain.

1. SURGICAL
INTERVENTION FOR
BRAIN SWELLING
By Franklin Epstein

2. Introduction
 Dr. Franklin Epstein is a neurosurgeon at the
Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital in San
Antonio, Texas. There, Dr. Franklin Epstein
oversees surgical interventions for a variety of
neurosurgical conditions and injuries, including
swelling of the brain.
Brain swelling, also known as brain edema or
cerebral edema, poses a number of dangers to
the patient. It is associated with high intracranial
pressure (ICP), which in turn can cause
permanent brain damage, incapacitation, or
death. Initial treatment of brain edema often
includes options such as oxygen therapy, IV
fluids, or medication.

3. Brain Swelling
 However, severe edema, such as that caused by
traumatic brain injury or a stroke, may not respond to
these types of medical intervention. In these cases,
the patient often requires surgery to stop the bleeding
and inhibit swelling.
One surgical option for edema of the brain is a
decompressive craniectomy. This procedure entails
the removal of part of the skull, which allows the brain
to swell without increasing pressure. Alternatively,
depending on the source of the edema, surgeons may
be able to surgically repair the cause of the swelling.
Other strategies include the insertion of a plastic
drainage tube, which may remove the buildup of
cerebrospinal fluid that causes certain edemas.