A shunt is a flexible tube that is surgically inserted in the operating room. A shunt redirects the flow of cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to another part of the body where the fluid can be absorbed, usually to the abdominal cavity.
Glioma is the general name for any tumor that arises from the supportive tissue of the brain and spinal cord. This supportive tissue helps keep the neurons (“thinking cells”) in place and functioning well.
The neuro-oncology program of UW Medicine and the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) provides the best possible patient-focused care for patients with brain or spinal cord tumors.
Surgery for pituitary tumors can be performed through the nose, through an incision made under the upper lip or through the skull, called a craniotomy.