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19th Feb 2020

Woman plays violin while surgeons remove tumour from her brain

Alan Loughnane

Violin

A patient at King’s College Hospital in London played the violin while surgeons operated on her brain to remove a tumour.

Turner, a 53-year-old management consultant and passionate violinist from the Isle of Wight, had a tumour removed at King’s College Hospital.

The tumour, in her right frontal lobe, was dangerously close to areas of her brain that coordinate movements in her left hand.

The unusual approach was taken to ensure areas of Turner’s brain responsible for delicate hand movement and coordination – crucial components when playing violin – were not inadvertently damaged during the millimetre-precise procedure.

“The violin is my passion. I’ve been playing since I was 10 years old,” Turner said. “The thought of losing my ability to play was heart-breaking.”

Footage shows Turner picking up the instrument during the surgery and playing scales with her eyes shut, while surgeons removed the tumour.

“We knew how important the violin is to Dagmar, so it was vital that we preserved function in the delicate areas of her brain that allowed her to play,” said Prof. Keyoumars Ashkan, her neurosurgeon.

“We managed to remove over 90% of the tumor, including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity, while retaining full function in her left hand.”

During the operation Prof Ashkan and the team performed a craniotomy (an opening in the skull) and Dagmar was brought round from the anaesthetic. She played violin while her tumour was removed, while closely monitored by the anaesthetists and a therapist.

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