Bengaluru: Diagnosed with a brain tumour , 50- year -old Samuel, a Nigerian, found himself in a dilemma as being a Jehovah's Witness, he could not accept blood transfusion even if required during the surgery that could save his life.
Arriving in India for treatment, he consulted Dr Arjun Srivatsa of Columbia Asia Hospitals, who took on the challenge to help him get better despite his religious beliefs.
"There were a few challenges as he was suffering from a brain tumour that was directly affecting the area responsible for his communication skills and as he was a Jehovah's Witness, we could not do blood transfusion even if bleeding took place. So we had to plan our surgery in such a way that no external blood transfusion was required, " explained Dr Srivatsa.
The doctor decided to opt for Awake Craniotomy, a surgery performed while the patient remains conscious , allowing surgeons to test his functions throughout the operation. After two days of counselling Samuel agreed to go ahead with the surgery. And during the three-hour long surgery, the brave man could hear sounds of drilling but not feel anything. “We made sure that during the whole procedure the team of doctors continuously engaged in conversation with him to keep him occupied,” added the doctor.
