on June 25th 2019 I had A MASSIVE STROKE which left me hospitalized for7 months due to AfTER A rcraniectomy is an emergency procedure used to relieve swelling in the brain due to a stroke or a traumatic brain injury. A craniotomy is done in order to allow a surgeon to remove a brain tumor. In both cases, a bone flap, or section][1/3rd] of the skull, is removed I ALSO had to have a 14 inch skin graph taken from my left leg.