Awake Brain Surgery Saves Visakhapatnam Patient, Preserves Life Quality
The operation lasted nearly eight hours
Visakhapatnam: A 25-year-old woman from Visakhapatnam has undergone a complex brain tumour removal surgery while remaining awake and conversing with doctors. Awake brain surgery is a mode of operation to ensure that there is no neurological damage while the surgery is proceeding.
Led by consultant neurosurgeon Dr K.A. Naidu, the procedure had been carried out on March 23. Doctors say this is the first awake brain surgery in Vizag city and a significant step forward in preserving the patients’ quality of life.
According to the patient’s history, the woman had been experiencing seizures two months after childbirth. Brain imaging revealed a tumour in the right motor cortex, a highly sensitive region that controls movement of the left side of the body.
Given the critical location, doctors explained the risks of potential paralysis or weakness in the left limbs. After detailed counselling and consent, the surgical team opted for an awake craniotomy, a specialised procedure that allows surgeons to monitor speech and movement of the patient in real time, a part of continuous assessment of neurological functions, which reduces the risk of permanent damage.
To prepare the patient mentally, the anaesthesia team conducted counselling sessions for the woman patient for over a week. Advanced neuro-navigation scans had been performed to map the tumour before the precise surgery.
The operation lasted nearly eight hours. Using state-of-the-art technology, surgeons carefully removed the tumour while interacting with the patient to safeguard critical brain functions. Post-surgery, she showed remarkable recovery, regaining normal movement without deficits, and had been discharged on the fifth day.
The procedure had been carried out at KIMS ICON Hospital in Sheelanagar. Lead neurosurgeon Dr. Naidu said the successful operation demonstrates how precision medicine and cutting-edge technology can transform neurosurgical practice.
“This marks a significant step forward in preserving patients’ quality of life,” he remarked. The neurosurgeon said Visakhapatnam has now joined the ranks of the few centres capable of performing such advanced procedures.