Awake brain surgery on six-year-old: Shaukat Khanum Hospital achieves milestone

KARACHI: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) has achieved a milestone in paediatric neurosurgery by performing an awake brain tumour surgery on a 6-year-old patient, the youngest reported case in indexed medical literature.

Awake brain surgery, common in adults for tumours near critical areas controlling movement or speech, is rare in children due to its technical complexity and the challenge of ensuring young patients remain cooperative.

The patient, from Mardan, had suffered seizures since age 2 due to a tumour in the brain area controlling left-side movement, risking permanent weakness if removed conventionally. Neurosurgeon Dr. Fauzan Alam Hashmi, with anaesthetist Dr. Asma Akram, led the team, stating, “After parental consent, we chose an awake procedure, allowing the boy to move his limbs and speak during surgery, ensuring we avoided critical brain areas’’.

This was done with the help of advanced navigation systems and microscopes. Post-surgery, psychological evaluation confirmed no new disabilities or trauma. This landmark procedure underscores SKMCH&RC’s commitment to pioneering accessible, world-class cancer care and advancing global medical research.

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