Vijaywada: Doctors at the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Kakinada successfully removed a brain tumor from a female patient through “Awake Craniotomy” while showing her favorite movie, Adhurs, starring Jr. NTR.
The surgery, performed without damaging critical nerves, is being hailed as the first of its kind at the hospital.
The 55-year-old patient, A. Anantalakshmi from A. Kothapalli, Tondangi Mandal, was suffering from symptoms including weakness in her right arm and leg.
After visiting several private hospitals, where the treatment was deemed expensive and difficult, she was admitted to GGH on September 11, following headaches, fainting, and numbness on the right side of her body.
Doctors discovered a 3.3 x 2.7 cm tumor on the left side of her brain.
On Tuesday, the medical team, under the supervision of senior doctors and anesthetists, performed the surgery while keeping Anantalakshmi awake under minimal sedation.
To keep her comfortable and distracted, the doctors played her favorite comedy scenes from Adurs, featuring Jr. NTR and Brahmanandam. Engaged in the film, the patient remained blissfully unaware of the procedure.
The surgery lasted for about two and a half hours, and the patient was able to sit up and have breakfast afterward. She is expected to be discharged within five days.
“This type of surgery was performed for the first time at GGH,” said Dr. Lavanyakumari. “Patients are kept awake during the procedure so they can respond to questions and ensure no nerves are damaged,” explained Dr. A. Vishnuvardhan, head of the anesthesiology department, and Dr. Vijaysekhar, head of neurosurgery.
