Produced by: Bhoomika Designed by: Mohsin
Doctors at AIIMS Delhi recently performed an unprecedented awake brain surgery on a 5-year-old girl. The little girl was talking to the doctors while she was undergoing a critical brain surgery, thus marking a milestone in the medical field
Also known as 'awake craniotomy' (conscious sedation technique) surgery, the surgery was performed to treat a left perisylvian intraaxial brain tumour
The child has a history of seizures. Her MRI showed a tumour in the left side of her brain adjacent to the speech/language area
Awake brain surgery, or awake craniotomy, is a procedure where the patient remains conscious. This technique allows surgeons to treat neurological conditions like tumours or seizures while preserving critical brain functions
During awake brain surgery, patients are sedated initially and when the skull is closed post-surgery. They are awakened mid-procedure to interact with the surgical team and thus ensuring vital areas for speech and movement are not affected
Like any surgery, awake brain surgery carries risks such as bleeding, infection, and seizures. Recovery involves rest with light activities, and most patients return to normal life within weeks to months
As part of the treatment process, the girl, who is a first standard student, was "quick” in identifying the picture of PM Narendra Modi's picture. The patient was shown common objects, common animals and given some tasks to assess language and sensorimotor movements during the surgical procedure