How long you'll be in hospital after neurosurgery

For lumbar microdiscectomy: usually one night, sometimes discharged the same day if surgery is early and recovery is smooth.

For anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF): one night in hospital, sometimes two.

For a straightforward craniotomy — small tumour, no complications: one night in high care or ICU, then two to three days on the ward. Total stay three to four nights.

For a lumbar decompression or fusion: two to five nights depending on how many levels are operated on and how mobile you are after surgery.

For complex tumour surgery or surgery in older patients with other medical problems: expect longer, and expect that the plan may change based on how you recover. We will give you a realistic estimate at the pre-operative visit and update it daily in hospital.