Breaking News: Pioneering Awake Brain Surgery Techniques with AI
In a groundbreaking development in neurosurgery, Dr. Jesús Martín-Fernández is pushing the boundaries of traditional brain surgery with innovative techniques that involve awake patients and the use of artificial intelligence to evaluate emotional processing during operations. This cutting-edge approach is revolutionizing how neurosurgeons handle brain surgeries, offering new hope for patients.
Understanding Awake Brain Surgery
Dr. Martín-Fernández, a renowned neurosurgeon and neuroscientist, has pioneered the technique of performing brain surgeries while the patient is awake. This method leverages the fact that the brain itself lacks pain receptors, meaning brain tissue such as the cortex, cerebellum, or lobes cannot feel pain directly. As a result, patients can remain conscious during operations, allowing surgeons to check critical areas with a stimulator to assess their functionality.
“The brain would be able to operate with all its cognitive abilities without the human being being aware,” explains Dr. Martín-Fernández in a recent interview with Ricardo Moya for “The meaning of the birra.” This innovative approach helps ensure that patients experience minimal emotional sequelae post-surgery, as the brain’s emotional connections are carefully evaluated during the procedure.
Using AI for Emotional Processing
One of the most exciting aspects of Dr. Martín-Fernández’s work is the integration of artificial intelligence to assess emotional processing. By using AI to emulate previous emotions, neurosurgeons can better understand the impact of disconnecting certain brain areas, ensuring that critical connections are preserved to minimize emotional and cognitive damage.
“By disconnecting each part, maybe that connection is critical for other parts where you are not connecting and do not recognize emotions,” explains the neurosurgeon. “It has been applied for the patient to get out of surgery awake with the lowest possible sequelae.”
The Challenges and Risks
While these techniques offer significant benefits, they also come with challenges. The neurosurgeon notes that awake surgery requires precise timing, as touching each area for more than four seconds can lead to convulsive crises. To mitigate this risk, Dr. Martín-Fernández and his team have developed tests that can be completed within the necessary timeframe while generating emotions.
“One of the risks of surgery awake is that you can only touch each area four seconds, or you are at risk of generating a convulsive crisis,” he explains, adding that they had to develop a test that lasted that time and generate an emotion. “It was the tip of the iceberg,” says the Canary Islands native.
Future Implications and Hope for Patients
Neurosurgery’s ability to intervene in pain processes that do not respond to drug treatment offers new hope for patients suffering from chronic pain. By using techniques such as drug pumps or placing electrodes, neurosurgeons can provide relief where traditional treatments have failed.
Dr. Martín-Fernández’s work is not just about advancing surgical techniques; it is about transforming patient care and outcomes. By keeping patients awake and using AI to evaluate emotional processing, neurosurgeons can ensure that patients leave the operating room with the best possible results.
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