This book has been written and illustrated for brain surgery patients and their families, and for physicians and persons interested in learning more about the field of neurosurgery. It is uniquely comprehensive yet concise, and provides invaluable pearls gleaned from thousands of neurosurgery patients cared for by the author. Learn about the basics of the brain, the many types of brain disorders and how they present, the ways in which brain disorders are investigated, treatment options, and step-by-step details of the investigations and procedures brain surgery patients frequently undergo, including open surgery or craniotomy, shunts, needle biopsy, radiosurgery, endovascular surgery, endoscopic or "keyhole" surgery, cerebral angiography, and more. Also learn about possible treatment-related complications, important details and tips regarding recovery and rehabilitation, the need for follow-up after treatment, matters concerning critically ill or comatose patients, and options for persons with recurrent or persistent disease. Discover what's on the horizon for the field of neurosurgery, and read responses to questions frequently put to neurosurgeons by their patients. Being diagnosed with a brain disorder and undergoing treatment are some of the most significant events a patient and his or her family will likely ever experience. This practical book is a must-read for such persons. The more one knows, the better equipped one will be to win the battle.