PATIENT PLAYS SAXOPHONE DURING BRAIN SURGERY

Doctors in Italy shared details of a recent brain surgery during which the patient remained awake and playing the saxophone. Paideia International Hospital in Rome said that the 35-year-old patient was kept awake and played his saxophone during the 9-hour surgery to remove a tumor from his brain. His playing allowed the surgeons to map the different functions of his brain as they operated. They could locate the brain areas responsible for his playing, speaking, moving, remembering, and counting. Dr. Christian Brogna, who led the surgery team, said the surgery was a success.
*… if not a tad annoying.
* While they operated on his brain, did he take requests?
* When they were done, the doctor yelled, “Stop time!” (That’s a joke for all you jazz lovers out there. Both of you.)
* I hope the surgeons dropped a couple bucks in his hat.
* That’s great, doc. Now do it with an accordion player, so we know where to go in their brains and turn it off.