Brain Tumour, Stroke or Slip Disc? The Questions Every Bengaluru Family Must Ask Before Choosing a Hospital.

By Dr Ramakrishna Easwaran, Director, Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences, Director of Academics, Kauvery Hospitals Group

On a weekday evening in Bengaluru, a 52-year-old man walked into my clinic, clutching an MRI report.

His eyes went straight to one line: “Space-occupying lesion with mass effect and midline shift.”

He had already searched the phrase online. He had already asked two AI tools what it meant. He had already cried with his family.

What he had not done yet was ask the most important question:

“Is this the right place – and the right team – to handle my brain?”

Every week, I meet people in a similar position. Some are told they need urgent brain surgery. Some are terrified of spine surgery after reading horror stories. Some are simply confused by CT and MRI language.

In all of these situations, your choice of centre in Bengaluru can change your outcome – not just whether you live, but how you live.

The 10-Second Search That Can Cost You Brain Function

Most families start with a simple search:

• “Best neurosurgeon in Bangalore”

• “Top spine surgeon in Bengaluru”

• “Which hospital for brain tumour?”

They look at star ratings, a few reviews, maybe a social media post. Then they decide on something that may affect speech, movement, memory, bladder control, or walking for the rest of their life. As a neurosurgeon, I see the impact of that shortcut.

Brain and spine surgery is not just about one doctor. They are about an entire ecosystem that has to work together when seconds count. That is why Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences at Kauvery Hospitals, Bengaluru, was built as a Centre of Excellence – where stroke, brain bleeds, aneurysms, brain tumours, spine disorders, epilepsy, and trauma are handled by a coordinated 24x7 team, supported by a high-tech Neuro ICU, advanced imaging, and modern operating theatres.

The question is not, “Who is the best?”
The question is, “Who is ready when your brain or spine gives you no second chance?”

What Your Scan Is Really Saying – and What a Good Centre Does About It

Today, many patients upload CT/MRI reports to AI tools and ask, “What does this mean?”

Here is what some of the most common phrases really signal, and what a good centre in Bengaluru should be doing next.

In Brain Scans

• “Space-occupying lesion with mass effect/midline shift”
  This usually means something – often a tumour or large lesion – is pushing on the brain.

  • A good centre:

    • Correlates it with your symptoms (headache, vomiting, seizures, weakness, confusion)

    • Decides if you need urgent admission and Neuro ICU monitoring

    • Optimises medicines like steroids and anti-seizure drugs

    • Plans safe surgery or biopsy, instead of jumping straight to “remove everything”.

• “Acute infarct in MCA territory; CTA shows large vessel occlusion”
  This suggests an acute ischemic stroke affecting a major artery.

  • A good centre:

    • Has a stroke code and 24x7 CT/CTA ± MRI ready

    • Takes you directly to clot-busting or clot-removing treatment (thrombectomy) when indicated

    • Tracks time like a vital sign: door-to-needle and door-to-groin puncture are not slogans, they are life.

• “Ring-enhancing lesion with surrounding vasogenic edema”
  In India, this pattern can mean many things – including brain tumour, tuberculoma, or neurocysticercosis.

  • A good centre:

    • Looks at your history (TB, seizures, immunity, travel, prior infections)

    • Uses targeted tests to narrow the possibilities

    • Decides whether biopsy or resection is safest to avoid misdiagnosis.

In Spine Scans

• “L4–L5 or L5–S1 disc extrusion compressing nerve root”
  This often shows a slip disc pressing on the nerve, usually causing leg pain (sciatica), sometimes weakness.

  • A good centre:

    • Makes sure your MRI actually matches your symptoms

    • Tries structured conservative management (medicines, physio, injections) when safe

    • Reserves surgery for red flags (progressive weakness, bladder/bowel issues, severe disability) or failed non-surgical treatment.

• “Spinal canal stenosis with ligamentum flavum hypertrophy”
  This is a common cause of back and leg pain in older adults, especially while walking.

  • A good centre:

    • Assess the extent of disability that you have

    • Explains all options clearly

    • Includes minimally invasive or endoscopic decompression when appropriate

    • Talks about actual recovery timelines – sitting, standing, walking, and returning to work.

• “Epidural collection/features suggestive of spinal epidural abscess”
  This can be an emergency infection around the spinal cord.

  • A good centre:

    • Uses MRI plus blood tests like ESR and CRP to confirm suspicion

    • Starts urgent antibiotics

    • Does timely decompression if your cord is threatened.

At Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences, we routinely ask patients to bring all scans and reports, not just the latest one. The scan is the starting point. The real work is turning each line of that report into a clear, safe, and personalised plan.

Why “Everything Under One Roof” Is More Than a Tagline

For serious brain and spine problems, the centre you choose should be able to say “yes” to all of these:

• 24x7 emergency neurology and neurosurgery for stroke, trauma, brain bleed, and spine injuries

• Advanced imaging – high-resolution CT and MRI, CT/MR angiography, where needed

• Modern operating theatres – with neuro-navigation, microscopes, endoscopes, minimally invasive options

• A dedicated Neuro ICU monitored by specialists who understand neuro-critical care

• A full spectrum of spine services – degenerative disease, deformity, spinal tumours, infection, and trauma

• An integrated neuro-rehabilitation team – physiotherapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists

Kauvery Hospitals, Bengaluru, explicitly positions its Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences as this kind of Centre of Excellence, handling stroke, brain aneurysms, brain tumours, epilepsy, spine disorders and traumatic brain/spine injuries, supported by a high-tech Neuro ICU and advanced operating rooms.

In simple words, when something goes wrong in the brain or spine, you do not have to wonder, “Who will handle this part?” The answer is already inside the building.

Brain: Where Minutes and Microns Both Matter

In brain care, there are two kinds of precision:

1. Time precision – how fast your team acts in stroke, brain bleed, and head injury

2. Tissue precision – how carefully your team operates around speech, movement, and memory areas

At Kauvery, our stroke and emergency teams work on the first kind every day, with:

• FAST-based stroke recognition

• 24x7 CT/MRI for rapid triage

• Thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy for eligible patients

• Integrated Neurology + Neurosurgery + Neuro ICU planning

For brain tumours, aneurysms, and complex lesions, we focus on the second kind:

• Neuro-navigation to plan safe corridors

• High-resolution MRI and CT for mapping

• Function-preserving strategies, including awake or mapping-guided approaches in eloquent areas when needed

• Early neuro-rehab to protect speech, balance, and independence

The goal is not just “tumour removed” or “aneurysm clipped”. The goal is you talking, walking, remembering, and returning to your life.

Spine: More Than a “Slip Disc Story”

If you have back pain, chances are you have already heard:

“Don’t ever do spine surgery, you will be paralysed.”

or

“Once you put rods, you can never bend again.”

These fears are real. But modern spine care has changed a lot.

At Kauvery, our spine approach is simple:

• Not every disc prolapse on MRI needs surgery.

• When surgery is needed, we consider endoscopic or minimally invasive options where appropriate.

• We talk openly about risks, benefits, and realistic recovery – including sitting, standing, walking, driving, and work timelines.

Because brain and spine live in the same department here, your slip disc is never treated in isolation. If your spine problem affects balance, gait, bladder, or sexual function, there is a team that understands the full neurological picture.

The Questions You Should Carry to Any Second Opinion

Whether you come to Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences or anywhere else, do not go empty-handed.

For brain conditions (stroke, brain tumour, aneurysm, AVM), ask:

1. What is your working diagnosis, and what are the top 2–3 possibilities?

2. Which parts of my scan worry you most – mass effect, midline shift, bleeding, blocked vessel?

3. Is this time-critical? What happens if we wait a day or two?

4. Are you advising surgery, a procedure, or medical treatment first – and why?

5. How will you protect speech, movement, and memory during and after surgery?

6. Who will monitor me in Neuro ICU, and how fast can you act if there’s a complication?

7. What will my rehab and return-to-work plan look like?

For spine conditions (slip disc, stenosis, deformity, infection), ask:

1. Do my symptoms match my MRI findings?

2. Which signs make surgery urgent in my specific case?

3. What non-surgical options have we tried, and for how long?

4. Can my surgery be done with minimally invasive or endoscopic techniques?

5. What is the realistic risk of paralysis in my case, and how do you reduce that risk?

6. When can I sit, stand, walk, climb stairs, and go back to work?

7. Who will oversee my rehabilitation afterwards?

If you don’t get clear, patient-friendly answers, that is usually the moment to seek a second opinion at a dedicated brain and spine centre.

When a Second Opinion in Bengaluru Can Change Everything

I tell my patients this:

“If your scan report scares you, you don’t just need reassurance. You need a centre that can show you a plan.”

You should consider a second opinion at Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences, Kauvery Hospitals, Bengaluru if:

• Your CT/MRI brain mentions stroke, bleed, tumour, aneurysm, AVM or “space-occupying lesion”

• Your spine MRI mentions slip disc, canal stenosis, deformity, spinal tumour, or spinal infection

• You have been advised brain or spine surgery and are uncertain

• You feel nobody has yet explained how you will talk, walk, work, or live after treatment

Here, you will find:

• Neurosurgery (brain & spine)

• Neurology and stroke services

• Endovascular neurosurgery

• Epilepsy and functional neurosurgery

• Spine surgery across degenerative, deformity, tumour, infection, and trauma

• Neurorehabilitation, integrated into the plan – not added as an afterthought

Backed by advanced imaging, minimally invasive techniques, a high-tech Neuro ICU and 24x7 emergency cover.

So, what do you do?

If you or a loved one in Bengaluru has an abnormal brain or spine scan, or has been advised surgery and is unsure:

Bring your reports. Bring your questions. We will sit with you, read the scan together, and map a clear, function-first plan.

For appointments or second opinions with the Kauvery Institute of Neurosciences, Kauvery Hospitals, Bengaluru, you can call 080 6801 6901 or visit www.kauveryhospitalsbangalore.com to request a consultation