Medical Marvel: 5-year-old girl becomes world’s youngest to undergo awake brain surgery at AIIMS Delhi, sets world record
5-year-old girl becomes world’s youngest to undergo awake brain surgery at AIIMS Delhi
AIIMS Delhi successfully conducted an awake craniotomy, utilizing the Conscious Sedation technique, on a five-year-old girl with a left perisylvian intraaxial brain tumor.
This pioneering surgery makes her the youngest individual globally to undergo such a procedure.
The young patient demonstrated excellent cooperation throughout the surgery and remained in stable condition both at the conclusion and in the postoperative period.
An official statement from AIIMS highlighted the outstanding collaboration and assistance from the neuro anesthesia and neuroradiology teams in delivering high-quality functional MRI brain studies.
Awake craniotomy is a specialized neurosurgical approach, a form of craniotomy, enabling the surgeon to extract a brain tumor with the patient awake to minimize the risk of brain damage. Throughout the procedure, cortical mapping is conducted by the neurosurgeon to pinpoint critical areas known as the “eloquent brain,” ensuring their preservation while removing the tumor.
Teamwork and support
The success of the surgery is attributed to the outstanding collaboration between the neuroanesthesia and Neuroradiology teams at AIIMS Delhi.
Their combined efforts ensured the execution of high-quality functional MRI brain studies, crucial for the precision of the awake craniotomy.
Functional MRI brain studies played a pivotal role in the surgical process. These studies allowed the neurosurgeon to map the cortical areas, identifying vital regions known as the “eloquent brain.”
Preservation of these areas is paramount during tumour removal to prevent damage and preserve essential brain functions.
What is this surgical technique?
Awake craniotomy, a sophisticated neurosurgical technique, permits the removal of brain tumours while the patient remains conscious.
This approach aims to prevent potential damage to vital brain functions by enabling the neurosurgeon to conduct real-time cortical mapping during the procedure.
(With inputs from Agencies)