Surgeons in the UK removed a tumour from the brain of a patient while she played the violin in an unusual technique to ensure that she did not suffer permanent damage.
Dagmar Turner, 53, a former management consultant, was diagnosed in 2013 with the slow-growing tumour after suffering a seizure during a concert.
The unusual procedure was intended to ensure that the part of the brain responsible for delicate hand movements was not inadvertently damaged.
Ms Turner, who plays in the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra, was put to sleep while the surgeons at King’s College Hospital opened her skull. As she came around from the anaesthetic, she began playing the violin as the surgeons followed her progress and removed the tumour.
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, consultant neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital, said: “We perform around 400 resections (tumour removals) each year, which often involves rousing patients to carry out language tests, but this was the first time I’ve had a patient play an instrument.
“We managed to remove over 90 per cent of the tumour, including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity, while retaining full function in her left hand.”
Ms Turner said that the team went out of their way to plan the operation. “Thanks to them I’m hoping to be back with my orchestra very soon.”
