As a brain tumor surgeon who specializes in skull base surgery (working near critical nerves and blood vessels at the base of the brain), surgeries take anywhere from 3 hours at the low end to 12 hours on the highest end. Time depends on the condition, health of the patient, location, blood supply, nerves involved, and texture or consistency of the tumor. For longer surgeries, I always have a partner to stay fresh and focused, even though I rarely take physical breaks. During surgery, I am completely focused on keeping the patient safe, prioritizing their neurologic function above all else. We give family members frequent updates during long surgeries to keep them part of the process. I try to schedule my most complex surgeries early in the week to allow for the patients to recover and leave mid-week. Even after a complex brain tumor surgery, patients typically go home in 2-3 days. #neurosurgery #dayinthelife #brainsurgery #acousticneuroma #womeninstem