Neurosurgical interventions during pregnancy and the puerperium: clinical considerations and management.

Neurosurgical interventions during pregnancy represent a special clinical challenge and require a meticulously selected treatment strategy. A thorough understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms involving mother and fetus is mandatory. We report our experience with neurosurgical procedures during pregnancy and the puerperium and summarize the difficulties encountered. The emerging diagnostic as well as therapeutic implications in these complex cases are also discussed.