Instagram: A Day in the Life of a Neurosurgeon
A behind-the-scenes look at neurosurgery through Dr Nor Faizal's Instagram — the precision, the teamwork, and the human moments.
· Updated 10 April 2025
Behind the Scrubs — Neurosurgery Up Close
Many patients wonder what happens between booking an appointment and going home after surgery. Here’s a glimpse into the day-to-day rhythm of a neurosurgical practice.
Behind the scenes
From pre-operative planning to post-operative care, neurosurgery is a discipline built on meticulous preparation and teamwork. Here’s what that looks like:
Pre-operative planning
Every case starts long before the patient enters the theatre. Reviewing MRI and CT scans, mapping tumour boundaries, and planning the surgical corridor takes hours — sometimes days.
The operating theatre team
A neurosurgical procedure involves a neurosurgeon, anaesthesiologist, scrub nurse, circulating nurse, and often a neurophysiology monitoring team. The coordination is precise.
Intraoperative monitoring
For tumours near eloquent brain areas (speech, movement, vision), Dr Nor Faizal uses intraoperative neurophysiology monitoring to protect these critical functions during surgery.
Recovery and rehabilitation
Surgery is one chapter. Recovery — physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy — is the next. The goal is always function, not just tumour removal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does pre-operative planning take before brain surgery? Pre-operative planning can take hours to several days. It involves reviewing MRI and CT scans, mapping the tumour’s boundaries, and planning the exact surgical corridor before the patient ever enters the operating theatre.
Who is in the operating theatre during a neurosurgical procedure? A typical team includes the neurosurgeon, an anaesthesiologist, a scrub nurse, a circulating nurse, and often a dedicated neurophysiology monitoring team for cases near critical brain areas.
What is intraoperative neurophysiology monitoring? It is real-time monitoring of nerve and brain function during surgery, used for tumours near eloquent areas that control speech, movement, or vision, to protect these critical functions while the tumour is being removed.
Does recovery from brain surgery end when the operation is over? No. Surgery is one chapter — recovery through physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy is the next, equally important phase. The goal of treatment is always the patient’s function, not just removal of the tumour.
Follow the journey on Instagram
Dr Nor Faizal shares regular updates on neurosurgery, pain management, and patient stories.