London, UK: A 53-year-old woman was caught on cam playing the violin as surgeons removed a tumor from her brain.
Dagmar Turner, the woman, underwent brain surgery while playing the violin to make sure that surgeons did not damage the part which controls the fine movement of her hands.
Turner, who is a management consultant and a violinist from the Isle of Wight, had a tumor from her brain removed at King’s College Hospital.
Ahead of the surgery, Turner said she was worried that she might lose her music skills, and that’s why she suggested playing the violin as the doctors perform the tumor removal operation.
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, a consultant neurosurgeon at the hospital, came up with the plan to reduce the risk.
Surgeons mapped her brain, opened her skill, and asked her to play the violin as they removed the tumor.
In the video that they shared with the public, the woman can be seen picking up the instrument during the surgery and playing it while her eyes were shut.
Professor Ashkan said, “This was the first time I’ve had a patient play an instrument.”
Talking about the surgery, Professor Ashkan said, “We managed to remove over 90% of the tumour, including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity, while retaining full function in her left hand.”
Turner thanked the surgeons afterward for preserving her love for the instrument.
Talking about her love for thee instrument, Turner said, “The violin is my passion,” she said. I’ve been playing since I was 10 years old. The thought of losing my ability to play was heartbreaking.”