5-year-old girl becomes world’s youngest to undergo awake brain surgery

A five-year-old girl at AIIMS Delhi underwent an awake craniotomy using the Conscious Sedation technique to address a left perisylvian intraaxial brain tumor. Remarkably, she has become the youngest person globally to undergo this procedure. Throughout the surgery, the young patient exhibited excellent cooperation and maintained well-being both at the conclusion of the procedure and during the postoperative period.

The success of the surgery was attributed to the outstanding teamwork and support provided by the neuroanesthesia and Neuroradiology teams at AIIMS. The official release from AIIMS highlighted their collaboration in conducting high-quality functional MRI brain studies.

Awake craniotomy, a specialized neurosurgical technique, enables surgeons to remove brain tumors while the patient is conscious, thereby reducing the risk of brain damage. During this procedure, the neurosurgeon engages in cortical mapping to identify vital areas known as the “eloquent brain,” ensuring their preservation while excising the tumor.