Brain Surgery Patient Plays 'Beatles' Song On Guitar In The Middle Of His Operation

A Brazilian musician of 20 years gave a performance in one
 of the most unconventional
venues — his operating table. While undergoing brain surgery
 to remove a tumor,
Anthony Kulkamp Dias, 33,
 remained conscious by singing and playing his guitar at
 Nossa Senhora da Conceição Hospital in Santa Catarina.
 Dias serenaded surgeons
 by playing songs, including The Beatles' hit “Yesterday,”
 and even had an encore as doctors monitored
 his cerebral activity behind a surgical sheet.
“I played six songs at determined moments,” Dias told G1 Brasil,
 a Brazilian news website. “My right hand was a bit weaker because
that was the side that they were operating on. So I stopped and rested.
 I was interspersing songs and talking with them,” he added.
Dias, a bank worker, discovered he had the brain tumor 15 days
 after his son was born a few months ago. His condition began deteriorating to
 the point he could not even say the name of his car and was stammering as a result.
 Dias’
 type of brain tumor has not been disclosed, but his symptoms do suggest
 his tumor could have gotten progressively worse. According Medline Plus,
 changes in the person’s mental function and headaches, are among the most
common symptoms for patients with brain tumors.
Doctors asked Dias to sing to monitor his cerebral activity in real-time.
 This allows doctors to safely map the patient’s brain while awake to
 avoid injury that could compromise important brain functioning.
Cerebral monitoring ensures sensory, motor, and speech areas remain
 intact during the procedure. This is the 19th time the hospital has
 carried out this procedure with cerebral monitoring.
Keeping the patient awake is a challenge that helps the surgery team,
 including the anesthetist, since the brain tissue does not have pain sensors
 unlike the skin and other structures. The anesthetist is responsible for keeping
the patient awake and pain-free. Dr. Jean Abreu Machado, clinical director at
the hospital said. “By keeping the patient awake during surgery, these areas can
be monitored in real time. A kind of mapping of important areas can be done,
” The Telegraph reported.
In a similar case, Lithuanian violinist Naomi Elishuv serenaded surgeons at
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center with Mozart as doctors performed
 corrective brain surgery to remove an essential tremor.
 This neurological condition results in rhythmic trembling of the hands and
 other limbs. Doctors were successful in locating the site of the tremors as
 Elishuv’s playing improved.
Both brain surgery musical performances received a standing ovation
 from the operating room. Dias and Elishuv were both successfully discharged
 and continue to pursue their musical talents.