The Neuro-Surgery team at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Jaipur successfully removed a brain tumor of a 30-year-old computer accountant suffering from repeated epilepsy seizures. He was awake throughout and recited the Hanuman Chalisa as the surgery was being performed. This makes it amongst the first few reported cases in Rajasthan wherein a unique neuro-surgical procedure – “Awake Craniotomy” or “Awake Brain Surgery” has been successfully performed.
30-year-old Hulasmal Jangir from Bikaner was suffering from Epilepsy seizures since the last 3 months. Biopsy results confirmed Grade 2 Brain Tumor diagnosis, but he was refused surgery at a few other hospitals citing enormous chances of loss of speech & possible paralysis upon surgery. He then came to Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Jaipur wherein the Neuro-surgery team led by Dr. KK Bansal successfully performed the Awake Brain tumor Surgery on the patient.
Awake brain surgeries are used by select neuro-surgeons across the globe to remove tumors that are located close to areas that control vision, speech and body movements. In the patient’s case, the tumor was in that area of the brain which controls speech. Even a slight error while performing the surgery would have led to speech impairment for life.
“Monitoring response in a conventional brain surgery is not possible, as the patient is sedated. In awake brain surgery, the patient’s response can be continuously monitored, which helps the surgeon ascertain the exact spot without damaging other areas of the brain. In the patient’s case he was continuously asked to read, sing or recite the hanuman chalisa. His responses helped us perform the surgery safely & successfully as whenever we would touch a wrong spot, his speech would get illegible” said Dr. KK Bansal, Sr. Consultant – Neuro Surgery.
“The three-hour surgery involved the use of high-end operating microscope which can magnify the brain area and special dyes were injected to mark the tumor. Such surgeries can be performed at very few centers across the country and requires high-end neuro-surgical expertise. We are happy that we could discharge the patient within 72 hours & he can now lead a normal life” said Mr. Karthik Ramakrishnan, Facility Director at Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, Jaipur.
