Ukrainian doctors successfully performed brain surgery on a waking child patient
Photo: First Medical Association of Lviv
Doctors from the western city of Lviv performed brain surgery on a child while awake for the first time in the history of Ukrainian medicine.
First Medical Association of Lviv reported that the patient was 15-year-old Maksym Volovych from Ternopil. He had to be conscious during the most critical part of the intervention.
Photo: First Medical Association of Lviv
The boy suffered from severe epileptic seizures from the age of eight. The attacks were caused by a tumor in his brain.
"Anything can provoke another attack: physical activity or emotions," the doctors say. "The boy, who before the seizures danced and dreamed of becoming a champion, could not even run anymore. Laughter or tears could also provoke an attack."
Doctors added that Maksym's childhood passed with strict restrictions, under his mother's constant supervision, who watched over her son around the clock and feared for his life. It has become difficult for the young man to speak and remember in recent years.
Photo: First Medical Association of Lviv
Over the years, the tumor grew, and the attacks intensified. The formation began to press on the areas of the brain responsible for speech and movements; there was a high risk of paralysis of the right half of the body.
After a thorough examination, Maksym's mother turned to Lviv doctors, who concluded that the only chance for Maksym was brain surgery with awakening (awake surgery).
Lviv neurosurgeons of the St. Nicholas Hospital decided to operate to save the teenager. The head of the neurosurgery department, Mykhailo Lovha, said that the tumor must be removed urgently because it is pressing on the brain.
Photo: First Medical Association of Lviv
During the most critical part of the operation – removing the tumor – the doctors managed to wake Maksym.
Doctors explain that this is necessary to control his speech and movements and not to damage the parts of the brain responsible for them.
The doctors entertained Maksym with conversations about his favorite comic book superheroes and fictional universes and did not let the boy fall asleep. While he was talking, neurophysiologists Maria Pavlyuk and Yuliya Galii-Gerasimovych recorded the activity in the areas responsible for limb movements and speech.
Photo: First Medical Association of Lviv
The operation lasted seven hours. Doctors say that after it, Maksym spoke even better than before the intervention.
The MRI results are also encouraging: doctors completely removed the tumor. Histological examination showed that the formation was benign.
The boy no longer needs treatment – the epileptic seizures have stopped.
"One week after the operation, Maksym will be discharged. We are happy! We came ill, but we are leaving healthy!" says his mother.
Maksym smiles and never gets tired of sharing his plans for the future: he wants to do sports and dreams of traveling.
