Needing to stay awake during his brain surgery, Anthony Kullkamp Dias, played his guitar and sang six songs as doctors at the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceicao in Brazil removed the tumours in his brain.
Dias, 33, made a moving rendition of the Beatles song "Yesterday". He also sang some Brazilian songs and one original composition he wrote for his son entitled "Emanuel". Anthony Kullkamp Dias is a banker and a musician who also played other instruments like the accordion and keyboards.
He sang songs to keep himself conscious during the surgery so that doctors can concurrently observe and check the brain for injuries that may affect motor and speech function caused by the removal of the tumours. In an interview with CNN, Dr. Jean Abreu Machado, clinical director at the hospital, explained that keeping patients awake and pain-free during a brain surgery remains a challenge because brain tissues do not have sensors to pain.
Dias discovered his brain tumour 15 days after his son was born. He had himself checked after observing that he was starting to unusually stutter when speaking and habitually forgetting things.
Instead of reading books or telling stories to keep oneself awake during the surgery, Dias decided to play his guitar and serenade the doctors a day before undergoing the operation. He also wanted his performance to be seen by many to serve as an inspiration. And indeed, 90 percent of his tumour was removed successfully pain-free.
Medical Daily adds that musical performances of a patient during a brain surgery are not really new. In Israel, a Lithuanian artist, Naomi Elishuv played her violin while doctors at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center performed a brain surgery on her to remove a tumour. After the successful surgery and performance, the doctors and the patient even received a standing ovation.
