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Woman Plays Violin During Brain Surgery To Remove Tumour

A video of an orchestra violinist playing the violin during brain surgery is going viral. The violinist, Dagmar Turner was having surgery to remove an aggressive brain tumour.

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Mansi Wadhwa
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Woman play violin brain surgery

A video of an orchestra violinist playing her preferred instrument during her brain surgery is going viral. The violinist, Dagmar Turner was undergoing surgery to remove an aggressive brain tumour. One of the surgeons took the video of her playing the violin during the surgery at King’s College Hospital in London.

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Dagmar had a tumour in the right frontal lobe. The right frontal lobe controls the movement of the left hand. Turner’s consultant neurosurgeon, Professor Keyoumars Ashkan realized how important it was for the patient to preserve her ability to play the violin. He came up with the plan that they will bring her out of anaesthesia during surgery to play the instrument in order to ensure that no damage was done to the frontal lobe.

Some takeaways:

  • Ashkan said that Turner is his first patient to play an instrument during an operation. Previously, his patients usually performed language tests during brain surgery.
  • The team managed to remove 90 percent of Turner's tumour while retaining full function in her left hand.
  • Turner had her biopsy and radiotherapy at a local specialist hospital. Three days post the operation, the hospital discharged Turner.

Read Also: Violinist Apoorva Krishna Is First Indian To Get Tarisio Scholarship

The violin is my passion; I’ve been playing since I was 10 years old. The thought of losing my ability to play was heartbreaking, but being a musician himself, Prof. Ashkan understood my concern.

Turner was quoted in a press release saying, "The violin is my passion; I’ve been playing since I was 10 years old. The thought of losing my ability to play was heartbreaking, but being a musician himself, Prof. Ashkan understood my concerns." She also said, "He and the team at King’s went out of their way to plan the operation – from mapping my brain to planning the position I needed to be in to play." Prof. Ashkan also holds a degree in music. He is a pianist.

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We managed to remove over 90 percent of the tumor, including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity while retaining full function in her left hand.

Prof. Ashkan said that Turner is his first patient to play an instrument during an operation. Previously, his patients usually performed language tests during brain surgery. While the team removed the tumour, Turner was carefully brought out of anesthesia and instructed to play the instrument.  He further said, "We managed to remove over 90 percent of the tumor, including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity while retaining full function in her left hand."

About Dagmar Turner

Fifty-three year old Dagmar Turner was diagnosed with a large grade 2 (slow-growing) glioma after suffering a seizure during a symphony  in 2013. Turner is a former management consultant from Isle of Wight.  She plays the violin for Isle of Wight orchestra and other choral societies. Turner had her biopsy and radiotherapy at a local specialist hospital. Three days post the operation, the hospital discharged Turner.

Read Also: This Musician Opts For Violin Over Walking

Mansi is an Intern at SheThePeople.TV

Viral Video Dagmar Turner violin woman plays violin during brain surgery
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