Nishtar Hospital performs first awake brain surgery

Nishtar Hospital Multan has performed its first-ever brain tumour surgery without putting the patient under general anaesthesia, marking a significant milestone in advanced neurosurgical care.

According to a hospital spokesperson, the complex procedure, known as Awake Craniotomy, was carried out for the first time at the facility, allowing surgeons to operate on the patient's brain while he remained fully conscious. The surgery was performed by Senior Registrar Dr Ahmed Shah under the supervision of Head of Ward 14 Dr Liaquat Jalal and Dr Iqbal Kharl, with the support of a multidisciplinary medical team.

Dr Ahmed Shah said the patient was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour, and conventional surgery posed a high risk of paralysis. "To minimise this risk, we opted for the Awake Craniotomy technique, which allowed continuous interaction with the patient during surgery and ensured protection of critical brain functions," he explained.

He confirmed that the operation was successful and the patient is recovering well. "The patient is expected to be discharged soon," he added.

Medical Superintendent Dr Rao Amjad Ali Khan congratulated the neurosurgery team on the achievement, stating that the hospital continues to provide advanced medical care despite limited resources.