The patient, 53-year-old Dagmar Turner, plays in the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra and left the hospital three days after the surgery. She said that she hopes to return to her orchestra soon.
A musician played her violin even as doctors conducted a surgery to remove a brain tumour. This might sound like it is an instance coming straight out of a science fiction book or movie, but this actually happened in London's King's College Hospital.
According to a report by Time, the patient, 53-year-old Dagmar Turner, had her brain mapped before the surgery to mark those areas which are active when she plays the instrument, and those that were responsible for language and movement.
The report noted that the doctors then woke up her up in the middle of the surgery to ensure that the surgeons do not damage any "crucial areas of the brain that controlled Dagmar’s delicate hand movements".
The report quoted Prof. Keyoumars Ashkan, Dagmar's neurosurgeon saying that since playing the violin is very important for her, "it was vital that we preserved function in the delicate areas of her brain that allowed her to play".
"We managed to remove over 90 percent of the tumor, including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity, while retaining full function in her left hand," Ashkan said.
Dagmar plays in the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra and left the hospital three days after the surgery. She said that she hopes to return to her orchestra soon, according to the report.
Dagmar said that the thought of losing her ability to play the violin was heart-breaking, but noted that Prof. Ashkan took her concerns into account and planned the surgery accordingly as he was a musician himself.
Dagmar added that Prof. Ashkan and his team, "went out of their way to plan the operation".Exclusive offer: Use code "BUDGET2020" and get Moneycontrol Pro's Subscription for as little as Rs 333/- for the first year.
