Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center took to YouTube to share a video that shows a man undergoing a brain tumour surgery while being awake. The video shows the guitarist playing the musical instrument while getting a craniotomy.
The centre wrote that Dr Ricardo Komotar performed the surgery on Christian Nolen. The surgery took place on December 18, 2023, and the centre shared the video on YouTube about four days ago.
The organisation added that it was important for Nolan to stay awake during the brain surgery so that the doctors could ‘evaluate and protect his manual dexterity’ as they removed the tumour’.
In the video, Nolan is seen playing a tune on his guitar as surgeons perform the surgery on him. The video also shows his doctor Komotar explaining the procedure and sharing how Nolan is after the surgery.
Take a look at this video of the man playing guitar during brain surgery:
What did Christian Nolen say about his surgery?
“It was just like out of this world, like, to just like wake up and like have people actively working inside of your head. It’s kind of an insane feeling,” Nolan told WSVN Miami. “Being able to go to the gym and be active again, which is a big part of my life. It’s been very amazing, like, the recovery,” he added about his life after the surgery.
{{/usCountry}}“It was just like out of this world, like, to just like wake up and like have people actively working inside of your head. It’s kind of an insane feeling,” Nolan told WSVN Miami. “Being able to go to the gym and be active again, which is a big part of my life. It’s been very amazing, like, the recovery,” he added about his life after the surgery.
{{/usCountry}}The outlet also reported that he was asleep at the beginning of the surgery. It was towards the end of the two-hour procedure that he was playing his guitar after being woken up by the doctors.
Dr Ricardo Komotar on the surgery:
“Having the patient awake and playing the guitar while we take out the tumour allows us to be as aggressive as possible, yet still maintain his quality of life and his manual dexterity,” he told WSVN Miami. “The surgeon is only one small part of this entire procedure. It’s not possible without amazing neuroanesthesiologists, nurses, techs, residents, fellows, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists,” added Komotar.