He really wanted to keep playing his saxophone. Doctors had to remove a brain tumor from a musician (35) in Italy. Usually a procedure in which patients lie on the operating table under general anesthesia. But not here.
The operation was performed by neurosurgeon Christian Brogna. His patient, whom he only calls by his abbreviated first and last name, CZ, had played two songs during the procedure. Once the title melody from the 1970 movie “Love Story” and the Italian national anthem. “The tumor was in a very, very complex area of the brain,” Brogna told CBS News.
The fact that the patient wanted to stay awake during this procedure sounds unusual, but was actually an advantage for the medical team. In this way, the doctors could continuously monitor various functions and ensure that no key areas were injured. Playing an instrument and understanding music requires high brain function. You have to coordinate your hands, you need memory to remember the notes and you need sight to recognize the instrument.
After three days out of the hospital
Brogna, who has performed hundreds of awake brain surgeries, said the key to performing such a complex surgery is thorough preparation. “Every patient is unique, every brain is unique, so we have to really know the patient very well,” he told CBS News. Therefore, he and his team met with the musician several times before the intervention. Not only to clarify the medical details, but also to get to know the person better. This is important to create trust.
The musician and his saxophone were able to leave the hospital just three days after surgery. Brogna is proud of this special procedure and that his patient can continue to pursue his passion. Every surgery on the brain continues to fascinate him. (lrc)