Updated on 02/19/2020 at 5:35 PM
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Surgeons at King’s College Hospital in London removed a brain tumor from a woman who played the violin during the operation.
The violinist’s doctors Dagmar Turner, 53, mapped his brain before the operation to determine which areas were activated when he played his instrument and those that control language and movements.
The doctors woke her up in the middle of her operation so she could play, so that “Surgeons will not damage the crucial areas of the brain that controlled the delicate movements of their hands”the hospital said in a statement.
“We knew the importance of the violin for Dagmar, so it was vital to preserve the function of the delicate areas of his brain that allowed him to play”said Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, his neurosurgeon. “We were able to remove 90% of the tumor, including foci suspected of aggressive activity, and at the same time fully preserve the function of his left hand.”
Turner, violinist of the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra and several choral societies, He left the hospital three days later and hopes to return soon to the orchestra. He warmly praised the efforts of Ashkan, who shares his love for music.
“I was distressed just thinking that I would lose my ability to play, but Professor Ashkan, who is also a musician, understood my fears”, said.
“With the team at King’s they planned the entire operation, from mapping my brain to planning the position I should be in to play”he added.
Source: AP
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