Extensive research on awake surgery to remove cancerous tumour and intra-operative neuro-monitoring has led to saving critical motor, speech and cognitive functions of the patients, said Dr. Michael Sabel, Professor of Neuro Surgery, Heinrich-Heine-University in Dusseldorf in Germany.

He said this while delivering the “Founder Chancellor N.P.V.Ramasamy Udayar Oration in Neurosciences” at Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute here.

Dr.Sabel said the major challenges are precisely identifying functional cells near the tumour and removing the tumour beyond visualization. So, the infiltrating cells are removed marginally, hence tumour does not recur and yet not affect functional ones. In awake surgery, the patient is conscious and is responding to commands while the surgery is performed using special monitoring systems using neuro electro physiology.

During surgery the patient is able to perceive if he or she is feeling weak in any limbs or feeling any speech or visual defects. In this method post operative defects are avoided. The surgery is well planned with the consent of the patient whether they would accept a defect with removal of all suspected and marginal tissues or avoid defects using monitoring system, he added.

Among those who participated in the event were Dr.K.Selvakumar, Professor Neurosurgery and Chairman, Telemedicine, SRMC, Prof. Damodar Rout, Prof K.Ganesh, HOD neuro-surgery, Dr.P.V.Vijayaraghavan, Vice Chancellor, Dr. S.P.Thyagarajan, Dean, Research and Dr.K.V.Somasundaram, Advisor, Academic, SRMC.