Dagmar Turner wasn’t just showing off when she played the violin during her brain surgery at King’s College Hospital in London
Surgeons asked the 53-year-old to play her instrument to ensure that the professional violinist’s musical abilities were not damaged during tumor removal. The tumor, in her right frontal lobe, was dangerously close to areas of her brain that are responsible for coordinating delicate movements in her left hand. These regions are crucial for playing the violin and their distance from the tumor was as narrow as a credit card’s thickness.
Was the surgery successful?
Before the procedure, a team of medical experts spent two hours mapping Turner’s brain to figure out which areas were active when she played the violin. Doctors managed to successfully remove over 90% of the tumor without damaging Turner’s fine motor skills. She went home to her husband and son three days after the procedure.
