An acoustic neuroma is a benign or non-cancerous growth that arises from the 8th or vestibulocochlear nerve. The neuroma is found near the part of the nervous system that connects the brain to the spinal cord.

An arachnoid cyst is a congenital benign condition resulting from the splitting of the arachnoid layer of the meninges. It is invariably slow growing and consists of clear fluid similar in composition to CSF.

Arnold-Chiari malformation is primarily a problem where the skull attaches onto the spine, medically termed the cranio-cervical junction. In such cases there appears not enough space at this site to accommodate the base of the brain, the brain stem and cerebellum.

A vascular malformation is an abnormal collection of blood vessels with direct blood flow from the arterial system to the venous system.

A brain abscess is a localised infection within the brain substance containing bacteria or other microbes. The body forms a protective barrier around the infection however the abscess can still expand and cause a reactive swelling in the surrounding brain.

Brain tumours are made up of cells growing and reproducing in an uncontrolled fashion. Tumours that arise from cells found normally in the brain are primary brain tumours while metastatic brain tumours are formed by cancer cells originating from a cancer in another part of the body such as lung or breast cancer.

Carpal tunnel syndrome involves pressure upon the main nerve of the wrist leading to the symptoms of pain and numbness in the thumb and index finger.

A cavernoma is a vascular abnormality found within the central nervous system. They are a group of dilated blood vessels and often there are areas of haemorrhage around the cavernoma.

A cerebral aneurysm is an abnormal dilation or ballooning of a brain artery which is weaker than the normal artery wall and aneurysm rupture is one of the more common and unfortunate presentations of cerebral aneurysm.

Degenerative arthritic changes in the cervical spine secondary to aging may result in bony and soft tissue overgrowth with resultant encroachment on the cervical canal, termed cervical canal stenosis.

A disc prolapse occurs when there is a weakening in the outer membrane of the intervertebral discs leading to a protrusion of the inner ‘jelly-like’ nucleus.

A colloid cyst is a benign tumour located usually in the fluid-filled spaces of the brain (ventricles), most commonly in the third ventricle. It consists of a fibrous wall containing mucoid substances.

Epilepsy is a disorder of the interconnections of the brain, which means people sometimes have seizures. Not everyone who has a seizure has epilepsy.

An extradural haematoma is a collection of blood between the skull and outer layer of dura (one of the brains strong protective layers) and is most common in younger patients as a result of high impact head trauma.

Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (fluid bathing the brain and spinal cord) within the fluid-filled cavities called ventricles located deep within the brain.

Lumbar canal stenosis occurs when the bony ring of the lumbar vertebra is affected by degenerative changes of osteoarthritis. Eventually the degenerative changes encroach on the spinal canal and lead to narrowing called stenosis.

A lumbar disc prolapse occurs when there is a weakening in the outer membrane of the spine leading to a protrusion of the inner ‘jelly-like’ nucleus. This protrusion usually heads posterolaterally towards the spinal canal which contains the nerve roots.

Lumbar spondylolisthesis occurs most commonly when the spinal vertebra above slips forwards on the vertebra below leading to instability of the spine.

If infection of a bone in the skull or the spine occurs, this is called osteomyelitis. Treatment involves a long period of intravenous antibiotics prescribed by the Infectious Diseases Team.

The nerve can be compressed in its course around the outer part of the knee. This may be due to thickening of the ligament over the nerve or thickening of the muscle that the nerve pierces.

The pituitary gland is a small oval-shaped gland found at the base of the brain below the optic nerve, behind the bridge of the nose. It is responsible for the body’s growth and metabolism by producing hormones which control and regulate other glands in the body.

A tremendous amount of force is needed to fracture the strong skull bone. The weakest point of the skull is around the temple region of the head and this is where the most fractures occur.

Spinal tumours are made up of cells growing and reproducing in an uncontrolled fashion. A benign spinal tumour is formed from abnormal cells that form a distinct boundary from the spinal cord while metastatic tumours are formed by cells originating from a tumour in another part of the body such as lung or breast cancer.

A spinal epidural abscess is an infection in the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord. It contains bacteria or other microbes and may cause neurological problems by localised pressure on the spinal cord or spinal cord vessels.

A subdural haematoma is a collection of blood between the skull and inner layer of dura (one of the brains strong protective layers) and is most common in younger patients as a result of high impact head trauma.

A thoracic disc prolapse occurs when there is a weakening in the outer membrane of the spine leading to a protrusion of the inner ‘jelly-like’ nucleus. This protrusion usually heads posterolaterally towards the spinal canal which contains the nerve roots.

The mechanisms of spinal cord injuries are compression or distraction of the spine, rotation, shearing of the spine or a combination of all three mechanisms.

The trigeminal nerve supplies sensation to the skin of the face. When the nerve is irritated it produces attacks of sharp pain in the face corresponding with the divisions of the face.

Ulnar nerve neuropathy or ulnar nerve syndrome is where the ulnar nerve is compressed thus affecting the function of the nerve that supplies part of the arm and hand.