Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Where skull base surgery should be done | CION Cancer Clinics
Skull base surgery should be done where a full team, including head and neck surgeons, neurosurgeons and reconstructive surgeons, operates on the skull base regularly, with intensive care, scanning and recovery services on site. Several centres in India work this way. This page explains what that team looks like, what to ask a hospital before agreeing to surgery, and how to arrange care from a Telangana district. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MI
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed ImaduddinConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Oncology) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Where should skull base surgery be done?
- Which specialists should be on the team?
- What should a centre have in place?
- What should you ask a centre before agreeing to surgery?
- What happens at the specialist centre, and what closer to home?
- What do families often assume when choosing a centre?
- How do you arrange this from a Telangana district?
- Common questions about choosing a skull base surgery centre
The short answer
Where should skull base surgery be done?
Skull base surgery should be done at a centre where a full team works together on these operations regularly, with intensive care, scanning and follow-up under one roof. The size or name of the hospital matters less than whether that team exists and has real experience.
Why this operation is different
The skull base is the floor of the skull. It sits where the brain, eyes, ears, nose and the large blood vessels of the neck meet. No single specialty covers all of that. A cancer here may need a head and neck surgeon and a neurosurgeon operating together, with a reconstructive surgeon closing the gap afterwards.
Why regular experience matters
Guidance on complex head and neck cancer care in several countries asks for these operations to be concentrated in teams that do them often. The reason is not only the surgeon's hands. It is also nurses who notice a leak early, and an intensive care unit that has looked after these patients before.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you which hospital is right for your own tumour, or whether surgery is the right choice for you. It gives you the questions to ask so you can judge a centre for yourself.
Skull base cancers are rare. Travelling for the operation and coming home for later follow-up is common.Who should be involved
Which specialists should be on the team?
You will not meet all of them. They should all be looking at your case.
The surgeons
Usually a head and neck surgical oncologist and a neurosurgeon, sometimes with an ENT surgeon experienced in surgery through the nose. For tumours around the ear, a surgeon who regularly operates on the temporal bone, the hard bone that holds the ear.
Reconstruction
A plastic or reconstructive surgeon closes the gap left after the tumour is removed, sometimes with tissue moved from the thigh or forearm. A sealed repair protects the brain from infection and stops fluid leaking.
Scans and tissue reports
Radiologists who read skull base scans often, and pathologists who can examine tissue during the operation when needed. Getting the diagnosis right before surgery shapes the whole plan.
Care before and after
Recovery depends on these people as much as on the operation.
Also important
- Anaesthetists and an intensive care team used to these operations
- Eye, ear and hormone specialists
- Radiation and medical oncologists
- Speech, swallowing and physiotherapy staff
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistFacilities
What should a centre have in place?
- An intensive care unit with nurses used to brain and head surgery
- MRI and CT scanning available at any hour
- A tumour board where surgeons and oncologists discuss each case
- Pathology that can look at tissue during the operation
- Radiotherapy on site, or a clear arrangement for it
- Speech, swallowing, eye and hearing services for recovery
- A named contact for problems after you go home
- Written reports and a discharge summary you can take away
Before you decide
What should you ask a centre before agreeing to surgery?
How often do you do this operation?
Ask about this specific operation, not skull base surgery in general. An honest answer tells you more than a brochure. Ask who will actually operate on you.
Who else will be involved?
Ask whether a neurosurgeon, a reconstructive surgeon and an eye or ear specialist are part of the plan, and whether your case went to a tumour board.
What are the main risks for me?
Ask about a leak of brain fluid, infection, and effects on sight, hearing and facial movement, as they apply to your tumour. A good team explains these without being asked twice.
What happens after I go home?
Ask who you call at night, where follow-up happens, and whether scans and checks can be done nearer your home.
What will it cost?
Ask for a written estimate, and whether Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS or your cashless insurance applies to this operation.
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Near or far
What happens at the specialist centre, and what closer to home?
Usually at the specialist centre
Often possible closer to home
The operation and the first days in intensive care
Blood tests and wound checks after discharge
Planning meetings and the treatment decision
Some routine scans, with images sent to your team
Managing a suspected leak or infection
Physiotherapy and swallowing exercises
The first follow-up with the pathology report
Eye and hearing checks, with reports shared
Commonly believed
What do families often assume when choosing a centre?
"The biggest, most famous hospital is always the safest choice."
A large hospital may not have a team that does skull base surgery often. Ask about this operation and this team. A centre with a dedicated skull base team may have more experience in it than a larger general hospital.
"We have to go abroad, or to a metro in another state."
Skull base surgery is done at several centres in India, including in Hyderabad. What matters is the team's experience with your kind of tumour. Travelling far adds cost and makes follow-up harder, so weigh that too.
"Any good neurosurgeon can remove it."
Many skull base cancers start in the nose, sinuses or ear and grow upwards. Removing them safely often needs a head and neck cancer surgeon working with a neurosurgeon, and a plan for radiotherapy afterwards.
"Asking for a second opinion will offend the surgeon."
Second opinions are a normal part of planning major cancer surgery, and most surgeons expect them. Take your scans, biopsy report and the proposed plan, and ask the second team where they agree and where they differ.
Practical steps
How do you arrange this from a Telangana district?
Start with the reports you already have. A biopsy report, the MRI and CT scans on a disc or link, and a letter from your local doctor let a specialist team give an early view before you travel.
Getting your reports reviewed first
Many centres, including CION, can look at reports sent ahead and tell you which specialist you need to see. This can save a wasted journey if more tests are needed first.
Paying for it
Costs vary with the operation, the repair and the length of stay. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS and EHS may cover eligible patients at empanelled hospitals, and cashless insurers need approval before admission. Ask the hospital's insurance desk to check your cover in writing before a date is fixed.
Staying near the hospital
Plan for one family member to stay close to the hospital through the stay and the first follow-up visit. Ask the centre whether it can suggest lodging nearby. Keep every paper you are given together in one folder, and bring it to every visit.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about choosing a skull base surgery centre
Is skull base surgery done in Hyderabad?
Yes, several hospitals in Hyderabad have teams that operate on the skull base. More important than the city is whether the team regularly treats your kind of tumour. Ask each centre the questions on this page, and compare the answers rather than the size of the hospital.
How do I know if a surgeon has enough experience?
Ask directly how often they do this particular operation and who will be in the operating theatre with them. Experienced surgeons are usually comfortable answering. Also ask whether your case went to a tumour board, and whether a reconstructive surgeon is part of the plan.
Should we get a second opinion?
Many families do, and it is reasonable for an operation of this size. It is most useful when you bring the full set of scans, the biopsy report and the proposed plan. It should help you understand the choice. The decision stays with you and your treating team.
Does Aarogyasri cover skull base surgery?
Aarogyasri can cover eligible patients for many cancer operations at empanelled hospitals, subject to the scheme's approvals. Cover depends on the operation and the hospital. Ask the hospital's scheme desk to confirm in writing before admission. CGHS, ECHS, EHS and cashless insurance work in similar ways.
Is surgery through the nose available everywhere?
No. Endoscopic surgery through the nose needs specific equipment and a team trained in it, and it does not suit every tumour. Ask the centre whether it uses this approach, whether it suits your tumour and, if not, why an open operation is being advised.
Can follow-up be done closer to my home?
Often some of it can. Blood tests, wound checks and some scans can be arranged locally, with results sent to your surgical team. The first review with the pathology report, and any suspected complication, usually belong with the centre that operated. Agree the plan before discharge.
What should we bring to the first appointment?
Bring every scan on disc or link, the biopsy report, any slides or tissue blocks you were given, a list of medicines and your scheme or insurance card. A short written list of questions helps. Bring the family member who will help make decisions.
How quickly does surgery need to happen?
That depends on the tumour and on any treatment planned first. Your team can tell you how long it is reasonable to wait while you arrange travel, a second opinion or scheme approval. Ask them directly, so decisions are neither rushed nor delayed without reason.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. A surgical consultation can be booked at any of these centres through one helpline, and your team will tell you where the operation itself takes place.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- NICE — Improving outcomes in head and neck cancers (CSG6)
- National Cancer Institute — Paranasal Sinus and Nasal Cavity Cancer Treatment (PDQ), Patient Version
- Cancer Research UK — Nasal and sinus cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Head and neck cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Choosing a Surgeon and a CentreThe same questions, for any cancer operationOpen vs Endoscopic Skull Base ApproachesWhy a centre may advise one approach over the otherCost, Insurance and Schemes for Cancer SurgeryHow Aarogyasri, CGHS and insurance approvals workRecovery After Skull Base SurgeryWhat the weeks after the operation look like
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