Imagine having surgery to remove a tumor in your brain. Then imagine being awake for much of the procedure, so that surgeons can safely navigate around the area in your brain that controls speech. San Diegan Krista McFadden just went through this procedure at UCSD's Thornton Hospital. KPBS Health Reporter Kenny Goldberg was in the operating room, and offers us a glimpse at what's called "awake" brain surgery.
Transcript
This is a rush transcript created by a contractor for KPBS to improve accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Please refer to the media file as the formal record of this interview. Opinions expressed by guests during interviews reflect the guest’s individual views and do not necessarily represent those of KPBS staff, members or its sponsors.
IMAGINE HAVING SURGERY TO REMOVE A TUMOR IN YOUR BRAIN, THEN IMAGINE BEING AWAKE FOR MUCH OF THE PRESSURE SO SURGEONS CAN SAFELY NAVIGATE AROUND THE AREA IN YOUR BRAIN THAT CONTROLS SPEECH. THIS SAN DIEGOIAN WENT THROUGH THE PROCEDURE AT THORNTON HOSPITAL. KENNY GOLDBURG WAS IN THE OPERATING ROOM AND OFFERS US A GLIMPSE OF WHAT'S CALLED AWAY BRAIN SURGERY. SOME OF THE IMAGES YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE ARE GRAPHIC.
Reporter: FOR SOMEONE ABOUT TO HAVE BRAIN SURGERY SHE SEEMS RELAXED. TODAY SURGEONS WILL TRY TO REMOVE A TUMOR IN HER LEFT TEMPORAL LOBE. ONE BY ONE DOCTORS STOP BY TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY'LL BE DOING.
THEY WILL ASK YOU TO REMEMBER SOME THINGS. WE'LL TRY TO GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION. SO WE CAN TELL WHERE THINGS ARE GOING ON IN YOUR BRAIN. WE WANT TO KNOW THE AREAS WORKING WELL AND NOT WORKING WELL.
Reporter: THIS NEUROLOGIST WILL ALSO BE ON HAND.
IT TESTS VARIOUS PARTS OF YOUR BRAIN. YOU WON'T FEEL THAT. IT IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE APPLY ELECTRICITY TO YOUR BRAIN IT DISRUPTS THE TISSUE FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF TIME MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE NOTHING IN YOUR LANGUAGE GETS DISRUPTED. THAT'S IMPORTANT. THAT MEANS DON'T TOUCH THAT.
Reporter: SHE AND HER HUSBAND SAY THEIR GOODBYES BEFORE SHE IS WHEELED IN THE THE OPERATING ROOM. ONCE INSIDE CHRIS IS PUT TO SLEEP WHILE SURGEONS REMOVE HER SKULL AND MAKE THE INCISION INTO HER BRAIN.
WE ARE WAITING FOR HER TO WAKE UP AFTER THE SEDATION GIVING FOR THE OPENING. THIS IS THE INCISION YOU CAN SEE HERE AND THE SURFACE OF THE TEMPORAL AND FRONTAL LOBE. WE HAVE ELECTRODES TO MONITOR THE PROCEDURE.
Reporter: ONCE SHE WAKES UP THE TEAM BEGINS TESTING AREAS OF HER BRAIN CLOSE TO THE TUMOR.
WE'LL SIMULATE SOME OF THE TISSUE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHAT IS VIABLE TISSUE THAT WE MAY NOT WANT TO TOUCH. AND WHICH TISSUE CAN BE OPERATED ON.
Reporter: DR. NORMAN HAS HER SAY WORDS. HE IS LOOKING FOR INDICATIONS THAT HER SPEECH FUNCTIONS ARE BEING DISRUPT. AT THE SAME TIME HE LOOKS AT HER BRAIN WAVES WATCHING FOR SIGNS OF A SEIZURE OF OTHER UNUSUAL ACTIVITY. CARTES THINKS IT IS SAFE TO PROCEED. HE CUTS IN THE TUMOR. STAFF COME BY TO TAKE SAMPLE. THE PALLOLOGIST DETERMINES IF THE TUMOR IS MALIGNANT. PERIODICALLY HE CHECKS IN WITH CHRISTA.
SQUEEZE MY FINGERS TIGHT AND STRONG. PULL ME IN TOWARDS YOU. GOOD GIRL.
Reporter: BEFORE CARTER REMOVES MORE OF THE TUMOR HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE HE IS NOT CUTTING INTO ANY PART OF THE BRAIN.
COULD AFFECT CHRISTA'S SPEECH.
COUNT BACKWARDS FOR US.
1, 1, 3, 4, 5.
Reporter: CARTER PROBES SAME AREA AGAIN. SHE FALTERS ONCE MORE. >> MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY.
THAT'S HOW I KNOW WHERE THAT IS.
Reporter: AS CARTER FINISHES CUTTING OUT THE TUMOR HE DOUBLE CHECK HIS WORK BY LOOKING AT A 3-D IMAGE OF HER BRAIN. FINALLY CARTER IS SATISFIED.
WE KNOW WE HAVE A GOODY SECTION OF THE LESION. WE'LL BE ABLE TO STOP OUR OPERATION. THERE WILL BE A LITTLE UNCERTAINTY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS WE GET THE FINAL RESULTS BACK. WE DON'T THINK THIS IS ANOTHER MALIGNANT OR CANCEROUS LESION.
YOU ARE ALL DONE. NEXT TIME YOU WAKE UP YOU ARE GOING TO BE PROBABLY IN THE RECOVERY AREA.
Reporter: WHEN EVERYTHING IS FINISHED, DR. CARTER WALKS OUT TO THE WAITING AREA
HER BRAIN TUMOR WAS BENIGN. SHE IS RECOVERING AT HOME. NURSE
