Psychological outcomes following craniotomy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of PTSD and psychosocial adjustment following awake and asleep craniotomy.
IRAS ID
164063
Contact name
P O'Carroll
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 26 days
Research summary
The main purpose of the study is to answer the following question: Is there an increased association of PTSD symptoms and or poor psychosocial adjustment for patients treated with awake craniotomy versus patients treated with asleep craniotomy?
It is estimated that 6,500 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour in the UK each year. For many the most appropriate course of treatment is surgery, termed a 'craniotomy'. Craniotomy can be carried out under general anaesthetic however there is growing popularity in an 'awake craniotomy' (AC) whereby the patient is woken up during the procedure. Waking the patient up has the benefit of minimising the potential for damage to areas of the brain involved in sensory processing, linguistics and motor skills.
Existing literature with the awake craniotomy (AC) client group has typically been qualitative in nature, exploring the individual’s ‘experience’ of the procedure and without appropriate comparison groups. The current study aims to address these limitations and further the research by recruiting larger samples, using standardised, reliable and valid measures of specific psychological states and including an appropriate comparison group.
As AC is becoming an increasingly popular method of surgery, it is important to explore both risks and benefits from this procedure. The findings of this study may inform both pre, during and post clinical care practices for people undergoing AC.
The proposal was developed in collaboration with a neurological centre carrying out a number of these procedures each year. Discussions with neurosurgeons and neuropsychologists involved in this operation were held during the design phase and communications will be ongoing throughout the research process. The project has been discussed with service user and carer members of the research and ethics committee. The proposal has been peer reviewed and approved by the University of Liverpool’s research committee.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0127
Date of REC Opinion
18 Feb 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion