Top Story, Hospitals

First-ever live brain surgery to air on National Geographic Channel

A patient will undergo deep brain stimulation surgery, in which they are awake and communicating, live on television for the first time.

National Geographic Channel in partnership with Mental Floss will air the first live deep brain stimulation surgery on Oct. 25. The patient will be fully awake during the procedure at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

The two-hour special, Brain Surgery Live With Mental Floss, will feature footage from two handheld cameras and several robotic cameras in the doctors’ surgical equipment. The patient, who is currently unnamed, will be able to speak to doctors ruing the surgery, which is commonly used to address tremors in Parkinson’s disease patients.

The neurosurgerical team involved for the special includes Dr. Jonathan Miller, UH Case Medical Center’s director of the Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, Dr. Benjamin Walter, director of the Parkinson’s & Movement Disorders Center and medical director of UH Case Medical Center’s Deep Brain Stimulation Program and neurosurgeon Dr. Jennifer Sweet.

“By partnering with National Geographic and Mental Floss, two incredible brands with a passion for exploring science, we hope to demystify brain surgery, diminishing the fear and stigma of this operation,” Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. “We hope that this live broadcast of a deep brain stimulation surgery will educate viewers and offer a comprehensive look at this cutting-edge surgery.”

Bryant Gumbel will host the show and neurosurgeon Dr. Rahul Jandial and neuroscientist and podcast host Cara Santa Maria will provide the live commentary.

Here’s a video of a similar procedure with an awake patient:

Photo: Flickr user UCD School of Medicine & Medical Science

Shares0
Shares0