Begumpet’s KIMS-Sunshine Hospital doctors perform rare brain surgery while showing Pushpa Movie
Begumpet: Doctors at KIMS-Sunshine Hospital in Begumpet performed rare brain surgery on a patient while keeping him awake and engaged by showing him the popular movie Pushpa. The patient has been identified as 30-year-old C.B. Pratip, hailing from Nizamabad, who was successfully discharged a day after the surgery.
Pratip, who has been working in Bahrain for the past 16 to 17 years, has been suffering from frequent seizures for the last six months despite undergoing treatment at Bahrain International Hospital. After his condition did not improve, he was referred to KIMS-Sunshine Hospital for further treatment.
Speaking with the Hyderabad Mail, Dr. Mohana Sasank, the neurosurgeon who performed the surgery, explained the procedure. “The surgery was conducted to remove a vascular lesion from the patient’s brain, located in a critical area responsible for speech, and comprehension,” Dr. Sasank said. “After a thorough evaluation, we found that Pratip had a vascular lesion on the left side of his brain in the eloquent area, which is responsible for both speech and motor functions in the right side of the body.”
Dr. Sasank, along with his colleagues Dr. Venugopal Goka and other specialists, decided to perform the surgery using a functional neurosurgery technique known as “awake craniotomy.” In this advanced procedure, the patient is kept awake during surgery to ensure that critical areas of the brain are not damaged. The patient is monitored while being shown pictures, objects, and even movies to assess his cognitive and comprehensive functions in real-time.
“During the surgery, we kept the patient awake and communicated with him continuously,” Dr. Sasank said. “We showed him pictures and movie clips, including scenes from Pushpa, which he emotionally connected with. This allowed us to monitor his speech and motor skills as we removed the vascular lesion.” The surgery took two hours and was completed using modern navigation-guided technology.
The neurosurgeon highlighted the complexity and risks of awake craniotomy. “This procedure is highly delicate because it involves the functional areas of the brain. We cannot afford to miss even the smallest detail, and it requires the patient’s full cooperation. The surgery was performed under local anesthesia to numb the scalp while the patient remained awake and engaged,” Dr. Sasank explained.
The surgery was conducted on November 12, 2024, and Pratip was kept under observation on November 13. After showing significant improvement, he was discharged the following day.
Dr. Sasank also highlighted the advantage of awake craniotomy in cases involving critical brain areas. “Unlike regular brain surgery, where the patient is unconscious, awake craniotomy allows us to ensure that we are not affecting essential functions like speech and movement. The patient is aware of what is happening during the surgery, which provides us with valuable feedback.”
