Doctors perform awake brain surgery

ISLAMABAD: Doctors of Shifa International Hospital on Monday performed a surgery, removing a brain tumour from a 60-year-old patient who remained awake throughout the procedure.

The surgery, which was completed in almost two hours, was led by neurosurgeon Dr Akbar Ali Khan.

“Though this kind of surgery has been conducted at Aga Khan Hospital in Karachi, it was the first time a surgery of a similar nature was carried outside that hospital,” Dr Ali, who recently arrived from United Kingdom, told Dawn.

He said the patient had a tumour on the eloquent part of the brain due to which his leg could become paralysed during operation.

“So we decided to keep the patient awake because it reduces the chances of being paralysed,” he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Ali said that the patient was out of danger and would be discharged after 24 hours.