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unconventional brain surgery to save a man’s life. During the procedure, the patient remained awake, playing the piano and reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. The medical team performed a successful awake craniotomy, a unique type of brain surgery where general anesthesia is not administered. This approach allows continuous monitoring of the patient’s motor functions and responses throughout the surgery while removing a brain tumor.
The patient, a 28-year-old from Bihar’s Buxar, had been experiencing frequent seizures, which medical evaluations linked to a brain tumor. Considering his young age and the tumor’s proximity to the motor cortex, the part of the brain controlling physical movements, the decision was made to perform awake brain surgery to reduce the risk of potential disability.
Video footage of the surgery shows the patient lying on the operating table, playing a keyboard piano while the medical team performed the critical procedure. Remarkably, the patient remained calm and stress-free throughout the surgery, engaging in conversations with the doctors. He even read from a newspaper and recited the Hanuman Chalisa, all while playing manjira (cymbals), a practice he typically performs in the temple.
Notably, the patient continued to play the piano even as the tumor was successfully removed from his brain. Dr. Sumit Raj, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, who was part of the surgical team, confirmed that the tumor had been completely removed, and the patient was recovering well. He displayed no adverse effects from the surgery and retained full control of his motor functions.
Awake craniotomies have gained popularity in recent years due to their improved outcomes, with many doctors adopting this procedure for certain cases.
