The Department of Neurosurgery, Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura successfully carried out an “Awake Craniotomy” last week.
Awake Craniotomy is a technique using language mapping, which enables neurosurgeons to remove a brain tumour while preserving cognitive function. When it’s necessary to operate in areas close to the brain’s cognitive centres, such as language, the only way to test cognition is for the patient to be awake and be able to communicate during the procedure.
The team, led by Consultant Neurosurgeons Dr. Madhushanka Gomes and Dr. Rohan Paris performed the surgery on December 1, on a patient suffering from an insular tumor of the brain.
Anaesthesia was provided by a team led by Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. Levan Kariyawasam. The patient was given deep sedation while part of the skull was being removed, and later, was woken up during the actual removal of the tumor and was asked to perform a series of tests. These tests help to map the safest surgical margins without causing significant damage to the language, motor and special function areas of the brain.
Intraoperative nerve monitoring throughout the surgery enabled the mapping of the motor cortex. The technique also has advantages compared to the conventional methods; better quality of life for the patient, quick functional recovery, which ultimately translates into decreased hospital expenses.
The surgery was a success with no postoperative complications or neurological deficits. - Dr. Nadhun Yohan Perera