London (AFP)
A violinist helped doctors avoid damaging a large area of her brain by playing her instrument during the operation to remove her tumor, announced King's College hospital in London.
Surgeons have developed a technique to check in real time that the areas of the brain responsible for hand movement were not affected during this delicate procedure, the hospital said on Tuesday on its website.
Dagmar Turner, a 53-year-old musician, member of the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra (south of England), was diagnosed in 2013 with a slow-growing tumor. She asked to be operated on when the tumor developed.
The operation took place last month.
The idea of playing the musician while waking her up in the middle of the operation was intended to protect in particular important cells located in the right frontal lobe of her brain.
This area, located right next to the operated one, controls, among other things, the left hand, essential for playing the instrument.
"We do about 400 resections (removal of tumors) a year, which often involves waking patients up for language tests," said surgeon responsible for Operation Keyoumars Ashkan, "but it was the first time I played an instrument to a patient "
According to him, 90% of the tumor was removed, "including all the areas suspected of aggressive activity", while allowing the violinist to "keep full use of her left hand".
"Thanks to them, I hope to be able to return to my orchestra very soon," said Turner, who left the hospital three days after her operation.
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