How often do awake craniotomies in children and adolescents lead to panic and worry?

Purpose: Awake craniotomy (AC) is the treatment of choice for the resection of brain tumors within eloquent brain regions for adults, but not much is known about its psychological impact on children and adolescents. Patient immaturity and difficulty in cooperating during surgery could result in psychological sequelae postoperatively, such as anxiety, panic, and worry.

Methods: In this review, we examined eight studies assessing AC performed on patients under 18 years of age (N = 85), noting exclusion criteria, interventions used, and psychological assessments implemented.