This past summer, I had an internship position at a local hospital. During this internship, I was able to observe in the operating room every morning. I got to see a variety of surgeries, but the neurosurgery I witnessed was a surgery I will never forget. My mentor for the summer is in the cardiothoracic department, so I did not know much about neurosurgery going into the operating room. The surgeon explained many concepts to me that I have found myself connecting to this class, such as the functions of the cortex and hemisphere specialization.
Before the surgery, the team “mapped” out the brain using advanced fMRI technology, like we have talked about in class. The fMRI allowed them to overlay previous MRI scans with the scans taken directly before the surgery, which was really interesting because the MRI scans were so precise. The surgeon then connected a metal probe to the machine with the scans. Using the mapping technology, he was able to stick the probe on the patient’s head and see everything going on before having to “open them up”. If you are interested in this technology, see the following link, just note that there are some graphic images(https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/2015/02/Raman-Technique-Helps-Surgeons-Excise.html).
Using the probe, the surgeon worked with a neurologist to assess the patient’s motor functions. The neurologist used electrodes that he had previously connected to the patients to test the patient’s reactions. Sending signals through the electrodes would cause the patient’s motor cortex to function. For example, when the surgeon asked for right side movement, the patient lifted their right arm up while completely unconscious. The unconscious mechanisms used were due to the parasympathetic division of the somatic nervous system. The patient was calm and able to function voluntarily due to the electrode signaling.
While observing the surgery, I was able to watch the surgeon resect a tumor bordering the occipital lobe of the patient. He used the probe as much as he could to determine the precise location of the tumor and the lobes of the brain so that he did not cause any damage to the patient. If he would have hit the occipital lobe and damaged it, the patient would have had problems with vision post-surgery. This was the biggest risk of the surgery, and the surgeon was able to completely remove the tumor without causing any damage. He assessed the patient after “closing” using the probe and another fMRI scan. It is really interesting to take this class and be able to connect it to experiences I had this past summer. Learning about the function of the brain and seeing it in person, in action, is something that I will cherish.
Citations:
Arnaud, Celia Henry. “Raman Technique Helps Surgeons Excise Brain Cancer.” Chemical and Engineering News, 11 Feb. 2015, https://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/2015/02/Raman-Technique-Helps-Surgeons-Excise,html.
I really enjoyed reading this post! What a great experience! The topic of neuroscience and neurosurgery has come up in three of my other classes that I am taking. I am reading a book called “When Breath Becomes Air” in my BBH 101 class about a neurosurgeon and the process of removing a tumor you described was just what was described in the book! It was fun to read that connection! What was also interesting to read about was the fact that the neurosurgeon was removing a tumor. I have a close connection to the field of cancer because of my mom’s job. My mom and I do many fundraisers to help children who have cancer, as well as their families with the cost of treatment, travel, food, and housing expenses. Also, as I was reading, I was thinking about the risk of removing the tumor and the consequences if something went wrong. After hands-on seeing this surgery, the topic of neuroscience will be easier to understand because you have seen it in person and experienced it versus writing notes about the topic.