ABSTRACT
Although conventionally understood to be impractical in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), occasions for basic neurosurgical treatments are common in these contexts. Many of the resources currently available for neurosurgical diagnosis (such as neuroimaging with magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], computed tomography [CT], or angiography) and treatment (such as operating microscopes, power drills, cranial fixation, and even bipolar electrocautery) are typically unavailable in many regions of the developing world. Nonetheless, there are conditions requiring urgent treatment that can be managed with the most basic of surgical skills, instruments, and resources. This chapter will review the diagnosis and treatment of common conditions that both require and are amenable to urgent treatment in an LMIC.
