ABNS Neurological Surgery study guide
ABNS Neurological Surgery · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) certification is the specialty board credential for neurosurgeons who have completed accredited residency training and want to demonstrate that they meet the profession's standard for independent practice. Candidates typically pursue it after residency, often alongside or after the oral examination sequence, and maintain it through continuing certification. The ABNS Neurological Surgery study guide has 12 sections and about 2,867 words.
01Neurotrauma and Critical Care
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) management rests on preventing secondary injury: hypotension and hypoxia are the two most modifiable insults. Know the Monro-Kellie doctrine and the volume-pressure curve - small added volume is tolerated until compensation is exhausted, then ICP rises steeply.
281 words, about 1 min02Cerebrovascular Surgery
Distinguish aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) from other causes and know the Hunt-Hess and modified Fisher grading systems - Fisher grade predicts vasospasm risk. Understand the phases: early brain injury, vasospasm (days 3–14, delayed cerebral ischemia), and hydrocephalus.
258 words, about 1 min03Neuro-oncology
Know the WHO grading and molecular markers that drive prognosis and treatment: IDH mutation (favorable), 1p/19q codeletion (oligodendroglioma, chemosensitive), MGMT promoter methylation (temozolomide response in glioblastoma), and EGFR/PTEN alterations. Understand the standard of care for glioblastoma (maximal safe resection, radiation with concurrent and adjuvant temozolomide) and the role of extent of resection.
250 words, about 1 min04Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery
Understand spinal stability concepts (three-column model), the difference between radiculopathy and myelopathy, and when urgent decompression is indicated (cauda equina syndrome, progressive myelopathy, epidural abscess/hematoma). Know the classic presentations: cervical spondylotic myelopathy (gait disturbance, hyperreflexia, Hoffman sign), lumbar stenosis (neurogenic claudication relieved by flexion), and disc herniation patterns.
237 words, about 1 min05Pediatric Neurosurgery
Know the age-dependent causes of hydrocephalus and the differences between communicating and noncommunicating types. Understand myelomeningocele management (prenatal vs postnatal repair, Chiari II association, tethered cord) and the importance of folate supplementation for prevention.
254 words, about 1 min06Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery
Understand the basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry relevant to Parkinson disease and the rationale for deep brain stimulation (DBS) targets: subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus interna (GPi). Know patient selection (levodopa-responsive, cognitively intact) and DBS programming basics (monopolar vs bipolar, amplitude, frequency, pulse width).
237 words, about 1 min07Epilepsy Surgery
Understand the presurgical evaluation: semiology, video-EEG, MRI (hippocampal sclerosis, focal cortical dysplasia), and when invasive monitoring (SEEG, subdural grids) is needed. Know the common surgically remediable syndromes: mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (anterior temporal lobectomy), lesional epilepsy, and hemispheric syndromes in children (hemispherectomy, functional hemispherectomy).
237 words, about 1 min08Hydrocephalus and CSF Disorders
Understand CSF production (choroid plexus), circulation, and absorption, and the difference between communicating and noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Know the clinical presentations by age: infants (macrocephaly, sunsetting eyes, irritability), adults (headache, gait disturbance, incontinence, cognitive decline in normal pressure hydrocephalus).
206 words, about 1 min09Skull Base and Cranial Nerve Disorders
Know the anatomy of the cranial nerves and skull base compartments, and the classic syndromes: trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, vestibular schwannoma (acoustic neuroma), and pituitary tumors. Understand the surgical approaches (transsphenoidal, retrosigmoid, middle fossa, translabyrinthine) and their indications and risks.
223 words, about 1 min10Neurocritical Care and Neuroanesthesia
Understand the principles of neurocritical care: airway and ventilation, hemodynamic targets, sedation, and temperature control. Know the management of elevated ICP (head-of-bed, sedation, osmotherapy, CSF drainage, decompressive surgery) and the avoidance of secondary injury.
239 words, about 1 min11Neuroradiology and Neurodiagnostics
Understand the modality choices: CT for acute hemorrhage and trauma, MRI for soft tissue and ischemia, CT angiography for vascular lesions, and catheter angiography for definitive vascular evaluation. Know the imaging signatures of common lesions: epidural and subdural hematomas, subarachnoid hemorrhage, ischemic stroke (restricted diffusion on DWI), tumors, and hydrocephalus.
226 words, about 1 min12Basic and Clinical Neuroscience
Understand neuroanatomy fundamentals: cortical functional areas, the motor and sensory pathways, cranial nerve nuclei, and the cerebrovascular territories. Know neurotransmitter systems relevant to clinical practice (dopamine in Parkinson disease, GABA in epilepsy, glutamate excitotoxicity).
219 words, about 1 min