Brain and spine symptoms deserve a clear diagnosis and an individual plan. MPGCARE coordinates neurosurgical appointment requests at Medical Park and Liv Hospital in Türkiye. The receiving hospital’s physicians assess the condition and explain treatment choices; an imaging finding alone does not mean an operation is needed.

Conditions assessed by neurosurgery

The specialty covers selected conditions of the brain, spinal cord, spine and nerves, working with neurology, radiology and other teams. The conditions below illustrate this scope. Symptoms can have other causes; tests and treatment are selected after examination. The hospital confirms age eligibility, the relevant team and current services.

Pituitary tumours: hormones, vision and coordinated care

Most pituitary adenomas are non-cancerous, but hormone excess/deficiency or pressure on vision pathways can be important. Discuss menstrual/sexual changes, milk discharge, growth or body changes and fatigue alongside headaches or vision symptoms. The endocrinologist selects hormone tests, which may include prolactin, IGF-1, cortisol/ACTH and thyroid-related tests; they are not a compulsory panel. Pituitary-protocol MRI and visual-field testing are chosen by the team.

Treatment depends on tumour type, hormonal activity, growth and visual impact. Prolactinomas are often treated first with medication; other selected tumours may need endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery through the nose, monitoring or radiation. Confirm an experienced pituitary team, endocrinology/eye review and postoperative hormone, sodium/fluid and imaging follow-up. Complete removal or normalisation of hormones is not guaranteed. Sudden severe headache with visual loss or reduced consciousness needs urgent local assessment.

Lower-back and neck disc operations

Neurosurgeons perform both lumbar and cervical disc surgery. When the symptoms and imaging match, persistent disabling nerve pain despite appropriate non-surgical care or a neurological deficit may lead to surgical assessment. Lumbar microdiscectomy or selected endoscopic discectomy removes the compressing disc fragment. Cervical options can include anterior discectomy with fusion, selected disc replacement or a posterior approach. Not every herniated disc needs surgery; the surgeon confirms the technique, need for implants, alternatives and risks.

Diseases, symptoms and selected tests

Consultation, investigations and procedures

Consultation includes symptoms, neurological examination, strength, sensation, walking, current medicines and previous treatment. MRI, CT, blood tests or other investigations answer specific questions. Biopsy, catheter angiography, surgery and implanted-device procedures require separate indications, consent and planning. MRI contrast, sedation and laboratory tests are not mandatory for everyone; report kidney disease, allergies, pregnancy and implants.

Is surgery appropriate for me?

The team compares monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, surgery and other options against the diagnosis, symptoms, progression, general health and your priorities. Tumour treatment may require a multidisciplinary review and tissue diagnosis. Discuss the proposed goal, alternatives and what may happen without treatment. Surgery may remove tissue, relieve pressure or stabilise structures, but cannot guarantee cure, pain relief or recovery of lost function.

Methods and risks: confirm the individual plan

Microsurgery, endoscopy, decompression, fusion, vascular/endovascular procedures, epilepsy surgery or deep brain stimulation are used for selected indications. Availability and suitability must be confirmed by the relevant centre. Discuss bleeding, infection, anaesthesia, neurological deficits, cerebrospinal-fluid leakage and condition-specific risks; a small incision does not mean no risk. Ask about intensive care, rehabilitation, possible revision and who manages complications and controls.

Gamma Knife: what does it mean?

Gamma Knife is a form of stereotactic radiosurgery using focused radiation. It does not open the skull or remove the lesion as an operation does. It may be considered for selected tumours, vascular malformations or trigeminal neuralgia after specialist review. It does not replace surgery for every lesion. Benefit may develop gradually; swelling, radiation effects, persistent symptoms or retreatment can occur. The neurosurgery/radiation team confirms suitability, planning images and the follow-up schedule.

Which reports should I prepare?

Provide the symptom timeline, examination/diagnosis report, previous MRI/CT reports and original DICOM images, operation and discharge summaries, pathology/molecular results if available, and radiotherapy or radiosurgery records. Include all medicines, anticoagulants, allergies, implanted-device/shunt details and other illnesses. For epilepsy add EEG/video-EEG, seizure descriptions and medicines tried. Share records securely; the centre confirms whether updated images or translations are needed.

Second opinion and coordination with your current doctor

Explain the question: diagnosis, need for surgery, treatment alternatives, recurrence or rehabilitation. With your consent, the current and receiving teams share records, identify the responsible clinician and agree how a written opinion is communicated. Pathology slides/blocks are sent only after both laboratories confirm requirements. Remote review has limits. Continue the current prescription unless the treating clinician changes it; do not postpone urgent care.

What should patients and families pay attention to?

Keep a symptom and medication record and note changes in walking, strength, speech, vision, consciousness or seizure pattern. Ask for an emergency action plan and a named contact. Avoid independent changes to seizure medicines, steroids or blood thinners. Discuss fall prevention, safe daily activity, nutrition, psychological support and rehabilitation with the team. Children need age-appropriate explanations and a pediatric team where indicated.

Urgent symptoms: seek local care immediately

Sudden severe headache, new facial droop or limb weakness, speech difficulty, reduced consciousness, an ongoing/repeated seizure without recovery or worsening symptoms after head injury require immediate local emergency assessment. New loss of bladder/bowel control, inability to pass urine, saddle numbness or rapidly increasing leg weakness may indicate a spinal emergency. Do not wait for overseas appointments or travel. Persistent but stable symptoms can be assessed through a planned consultation.

Preparation, recovery and home-country follow-up

Only the receiving centre gives patient-specific fasting, medication, wound-care and activity instructions after confirming the plan. Do not stop medicines yourself. Agree who explains imaging/pathology results, the control schedule, rehabilitation and the local clinician accepting follow-up. After shunt or device treatment, establish maintenance/programming access. New fever, wound drainage, worsening headache/vomiting or neurological change after a procedure needs prompt team contact or emergency assessment. Discharge does not automatically mean fitness to fly.

Arrange a neurosurgical review

Tell MPGCARE your age, main symptoms, duration, diagnosis, current treatment and review question. Before travel, confirm the receiving hospital/team, proposed service scope, interpreter, required visits, aftercare and physician-approved travel timing. The definitive clinical plan follows specialist assessment.

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Medical information sources

AANS · NINDS · National Cancer Institute · NIDDK · Liv Hospital